Another Diabetes Option: Accu-Chek® Guide SimplePay Program

Another diabetes option ended up in my inbox a few weeks ago in the form of a Press Release re: Accu-Chek Guide SimplePay Program ( a cash discount program for Accu-Chek's Guide meter and test strips,) and info re: a recent Diabetes Care survey that reported that “more than half (52%) of Americans living with diabetes report the cost associated with managing their diabetes has negatively impacted their finances.” 

OK, not a shocker and an absolute no brainer if you’re a person/family living with diabetes - but kudos to them for getting actual statistics on the subject.

Yes, the cost of living with diabetes keeps us up at night, as does the quality of care re: our diabetes tools of the trade. We worry, we cut back in all aspects of our lives so that we can afford diabetes tools that keep us healthy and keep us alive - the more affordable and accurate options, the better! 

Answers to some potential questions re: the Accu-chek Guide® Simple Pay Program and Simple Pay program card. 

How do you find out if you're eligible for the program and how do you get the card?  

Got online, answer some questions, see if you qualify. 

If you do, downloaded the card for free online at SimplePaySaves.com .

Is Accu-Chek® Guide SimplePay Program/Card insurance? No, it’s a cash discount program and it cannot be combined with any form of health insurance -And not everyone qualifies.

What if you're insured by a government healthcare program? 

If you are a Medicare/Medicaid recipient, are in the military or VA, you’re not eligible for the program. 

If you meet the requirements, the Accu-Chek® Guide SimplePay Program test-strip breakdown is listed in the graphic below. 

Bottom line: Life and life with diabetes is all about options, so take a beat, do the research in all dimensions, and see if the Accu-Chek® Guide SimplePay Program is a diabetes option that might work for you. 

Day 2 of DiabetesBlogWeek: The Cost of A Chronic Illness

Day two of Diabetes Blog Week: The Cost of A Chronic Illness.

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The cost of my chronic illness, t1 diabetes keeps me up at night from worry and causes me to grind my teeth when I sleep - giving me yet another pre-existing condition (and two cracked molars,) in the process. 

The cost of diabetes makes me depressed, angry, and perpetually in a state of fight or flight mode.

The cost of diabetes has a negative affect on my savings and retirement plan and that has me frightened for my future, not to mention my health. 

The cost of diabetes makes me swallow my pride and ask my endo for samples  because for years my co-pays were crippling - and even thought they are better, they are still far from "easy on the wallet."  

And I’m grateful when he is able to give them to me. 

The cost of my diabetes means I wear an insulin pump with an expired warranty.

I’ve been acutely aware of the cost of diabetes since I was in single digits - and I guarantee that every single child living with diabetes/ has a parent or sibling living with D, knows how much diabetes costs their family - not only monetarily - but emotionally. 

I know the cost of diabetes kept my parents up at night and I know the cost of diabetes had a negative impact on their own health.

I know that some of my siblings sans diabetes, felt that they received less because of the financial burden that diabetes placed on my parents. 

3 out of 6 children with dt1 plus my dad - you do the math.  

So in turn, the cost of diabetes always has had me continually saying "I'm sorry," since the age of 8.

I do my best to allow my diabetes freak flag to fly, but some days the weight of my diabetes guilt has the power to stop me in my tracks. 

The cost of diabetes creeps into my daily thoughts, creates anxiety, and threatens my well being.

The cost of diabetes has turned me into a diabetes hoarder of insulin, pump supplies, test strips, and every thing in-be-tween, for myself and for others. 

The cost of diabetes has forced to advocate for myself from day one - and in turn has made me advocate for others. 

The cost of diabetes has made me MARCH. 

Do I think the cost of insulin and everything else related to diabetes is too expensive? 

Is the Pope Catholic? Of course I do! 

When the cost of a drug people use to stay alive is unaffordable to the very people who need to stay alive - I have a problem with that. 

I have a problem with R&D always being blamed for the cost of insulin that’s been off patent for well over a decade - and I’ve been incredibly vocal about that - and will continue to be. 

I have a HUGE problem with Shane Patrick Boyle and others dying because their insulin Go-Fund-Me accounts didn’t work fast enough. 

I have a problem that in the United States of America citizens living with diabetes have to resort to crowd sourcing in order to obtain insulin. 

I have a problem with families and individuals going broke and going without because they have to pay for insurance.

So I ALWAYS speak up, LOUDLY and often - sometimes face to face with Pharma, passionately and unapologetically - and I do not hold back. 

I make phone calls, send emails, and I write. 

My local Congressman knows my name and face because I called his office so many times about the cost of diabetes that he invited me to a sit down at his local office. And he was one of the 20 republican congressmen to vote AGAINST AHCA.

I use my voice, my pen, my and my vote - and I learn from others who are doing the same. 

The cost of diabetes requires me to know about insulin access programs and the likes there of - and tell others about them. 

The cost of diabetes has cost me the lives of people I love and people I’ve never met. 

The cost of diabetes has made me a fighter not by choice, but by necessity.

The cost of diabetes is exhausting and never ending. 

And the cost of diabetes has made me persist and I WILL NOT STOP.

I'M ANGRY

On Wednesday night I came home late and to the news that Lilly had announced price increases for a multitude of drugs, including insulin (7.8% price increase,) and I was pissed. I emailed Lilly at midnight, spoke with them yesterday afternoon for 38 minutes. 
Marinated and thought about what to write. 

Every single person I know living with diabetes struggles to pay for their disease - even those with the best insurance. And I'm angry that the price to keep us alive continues to go up.
And I'm angry about other things too. 

####### 

I'M ANGRY.

I'm angry that that Lilly raised the price of their insulin 7.8 %  . 

But this isn't just a Lilly problem, other insulin companies have will be increasing their prices in the very near future and have publicly stated as such. 

Novo Nordisk stated at the end of last year that they will keep their price increase under 10%. 

On Tuesday, Sanofi announced a 5.4 % insulin price increase. 

I'm angry that people with diabetes are once again being hit by the financial implications of a disease we never chose or wanted. A disease I am doing my absolute best to live with - and hopefully helping others to do the same.

I’m angry because I’ve lost so many people I love in my bio and DOC family to diabetes.

I’m angry that people are dying in the United States of America because they can’t afford insulin.

I’m angry because high ranking White House official publicly perpetuated diabetes myths and stereotypes by blaming people living with diabetes - and used us as an excuse when it came to the return of pre-existing conditions clauses and high risk pools.. 

I’m angry that that The United States allows such outrageous pricing and the government doesn't seem to care. 

I'm angry that my friend with three children with diabetes was driven by tears of anger and frustration to write THIS. 

For pete's sake we can buy the same insulin in Canada for under 40 dollars.

I'm angry at health insurance companies, PBMs, and drug companies blaming one another while continuing to take our money.  

Im angry that all three can hike our prices just because they can and continually point the fingers at one another. As far as I'm concerned, they're all at fault and it must stop. 

And quite frankly, I’m angry that whatever good that's come out of the past 5 years of Lilly’s engaging with the DOC, up to and including the insulin access workshop three weeks ago, Monday's announcement of Lilly and other companies cross industry participation in Express Scripts GoodRX program, may have thrown under the bus - as were the Diabetes Advocates who attended the Insulin Access Workshop - and that makes me LIVID.
  

I'm proud of the communication channels that have been opened and I don't want those channels to be closed - but the announcement of yet another price increase that will impact millions, means those channel are clogged and in need of a good cleaning.

My anger and frustrations aren't focused on the PR/Patient Engagement side - I'm angry, you're angry, the PR team knows it.

The PR team aren't the Decision Makers at Lilly and their job became a lot harder this week and they have a lot of muck to clean up.

Sidebar: Years ago, I worked for a Corporate 300 technology company in Communications.  
My department was never a privy to price increases - that info was handled by Investor Relations,  Finance and Legal - they never divulged price hikes because of insider trading and investor fraud. Those of us in Corp Com and PR found out about the price hikes when they sent out their own press releases on the subject. I believe the same rules apply to Pharma.

No, my anger is directed at the Lilly Kingfishes. CEO's BOD, the Financial, Legal, and Investor Relations departments. And the Investors.

These are the folks who are involved in price increases. 

These are the folks who decided that now was a good time, a time when people in the United States are dying because they can’t afford insulin, and during a shit show happening in the United States with the implications of AHCA, the destruction of ACA, causing very real fears and emotions to run high. 

These are the folks decided that May 2017 was a great time increase prices.

THEY WERE WRONG.

And there's a lot to learn from this classic example of a billion dollar corp’s right hand 

( CEO, Board of Directors, Legal, Finance, Investor Relations) most likely not knowing what the left hand (PR, Social Media, Patient Engagement,) is doing - and most likely not caring. 

FTR and for those who have asked, I don’t believe that the Insulin Access Workshop was a PR stunt  - though it had the potential to generate some good PR and programs. 

Same goes for Lilly re: announcing their participation in the GoodRx.com. 

Seriously, what company would announce that they were participating in a program (including Sanofi, and Novo,) that reduced the price of insulins and other medications on the list by 34% price decrease for under insured/ uninsured - and then announce a price increase? 

That's CRAZY. 

Clearly there was some MAJOR communication issues between departments. 

Sidebar: Do I think that price of insulin with the 34% decrease in the GoodRX program still makes insulin too expensive? 

You bet I do. But between you and me and maybe it was wishful thinking, it was a good first step.
And I was hoping that it would force PBMs and Health Insurance companies to make the the next move. 

And now the positive that could be, has been dimmed because of Wednesday article re: the insulin price increase. 

Bottom line. People are awake and angry. The price of insulin is too damn high. 

Lilly’s head honchos, and their Financial, Legal, Investor Relations teams, need to get their heads out of their investors asses and hold the people who actually use their products in higher esteem - they need to put us first - or more realistically, they need to put investors and customers on the same playing field, instead of one side always being the victor. 

Those same people also need to educate themselves on what's going on with the patient engagement side of their company. 

Lilly, Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, investors need to make noise re: the unrealistic price hikes - peoples lives and well being are at stake - and they are either part of the solution or part of the problem.

Also, this isn't just an an insulin issue - if it's happening with all our medications, it's happing with investor meds too. 

They have the power to make real change - and we will be watching.

Right now, Lilly needs step up because the spotlight is glaring on them - things are only going to get hotter. 

People are angry - the price of insulin needs to go down, and Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi need to make it right.

And the conversations need to continue - no holds barred.

Sidebar: Next time anyone feels the need to question diabetes advocates who sit at the table and advocate with industry face to face, remember this. 
EVERY SINGLE DIABETES ADVOCATE I KNOW works their asses off to advocate for change - it's 24X7, it's time away from our families, from our jobs, from our lives.
It's mostly thankless but we persist through good times and the bad, because we want to help people living with diabetes - and we're not going to stop. 

I'm Attending The Lilly Diabetes Insulin Access Workshop

Thanks I'm flying out to Indianapolis this afternoon to attend the Lilly Diabetes Insulin Access Workshop at Lilly HQ on Thursday, April 20th.
Diabetes Advocates from the DOC will be sitting in a room with Lilly discussing insulin access and affordability, literal and figurative costs of diabetes, insurance, Lilly's insulin access programs and the likes there of. 

Every advocate sitting in that room has advocated and fought for people with diabetes,  are people with living with diabetes, or who love someone with diabetes. 
There will be a lot of listening and note taking , not sure how much I'll be tweeting, but I 
I encourage you to use your voices and follow/participate in the discussion on twitter 
and tweet your questions and concerns to the Diabetes Advocates in attendance.

FTR: I'm not sure what the "official" hashtag is, but several of the Diabetes Advocates have been using the hashtag, #insulinprices - stay tuned and more to follow re: hashtags.

The twitter handles of confirmed attendees are listed below and in no particular order, as is Lilly Diabetes.
Sidebar: I wasn't provided an "official list of attendees," (I asked several times,) and will add to the list as I get more attendee confirmations. 

@diabetesalish
@DiabetesMine
@DiatribeNews
@lawrPhil
@Verylightnosuga
@diabetesdad
@Our3DLife
@scottkjohnson
@sweetercherise
@DiabetesSocMed
@lillydiabetes

Full Disclosure: Lilly is paying for my transportation, hotel, expenses, and milage - which they should and I'm glad they are. 
And unlike #45, I'm all about transparency - with that being said, my opinions are mine and I'm not afraid to state them, LOUDLY and OFTEN. 

The High Costs of Diabetes Kills: RIP, Shane Patrick Boyle

Shane Patrick Boyle has been on my mind and in my heart since last Thursday. 
I've reached out to Shane's cousin on Facebook, but haven't heard from her yet - she's got a lot on her plate. 
Still, I wanted to post the story so that we could help Shane's family - and to prevent this from happening to another person. 
Nobody should die in the United States, or in any other country because they lack the funds to pay for insulin, or don't have access to insulin.
#DiabetesAccessMatters #insulin4all

#########

This is Shane Patrick Boyle.

RIP: Shane Patrick Boyle
This is the link to Shane’s Obituary.
Cause of death: He couldn't afford his insulin.

From all accounts, Shane Patrick Boyle was a gifted writer and graphic artist, founder of ZineFest, Houston, a good son and brother, a kind and gentle man with tremendous talent and a giving heart - and his artwork reflected his kind and gentle spirit.

Update: 3/30/17 - This afternoon, Shane's cousin Hannah sent me 
the above illustration and a snapshot
 of his facebook profile below.
She felt both were true representations of Shane's spirit and talent.
The family feels that Shane, who always fought for the underdog,
 would be honored to leave a legacy of motivating others to fight for 
change ~ 

This is the link to Shane’s Go-Fund-Me for insulin, which has now become his G0-Fund-Me account for funeral expenses - for Shane and his mother. 

Shane passed on March 18th, and according to his Go-Fund-Me Page, "Shane died because he was trying to stretch out his life saving insulin to make it last longer."

Shane moved back home to help take care of his sick mom, Judith (she died on March 11th,) and his healthcare was put on the line. 
Because he moved, Shane lost his Rx benefits, was between doctors and needed insulin for his type 1 diabetes. Shane was waiting for his ACA status to be approved and was stretching out his insulin until he had enough money to pay for his insulin, and see a doctor to prescribe prescriptions. 

I didn't know Shane in real life or online, but I do know that In 2017, no one should die because they can't afford insulin or diabetes supplies- Not a single person.  

In 2017, nobody in the United States should have to set up a GoFundMe account for insulin, but to date, 9,242 people have. 
UPDATE: As of 4/10/17, Go-Fund-Me has 6017 campaigns for the search term,"diabetes," and 6017 campaigns for the search term, "insulin."  

My heart breaks for Shane and his family and I am so fucking angry!

Most of us are are so lucky to be in the know, to have a computer or smart phone at our fingertips, to have others who understand, can relate, and can help us when we are need of diabetes supplies. 

I don't know if Shane was aware (-and even if he was, he might not have had the funds to do so,) that he could purchase Regular, NPH, and 70/30 at Walmart and sans RX and for $25 per bottle.
Yes, antiquated insulins and far from efficient, but they most likely would have kept him alive.  
Sidebar: Starting in May, CVS will offer  Novolin R and Novolin N and Novolin 70/30 for $25, per 10ml bottle and without a prescription. 

I don’t know if Shane knew of Insulin Companies assistance programs (Lilly, NovoNordisk, Sanofi), and other diabetes related assistance programs.

But those lifesaving programs require paperwork and time to be vetted.

Unfortunately, Shane ran out of time.  

Shane's insulin was off patent, still cost a fortune without insurance - and in many cases with insurance.
Insulin prices have increased exponentially and across the board, every quarter since 2002.
Insurance Companies and the middlemen increase the price of insulins and other drugs  because they see dollar signs and people with diabetes pay the price, financially and in some cases, with their lives. 

Around the world people with diabetes are dying because they don't have access to life saving insulin.

In the United States of America, people with diabetes are dying because while they have access to insulin at every drugstore, they can't afford the cost of the the insulin they require to stay alive.
Click HERE for a breakdown of diabetes costs around the globe.

It's beyond wrong - it’s fucked up - and it must stop.
America, WE DESERVE AND DEMAND BETTER. 

I don’t know if Shane was aware that the Diabetes Online Community existed or that there were various facebook groups like the non-profit, Type 1 Diabetics Pay It Forward, where people with diabetes give/trade with those in need, or organizations like Insulin4All - that could have helped him. 
I take it Shane didn't know that the HelpAround app for people with diabetes existed, 
but I wish with all my heart that he did

I know that if the DOC knew of Shane's struggle, we would have done our best to help Shane because we’ve all been where Shane stood. 
All  of us have received and given help to other people with diabetes in need.

When I learned of Shane's fate, I cried myself to sleep - I also sent some of my contacts at insulin companies, insurance companies, and la makers links to Shane’s go-fund-me page - and his obituary. 

And I suggest you do the same. 

Join The American Diabetes Association and sign the petition to make insulin affordable.

Advocate and call your lawmakers - your voice matters, so make use it and make noise!
 Help Shane’s family pay for his funeral (any funds leftover will go towards a diabetes charity for those who struggled like Shane. 
Attend the national/your local March For Health on April 1. 
I’ll be marching in NYC and I'm one of the speakers and I will be sharing Shane's story. 
All of us need to fight like hell and put a stop to this madness!

In a few weeks I'll be attending an Insulin Access Workshop held by Lilly Diabetes.  
A group of Diabetes Advocates will be sitting across the table from Pharma - and you can be damn sure that I/we will telling Shane's story to those at the table!

2 Months of Insulin = 4 Bottles & $955.13

Hard for me to share this pic, but in order to for me to encourage others to share their experiences so real change can occur re: affordable insulin for all, I have to do the same. 

Backstory: I'm good - I'm sharing because things have to change when it comes to insulin prices – for people with and without insurance.

Back near the end of October, I realized I'd finally met my yearly deductible and my insulin would now be free. 

My Dr. sent over my RX, and 2 bottles that would have cost $517.75 out of pocket, cost me $0.00. 

BUT 10 days later I realized that the RX was for the wrong amount. 30 units a day, instead of 60. BIG DIFFERENCE. 

My Dr's office called in the proper RX and it was filled on the November 18th. 

4 bottles (plus the two from October,)  until the end of the year.

 I thought I'd have one more "free" refill in December that would be covered 100%.  

 Unfortunately, my insurance says that my next refill is on January 2nd, 2017 - and it’s out of pocket.

 I'm thoroughly confused and I've spoken to my Pharmacist twice about it. But according to my insurance company's D math - that's the date. WTF. 

I'm lucky - I have samples of unopened insulin sitting in my butter compartment, and courtesy of my Dr.

Those samples save me lots of out-of-pocket - having them makes a huge difference in the cash I can actually keep in my pocket – I am blessed that my doctor provides me with them and I know it.

FTR, I will be calling my pharmacy at the end of December to see if they can push another insulin RX through before the end of the year. - fingers crossed, but at least I have lots of back up.

#######

4 bottles of insulin - a two month supply in total, of a drug that literally keeps me alive and that would have cost me $955.13 in total, or $238 per bottle, WITH INSURANCE - had I not met my 2016 deductible thanks to wrist and hand surgery. 

I paid $0.00 because as I've mentioned several times, I've met my yearly deductible.

$238.78 a bottle for fast acting insulin (FTR, the name of the insulin is blacked out because my insurance charges me the same amount of money for Apidra, Lily, and Novalog,) insulins that are no longer on patent, but whose prices have gone up exponentially since 2002. 

$5,730.78 a year out of pocket for insulin, (probably a bit more because my RX pricing goes down the closer I get to my deductible,) for my/our elixir of life. 

I haven't even included test strips, or my pump supplies.

And I’m one of the lucky ones.

1. I have insurance

2. My Endo provides me with generous amounts of life saving samples of the drug (insulin,) that keep me alive, because he’s appalled at what my insurance charges me for insulin. 

I am so grateful to and for him. 

And I am so angry.

Angry that in the United States, insulin prices to go up for a multitude of reasons . 

Here's what I told the Lilly reps when I met with them privately in October to discuss in cost of insulin.

SIDEBAR: Kudos to Lilly for reaching out and meeting with Advocates one on one.

They were the only insulin company to physically meet with me on the east coast and hear my wants and needs - And I appreciate that very much .

They also met with others in the DOC around the country, re: insulin pricing. 

I told the folks from Lilly that I don’t want to demonize pharma or the companies that make insulin and other lifesaving drugs, because I don't.

 I'm not against profit and I know what companies who make insulin have done for nonprofits and people with diabetes.

But things must change because people can’t afford the very drug(s) that keep them/their loved ones alive - with insurance or without. 

And I DON'T CARE WHOSE FAULT IT WAS/IS - I WANT IT FIXED - And I will remember who led the charge to make things right. WE ALL WILL - every single one of us living with diabetes.

I stated that I don’t want hear about the Affordable Care Act, because insulin prices have been going up since 2002 - long before the ACA came to be - stop blaming blaming OBAMA. 

I mentioned that insulins that have long been off-patent, cost most of us more now, then when they were new. 

Insurance companies blame pharma, pharma blames Pharmacy Benefit Managers, PBMs blame everyone else. Toss in restrictive state laws and it becomes a vicious circle of blame. 

There’s enough blame for everyone to go around - and at this point, all parties involved need to stop pointing fingers and make things right.

Insulin Patient Assistance Programs help, but they don’t help enough. 

Those programs  don’t always provide the patient with enough insulin and many don’t qualify for the programs, let alone know these programs exist - see the link to the Diabetesmine link in the article below for all the reasons why. 

Also, these programs take time and paperwork. 

People with diabetes have enough damn paperwork. 

We spend countless hours on the phone with our insurance companies, our pharmacies and our Doctors. 

Nine times out of 10, we are the ones who catch costly mistakes made in our insurance billing - and it takes months to right those costly wrongs. 

And when you need insulin, you need it ASAP and everyday - waiting isn’t an option.

Try explaining to your insurance company about's tile floors that shatter glass insulin bottles, or why you suddenly need more than your normal amount of insulin due to harmones, the flu,a stressful patch at work or within your family, etc. 

They don't get it and they won't pay for it. They make you pay.

Click HERE for a breakdown of various insulin assistant program links/pros and cons. 

A meeting took place in few weeks ago with Pharma and Advocates in D.C came together re: Insulin pricing. 

Unfortunately, I didn't receive an invite to the meeting, but Diabetesmine wrote and excellent post on the meeting, and  I encourage you to read it. 

It’s comprehensive and does a beautiful and detailed job of explaining the big picture. 

For those of us who didn’t attend the Insulin Roundtable meeting in D.C. and for those who did, there are many ways your voice can be heard. 

For starters, pick up the phone and call your state lawmakers and share your story. 

Use the #DiabetesAccessMatters hashtag on Social Media. 

Call your insulin companies up and in nice, authoritative, calm, and kind voice - tell them your needs and your issues with insulin pricing. 

Get up dates from diabetesPAC  and see what diabetes issues are front in center in DC.

Sign the American Diabetes Association Petition to Stand Up For Affordable Insulin.

It’s easy, free and it can only help.

We all must come together and share our struggles about living with diabetes and the cost of diabetes, in order for change to happen.

Things Have To Change: The High Cost Of Insulin & Other Drugs - It's Not Only An Eli Lilly Issue - It's A Pharma Issue.

This post was supposed to go up late last week, but between life and real people  sick hitting hard towards the end of the week, it didn't happen.
 I've thought long and hard the subject matter. Like every person living with diabetes, the cost of diabetes medications and supplies is so very personal to me,  not to mention on a professional level. 
So many emotions and feelings and so much to consider - and if you live with a chronic illness you never stop thinking about the cost of staying alive.
On Saturday I found out that a family friend who didn't have diabetes, owned her home outright and had a good job and health insurance, lost her home because insurance wouldn't cover her anti rejection medications after a transplant (because they were considers experimental and her only choice,) and she was forced to pay cash. 
On Sunday I read a Facebook post showing a friend from high school's pharmacy bill that totaled almost $600 for his monthly medications because of his new plan's extremely high deductible.

I'm not against pharma or profit, but things have to change. 
###### 

Like many people, when I first read the article in Marketwatch quoting Lilly CEO John Lechleiter's n the Eli Lilly quarterly phone call, I was mad at John Lechleiter’s responses and reasoning behind the continual price increases.

“Asked on the earnings call about the current debate over drug pricing, John Lechleiter, chief executive officer, said higher prices make sense because it helps the company fund the research needed to find better treatment methods or a cure. 

Yes, they (drugs) can be expensive, but disease is a lot more expensive,” and added, “In 2016, we aim to continue revenue growth, margin expansion and value creation for our shareholders, all while sustaining a flow of innovative medicines from our pipeline to improve people's lives."

FTR: I know that Lilly is a for profit company and I'm not against dividends or profits. 
People are angry and rightly so with the wording and the reasoning, and I know their stock price has taken a hit since the MarketWatch article.

This kind of thinking brakes my heart and infuriates me on so many levels. 

First: his statement made no sense and in my opinion, show a lack of empathy for people living with diabetes. 

Yes, living with diabetes IS incredibly expensive, but continually marking up insulin prices steadily over the years to the point that the cost of for single bottle of Humalog sans insurance is $472 ( and it's been off patent for years,) is a big contributor to the high cost of living with diabetes and nobody can tell me that it isn't. 

FTR: The exorbitant cost of insulin is not only an issue with Lilly because it most certainly is not. This reasoning runs across the board and in tandem with other Pharma companies including Sanofi and Nova Nordisk when it comes to insulin pricing. 

When one company raises the price on a particular drug, in this case insulin, the competition immediately follows suit - matching the increase dollar per dollar and within days.

It's called Shadow Pricing. This article from Bloomberg (and be sure to listen to the audio - VERY important,) explains it drug per drug and dollar per dollar. 

Insurance companies are also to blame for the price increases because they want their cut of the insulin take. 

Many in pharma point to high deductibles adding to the cost and those in the insurance arena say that prices would go down if insulin was available in generic form, adding to the cost of brand insulin with insurance and damn near bankruptcy for those without insurance.

The continual increase in insulin prices have gone for years - well before deductibles went up and well before Obamacare came to be. 

And as far as taking/developing a generic form of insulin, in theory that sounds great. 
But in actually, I don’t want to take a bio similar generic insulin (and if said insulin were actually available,) because I believe that like certain generic time released drugs used to treat depression - bio similar generic insulins won't work as well - because molecularly, they wouldn't be able to work as well.

I think if generic forms of a drug will never be an option because of bio similar specifics,  Congress needs to step up to the plate and pass laws requiring insurance companies to make allowances for bio-similar brands that don’t punish the patient in the form of high cost for needing to take name brand drugs. 

Insulin is not a luxury drug, we take insulin because it keeps us alive as people with t1 - and for many with t2 and LADA - it keeps them healthy. 

Without insulin people with t1 diabetes would be dead.

Dirapram is not a luxury drug either. 
Anti rejection drugs aren't luxury drugs either.
Most drugs that insurance pays for or a portion of, aren't a luxury - they are a necessity in order for the people prescribed them to live.

Insulin has been on the market for over 90+ years and Eli Lilly's was basically given the North American patent rights so insulin could be mass produced and save lives, asap.

On a very personal level, I feel like Lilly has been part of my life forever because it has. Regular and NPH were my first insulins and I’ve been relying on insulin to survive every day for 38.3 years. 

Not only has it been a part of my life, but my two t1 aunts started insulin therapy as children in the late 1930’s and 1940’s. My t1 father began insulin therapy in the early 1950s, and my two oldest t1 sisters started insulin therapy in the 1960s. Eli Lilly kept them alive. Eli Lilly is one my dad was able to live to have six children, instead of dying from diabetes in his early 30's as a young father of two.

I’ve toured Lilly’s facilities, I’ve met the dedicated Lilly scientists who work diligently to make smarter insulins and I know people who work at Lilly and I know Lilly does good things for people with diabetes - and I'm glad and grateful. 

I know how insulin is made and it’s precarious and incredibly precise process - it’s not something that is done in a few minutes or a few days. 

I also know that if there’s one misstep in the insulin making process, be it cellular or in the bottling process - they have to start from scratch - and it’s not cheap. 
I absolutely get that.

But I also know the cost of a bottle of insulin far out ways the cost to produce a bottle of insulin without insurance - and in many cases with, and things have to change. 

I reached out across the internet to one of my contacts at Lilly and let her know that people with diabetes weren’t happy - and we set up a time to chat.

We talked about the frustration of the cost, I mentioned how people with diabetes found no comfort in John’s words or other companies continually increasing the price of  insulins - including insulins that are off patent, like Humalog. 

There was sympathy on the other end of the line and at one point I was asked what I would do to decrease costs. 

After the obvious - not charging a $472 for an off patent insulin... or an insulin on patent. 
I suggested that pharma needs to step up to the plate and start to police themselves regarding the continual price increases for insulin and other drugs, because soon, (and thanks to Pharma bro and asshat Martin Shkreli for putting the international spotlight on Pharma companies exponentially increasing the price of drugs, both old and new,) the government will do it for them - and they will make up for lost time because that's how elections are won.

 Increasing the price of drugs to the point of where it has people with diabetes and other illnesses choosing between mortgage payments and life saving medications is now a point of politics and is mentioned in speech after speech. 

If pharma doesn’t start policing themselves and act with empathy now, the government will not only do it for them - but in my opinion, will punish the industry for many reasons.
1. Putting the shareholders before the patients
2. making up for lost time
3. Lawmakers and the FDA deflecting the blame from themselves for not setting limits on the price of drugs years ago.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, nor do I wish to demonize pharma companies or the majority of the people who work for them  - sorry, Martin Shkreli is the devil. 

Things MUST change so people living with diabetes and other chronic illnesses can afford the drugs that keep them alive, while shareholders still receive their dividends - there has to be a middle ground where shareholders are happy and patients can afford the drugs that keep them alive - all of our lives and livelihoods depend on it.