It's an Adventure!

If you’re in America like me, I’m sorry. Things are a bit tough and scary right now. I’m seeing a lot of people asking for help for paying for medicines and medical procedures, either because they have no insurance, or what insurance they have sucks, or whatever new way they’ve found to screw you.

Don’t despair. I’m with you.

I was paying $400 a month for insurance in 2015 when I was hospitalized with DKA. That is, I was Type 1 Diabetic and didn’t know it. I almost died, and when I made it to the pharmacy after to get my insulin, I was kinda wishing that I had.

$900+ for insulin. Two insulins, both needed to keep me alive. Weak and exhausted, I broke down at the Walmart pharmacy counter. 

But my mother was with me. She held me as we both cried, then she got up and started searching on the internet.

See, drug companies know they’re shit, cause they can give their drug away if you know where to look.

Help Paying For Medicines: Discount Cards

First step, find out who makes your meds and go to their website. You can even just do a Google search “***** discount” -or “**** discount card*. 

For instance: Lantus, made by Sanofi. Type in “Lantus discount” and the first link is their website, with links to sign you up for a discount card.

https://www.lantus.com/sign-up/savings-and-support

It costs $400+ per box of pens. With the discount card, it costs me nothing.

Now, your mileage may vary. Most of the times before, it cost me $45 per box, which is still steep, but it helps. No idea why the amount changes. I’m sure there are mysterious heathcare industry reasons.

Help Paying For Medicines: Make the Call

Y’all gotta get over your fear of making phone calls. It could kill you.

If you can’t find online discounts for your drugs, call the manufacturers themselves. You may be on hold for a while. It’s worth it.

Back in the 1990s, a new drug called Enbrel was released for rheumatoid arthritis. Before that, they just gave you some Tylenol and told you to suck it up.

My father needed this medicine. Problem: it was $2000~ a month. $350, with insurance. 

Now, we were poor Midwesterners. $350 a month just less than the mortgage was. We paid that for years. It was bad. 

Then, one day, my mom called the manufacturers. She got a discount.

$20 a month. For a medicine that cost $350 a month with insurance. For a medicine that retails for $2000 a month. 

Make the call. It might not work out, but you have to try.

Paying for Medical Procedures: Mortal Kombat

I like games. They’re an escape and a release from the stresses of the day.

I hate playing games in real life.

Which is what you’re force to do when dealing with health insurance in this country.

You have to call. You have to ask questions. You have to fight.

If you’re bill is higher than you can comfortably pay, call your insurance company. Ask about every single charge. Tell them you’re having trouble, tell them you’re money problems. 

It might work. It’s worked for me before 

But it might not. You have to try.

Also, call the place where the procedure was done. Tell them your problems, tell them your money troubles.

They want your money. They’ll take whatever money they can get. 

Sometimes they’ll only put you on a repayment plan. But that way, you won’t be getting notices from them, screaming about how they’re going to send your account to collections.

Sometimes they’re drastically reduce your payment so that you can repay in full now.

Either way, do it. It’s exhausting and frustrating, but it’s so worth it.

In Conclusion 

It sucks, I know. And few if any of these options may help you. There’s so much variation in doctors, drugs, procedures, medical offices, state laws, federal laws etc. 

But once upon a time, I didn’t know about any of these. They count on you not knowing, or being too busy, or thinking that it’s too much trouble.

Don’t let them win.

I spent so long listening to people tell me that I was lying or faking just to get out of work that half the time I don’t know if I’m actually sick or not.

I leaned how to be diabetic with Toujeo. Things were regulated enough; all lows were my fault as I learned how much bolus insulin to take with meals.

Now, suddenly, no one wants to cover Toujeo, so they switched me to Lantus.

Long story short, my blood sugar just dropped 100+ points in 45 minutes.