By Mike Hoskins
This is a story we wish didn't need to be told.
By now, no one should be surprised by the high cost of insulin and how broken the drug-pricing system is in this country.
In late 2016, we shared a story about the human cost of unaffordable insulin. Fortunately, the woman highlighted in that story was able to find help, so there was a positive ending.
Sadly, that's not always the case.
Some of you may be aware of the story of Shane Patrick Boyle, who died in mid-March 2017 as a result of not being able to afford or obtain insulin. He isn't the first, and won't be the last, and the facts that it's 2017 and we live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world makes this even more of an outrage.
It's unacceptable, and something has to change!
Remembering Shane Patrick Boyle
We never met Shane, nor did we connect with him online in any way.
But he was one of us. A member of our Diabetes Community, someone who had lived with type 1 for many years and just like us, relied on insulin to stay alive.
From accounts of those who knew him, inside and beyond our D-Community, Shane was an incredibly kind and gentle man with a huge, giving heart. He was a gifted creative writer and graphic artist who in 1993 founded the first unofficial ZineFest Houston event aimed at the do-it-yourselfers in the comics and artistic community.
As we understand it and from what we've seen shared in the DOC, Shane had recently moved back home from Texas to Arkansas to take care of his sick mom, Judith (who died on March 11). As a result of the move, Shane apparently lost access to healthcare and prescription coverage. He was also between doctors and in need of insulin; apparently, he was waiting for his Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage to be approved and was stretching out his insulin until he had enough money to see a doctor to prescribe more insulin, and purchase it.
In early March, Shane set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding page in order to raise $750 for a month’s worth of insulin to get him by. Tragically, that didn't materialize in time to save him.
Our community lost Shane on March 18, and according to his GoFundMePage (which has now been revised to provide for funeral expenses for both Shane and his mom), "Shane died because he was trying to stretch out his life-saving insulin to make it last longer."
Honoring Kevin Houdeshelll
Remember the 30-something in Ohio in who died due to no emergency access to insulin?
Kevin died in January 2014 after not being able to get an emergency prescription at a local pharmacy for insulin on New Year's Eve. He died from high blood sugars leading to DKA. Kevin's death sparked an Ohio law change that is carrying over to other states, prompting revisions to how pharmacies are able to dole out prescription insulin in case of emergency.
There is a national conversation picking up steam about why insulin prices have become so very unaffordable—not to mention Congressional action, federal legislation and class-action lawsuits—all working to tackle this big issue.
Insulin Access Emergency Resources
Some of those resources available to those who might need it most include:
Samples of Insulin: Doctors offices and health clinics often keep small samples of insulin on hand to give to patients on a sample or emergency basis.
Older, Lower-Cost Insulin: While it's certainly not as effective as modern insulins, there are older varieties available at both Walgreens and CVS for a much more affordable price.
Savings/Discount Programs: Each of the three big insulin manufacturers offer their own Patient Assistance Program (PAP):
- Lilly Cares: (800) 545-6962
- Novo's Cornerstones 4 Care: (866) 441-4190
- Sanofi's Patient Assistance Connection: (888) 847-4877
Diabetes Community paying it forward
The reality is that members of our D-Community are not afraid—and increasingly motivated—to help each other. You'll also quickly run into the Type 1 Diabetic's Pay It Forward group on Facebook.
More #insulin4all grassroots help
What else can we do, at the local and grassroots level, to help people like Shane and Kevin and so many others who are falling through the cracks?
More on Insulin Access & Affordability
Originally written by Mike Hoskins and published at DiabetesMine.
Comments