How do you pay your supplies ?

[Timmy Mac]

Originally Posted by lounes

Hi, i wanted to know if you were from United States ?

Yes I am. I live in the state of virginia

[Joretta]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Russman

In America, low-income families can apply for government health insurance for their children. Depending on how much money they make and the size of their family, they pay nothing to a few hundred dollars a year. All diabetes supplies, including pumps are paid for. But sometimes they make it hard for them to get them. Unfortunately, once the child turns 19 they no longer get government insurance.

This true however what is covered in each state insurance varies. For instance, in Florida a year before my child's diagnoses pumping and CGM was not covered. Lucky for all one lawyer had fostered/adopted a diabetic became educated and took the insurance on to fight for pumping and won. Some states still have no coverage. Also state insurance is not explained at diagnoses so some on private insurance go broke on co-payments for supplies. I think diagnose of chronic illness need's financial education/guidance too. The cost of my child's supplies cost us our home as I could not buy her insulin at the copayment amount on my education salary as I also paid a premium for her insurance which was $1000,00 a month.

[MommaKat]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Russman

In America, low-income families can apply for government health insurance for their children. Depending on how much money they make and the size of their family, they pay nothing to a few hundred dollars a year. All diabetes supplies, including pumps are paid for. But sometimes they make it hard for them to get them. Unfortunately, once the child turns 19 they no longer get government insurance.

This is true, but only in part. Not all diabetes supplies are paid for by all states, some vary greatly on the amount of supplies and which ones they will cover. On MDI, we are allowed to get 100 strips and 100 pen needles per month, the rest are out of pocket and medicaid bars us from using any coupons or receiving specials / freebies. We are currently doing her saline start on the pump. We are allowed to order supplies once a month and limited to ten reservoirs, ten infusion sets, one bottle of insulin per month. If we need more because a set went bad, we had a bad insertion, her insulin needs were higher - whatever, we must buy that 100% out of pocket. She has skin irritation and sensitivity issues. Any kind of skin prep, less irritating adhesives, etc are also 100% out of pocket. We are not allowed to have an Rx for lantus to keep a pen in case the pump malfunctions and we need to go back on MDI until it's sorted out. If her needs increase drastically and we find we need to move to the larger reservoir mid month, or we find that she needs to change sets every 2 days instead of every 3, anything beyond the ten sets per month is uncovered.

Pumps are no longer routinely covered in Colorado. We submitted four appeals, and I wrote and published an open letter condemning state Public Health officials for cost saving measures instituted across the state affecting patients with chronic health needs - not just diabetics. The letter landed on radio and the tele, and an attorney offered to help pro-bono. I believe this all played a part in our approval. We actually received a denial and the approval on the same day. The Affordable Health Care Act states children with diabetes may stay on parents insurance until they are 26, and this provision is supposed to include CWDs on public assistance. It remains to be seen if those politicians opposed remove this provision which should go into effect in 2014.

[Joretta]

Your Colorado insurance would kill my child and send me to my grave. My DD goes through 300 strips 3 vials of insulin and must have Kirk pens (DD is anapholatic to latex). We do have out of pocket expenses alcohol preps, IV covers and tacky adhesive. DD also pumps we get 40 infusion sets 40 reservoirs, CGM senors. Just a tip in the first month I thought I would go crazy as it took 2-3 tries to get a set in that worked. I called the pump company and they sent out a few for free to help. You might try the pump company or ask for help here if you go through a few while learning. Thanks for posting about the state insurance keeping them until 26 if nothing changes I was very worried how to afford it all when she turns 18 in 2014.

[emm142]

Originally Posted by Joretta

Your Colorado insurance would kill my child and send me to my grave. My DD goes through 300 strips 3 vials of insulin and must have Kirk pens (DD is anapholatic to latex). We do have out of pocket expenses alcohol preps, IV covers and tacky adhesive. DD also pumps we get 40 infusion sets 40 reservoirs, CGM senors. Just a tip in the first month I thought I would go crazy as it took 2-3 tries to get a set in that worked. I called the pump company and they sent out a few for free to help. You might try the pump company or ask for help here if you go through a few while learning. Thanks for posting about the state insurance keeping them until 26 if nothing changes I was very worried how to afford it all when she turns 18 in 2014.

I'm confused, she doesn't get that much every month?

[Joretta]

Originally Posted by emm142

I'm confused, she doesn't get that much every month?

The insulin amounts are monthly. Pump supplies is every three months.

[lounes]

Is that really hard to get a diabetes insurance ?
I can't believe that you've got to see a lawyer to get a diabetes supplies who pays an hundred per cents of the supplies.
When i had diabetes at the age of 7 years old, i got directly a supplies at the beginning without paying nothing all was repaid by the state.
So i think i'm lucky to be a diabetic in France, i guess...

[linda]

Originally Posted by Timmy Mac

Since I'm pretty much buying my own supplies now:

I buy the cheapest needles and test strips I can find ($36 for 100 strips and $18 for 100 needles)

and I buy insulin through my parent's insurance ($30 for 5 pens)

As far as pumps go, I've given up. My parents can't help me pay for it and I can't afford one on minimum wage. Those things are so expensive I wouldn't even be able to trade my CAR for one.

This deeply saddens me that anyone needing pump cant get. There must be a resource group to help here I would even set up a fund raiser for this!! Dont give up, good luck!