Lantus Monopoly – Jab in the Pancreas

I’ll do my best not to curse throughout this post as my mother recently mentioned I could use more appropriate language.  I am incredibly thankful for my medical insurance and for the first time had to call in my prescription for Lantus, an insulin I HAVE to take every single day.  In fact, my alarm goes off at 6:11am every morning to remind me to inject this precious drug.  I would not be alive without Lantus.  Here is where shit hits the fan.

• 10 days ago I called in my prescription for Lantus
  • 2 hours later I receive a text – prescription is available to pick up and cost $150. I question this amount because Novolog costs $100.
• Next Day – I have an argument with the pharmacy because they’re out of test strips AND insurance wouldn’t cover them.
  • Test strips = $298+
  • Please note my recent post, Halloween Highs & Lows, about having to test every 45 minutes during my high blood sugar scare.
• Fast Forward 1 Week (10:08am)– Contact pharmacy again about Lantus.
  • Pharmacist confirms my 42 day prescription would cost $150 with insurance. I share a few curse words and inquire as to the retail cost of Lantus = $288 per bottle.
  • This is just a jab in the pancreas as to the cost of life saving medications. Insulin + needles/pens/pumps + insanely expensive test strips = a financially poor person living with diabetes.
  • I make a snide remark about being dependent on this medication and how Sanofi can suck it, but understand it isn’t his fault.
  • Pharmacist makes the comment, “This situation is Redonkulous and happens all of the time”. I concur.
• 10:24am – Contact Endo’s office and speak with nurse about samples.
  • They are out and so is the rep. WTF?
  • She offers to call in a generic insulin (so I guess I can take what they use on animals) – NOT HAPPY.
• 10:32am – Begin research and stumble across a site for a Lantus Offerings and Savings card.
  • I hear a recording about how Lantus is used to treat Type 2….. blah, blah, blah.
  • Tony greets me and we have a somewhat comical conversation. It begins with eligibility.
    • Are you 65 years or older?
    • Do you receive Social Security payments or benefits?
    • Do you have end stage renal disease?
    • Are you currently serving in the military?
    • Are you enrolled in state funding assistance programs?
  • WOOHOO – I qualify and we discuss the benefits.  Word on the street I am eligible for a $100 discount per month on one bottle.
• 11:02am – Contact pharmacy with my exciting news and present my ID number for discount.
  • DENIED
  • The kind pharmacist agrees to contact the company.
• 1:12pm – Ronnie, pharmacy tech informs me that the discount card only applies to the Lantus pen. Dude – should I switch in order to lower my cost?
  • We both agree to contact my Endo’s office so they can write me a new prescription.
• 1:15pm – Speak with nurse. She gives me two options.
  • I get new prescription for generic, but my physician would need to see me in his office.
  • I switch to the pen.
  • I agree on the pen and she calls Ronnie to make it happen.
• 1:22pm – I am shocked that Ronnie takes my phone call. We discuss recent developments and are both pleased with the outcome.

This event took place days before Thanksgiving so I focused my energy on being grateful for having the drive to research options, the stubbornness to proceed even when the options looked grim and for Ronnie, the kind tech that took most of the day to make sure I could afford my insulin… I presented him the sweetest card when I picked up my new meds in the drive thru.