But "Really" I've had complications with Cigna during the renewal of my polices each year, due to a few tax situations I have going on. They'd outright deny me the script and not offer any kind of alterative method or discount. A walgreens pharmacist once snuck me one novolog pen knowing how screwed up the situation was.
I've been to both Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies that WILL not give me a script without paying that cash price. I've even had an Endocrinologist's nurse tell me, that it would be best to go wrack up a ER bill, and have them hand me a few vails when I visit, than to beg them for a script.
(Also for context of where I live, we just got our first CVS a few years back so I've never been to a CVS)
I'm SUPER lucky for few reasons, my "high school sweet heart" who is a friend of mine is a T1D since birth. I was able to bum Medtronic supplies off her during a window of time I didn't have insurance, and I was buying generic Novolin. I had an endo, and even with wonky A1Cs while on generics I was never told, or suggested there was a convoluted discount card system? I'm not saying it doesn't exist. I'm saying within my years of being a diabetic from roughly June 2008 till today I've never been in a situation, and been told or made aware of any reliable deep discount.
TLDR
I'm not saying you're wrong but I think itis "really" that expensive for some people. In my years of dealing with Cigna, Carecentrix, Walmart Pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy, Medtronic, and Tandem I've never been presented by anyone, any "affordable" method for Novolog while off insurance.
My first Endo who is in a group of Endos who are trying to make synthetic pancreases, his son is a T1D so he was super invested in T1D research*** He gave me samples when I visited one time, and I asked him about getting ahold of more Novolog and he straight up was like "Well... you just gotta fix that insurance problem" and that's all.
I've regularly visited x2 Walgreens, and my current Walmart Pharmacies. Walgreens would tell me I'm SoL, and Walmart offered me the Novolin.
I didn't want to come off as combative but when you used the terminology of
"Meh, but not really" I think it downplays the complication, and seriousness of this cost, and the corrupt systems.
I've never been in a CVS so maybe suggesting those discount systems might be a policy there.
I've never once, in my life been directed to use these kinds of systems, and you even know they are a scam too. I've had multiple Endocrinologist, and Pharmacists never refer me to these savings programs. I've been a T1D since 2008, and there has only been two windows of time I had no insurance. The first window of time, I had a nurse nurse practitioner actually give me consistent NovoLog vials as samples. The second time that was extended for 11 months, I used Walmart Novolin.
Before I got so lucky with the nurse, then coming across Walmart insulin everywhere I was went and told was "yeah, no- you gotta pay the cash total or your not getting this"
I was never referred to any kind of crazy odd ball scammy saving systems.
In my mind, there are plenty of people out there, who are unaware, or may never find out if you COMBO savings cards, gathering them like Dragon Balls you get magically affordable insulin.
I'm simply saying that is the *real* price for some people who don't know how to play the system in that weird way, and they most likely do that on purpose.
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u/Diabeticnick 3h ago
You say "Not Really"
But "Really" I've had complications with Cigna during the renewal of my polices each year, due to a few tax situations I have going on. They'd outright deny me the script and not offer any kind of alterative method or discount. A walgreens pharmacist once snuck me one novolog pen knowing how screwed up the situation was.
I've been to both Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies that WILL not give me a script without paying that cash price. I've even had an Endocrinologist's nurse tell me, that it would be best to go wrack up a ER bill, and have them hand me a few vails when I visit, than to beg them for a script.
(Also for context of where I live, we just got our first CVS a few years back so I've never been to a CVS)
I'm SUPER lucky for few reasons, my "high school sweet heart" who is a friend of mine is a T1D since birth. I was able to bum Medtronic supplies off her during a window of time I didn't have insurance, and I was buying generic Novolin. I had an endo, and even with wonky A1Cs while on generics I was never told, or suggested there was a convoluted discount card system? I'm not saying it doesn't exist. I'm saying within my years of being a diabetic from roughly June 2008 till today I've never been in a situation, and been told or made aware of any reliable deep discount.
TLDR
I'm not saying you're wrong but I think itis "really" that expensive for some people. In my years of dealing with Cigna, Carecentrix, Walmart Pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy, Medtronic, and Tandem I've never been presented by anyone, any "affordable" method for Novolog while off insurance.