Ellen
02-16-2008, 11:17 AM
There's a video at the link too
Diabetic students get assistance : News : WLUC TV6 (http://www.wluctv6.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=96194)
Diabetic students get assistance
UPDON recently kicked off “Help for U.P. College Students with Diabetes” program geared to help arrange for free or low cost supplies.
By Emily Pace (http://www.wluctv6.com/about/bio.aspx?id=330)
Posted: Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 10:26 p.m.
MARQUETTE -- Attending college full-time can leave almost anyone strapped for cash, and some students are faced with another financial challenge...the expense that goes along with managing diabetes.
In Michigan, youth with Type 1 diabetes are covered under Children's Special Healthcare Services until they reach the age of 20. However, if they are in college and are not covered under their parents' insurance plan, they could be left with a very costly burden.
“I don't think there's any way possible for a Type 1 diabetic, especially when you got syringes and if you are on the pump to pay for all of those supplies on top of tuition,” says Kyle Saari. “I mean you're going to come out with a ton of debt one, or you simply cannot do it.”
Luckily for Kyle Saari, a Type 1 diabetic and full-time student at NMU, he is covered under his parents' health insurance. But, according to The U.P. Diabetes Outreach Network, not everyone is as fortunate as Saari.
“One of our goals is to make sure that everybody has access to affordable, appropriate care,” says UPDON Director Ann Constance. “So, over the past year we've been working on putting together a program to help these college students that can't afford their diabetes care.”
In fact, the American Diabetes Association estimates that the average health care costs for someone with diabetes is about $13,000 a year versus $2,500 for a person without diabetes.
However, UPDON has recently started their "Help for U.P. College Students with Diabetes” program, which will connect full-time college students at any U.P. university with available assistance and resources. The program will work with the individual to get them what they need such as, insulin pump supplies, glucose testing meters and strips, as well as medical exams.
Although, Constance says UPDON cannot guarantee to arrange all the necessary supplies for free; they will be able to get them at a reduced rate or will try and have them donated.
Diabetic students get assistance : News : WLUC TV6 (http://www.wluctv6.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=96194)
Diabetic students get assistance
UPDON recently kicked off “Help for U.P. College Students with Diabetes” program geared to help arrange for free or low cost supplies.
By Emily Pace (http://www.wluctv6.com/about/bio.aspx?id=330)
Posted: Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 10:26 p.m.
MARQUETTE -- Attending college full-time can leave almost anyone strapped for cash, and some students are faced with another financial challenge...the expense that goes along with managing diabetes.
In Michigan, youth with Type 1 diabetes are covered under Children's Special Healthcare Services until they reach the age of 20. However, if they are in college and are not covered under their parents' insurance plan, they could be left with a very costly burden.
“I don't think there's any way possible for a Type 1 diabetic, especially when you got syringes and if you are on the pump to pay for all of those supplies on top of tuition,” says Kyle Saari. “I mean you're going to come out with a ton of debt one, or you simply cannot do it.”
Luckily for Kyle Saari, a Type 1 diabetic and full-time student at NMU, he is covered under his parents' health insurance. But, according to The U.P. Diabetes Outreach Network, not everyone is as fortunate as Saari.
“One of our goals is to make sure that everybody has access to affordable, appropriate care,” says UPDON Director Ann Constance. “So, over the past year we've been working on putting together a program to help these college students that can't afford their diabetes care.”
In fact, the American Diabetes Association estimates that the average health care costs for someone with diabetes is about $13,000 a year versus $2,500 for a person without diabetes.
However, UPDON has recently started their "Help for U.P. College Students with Diabetes” program, which will connect full-time college students at any U.P. university with available assistance and resources. The program will work with the individual to get them what they need such as, insulin pump supplies, glucose testing meters and strips, as well as medical exams.
Although, Constance says UPDON cannot guarantee to arrange all the necessary supplies for free; they will be able to get them at a reduced rate or will try and have them donated.