My brother’s skepticism, love of data and concern for his nephew has in turn, unleashed an anger raging deep inside me – one that I’ve quietly been bottling up for some time now.
I’ve justified and accepted the relationship and situation. I’ve likened it to that of symbiosis. There is definitely a mutual interest… They need me in order to survive and thrive in the economic market of diabetic sales... I need them for their supplies to keep Saul alive and healthy.
This is what started it all. Initially (like most of the commenter’s) I too got caught up in the commentary and arguments between those with T1 and T2 and the criticisms of the author.
He is however, correct in his ascertain that diabetic individuals are being scammed and taken advantage of by pharmaceutical & insurance companies.
And here in lies my personal dilemma. The once “action-oriented, take-them-out, fight till the death Grimes” has morphed into the “passive, throws hands in the air, just live with it Grimes.”
If you didn’t read the article here’s the jist. Diabetics are reliant upon several “things” - the majority of which are consumable products.
1. Insulin (if you use injection therapy you must you 2 types- if you use pump therapy you use 1 type).
2. Supplies to deliver insulin (ex. Syringes, pen needles, alcohol wipes and or things like insulin pump reservoirs, insertion sets, tegraderm)
3. Glucose meter & supplies (lancing device, lancets, test strips)
Fact about all of the above:
1. These consumables are used on a daily basis
2. They are all exorbitantly overpriced
The article (and the main source of my frustration) focuses on the latter… ridiculously high priced glucose meter supplies… mainly the test strips.
It’s no surprise that the most successful companies figure out how to gain an angle on the market and for those in the glucose monitoring business it’s not in the design, quality or cost of a meter. I was pumped to leave the hospital with 2 meters… thought they were being nice to us… giving us a break only to find out while browsing the diabetic aisle at Wal-Mart I could purchase the same exact product for $19.99. Sure – I’m all about saving $40… but what they won’t give out, what YOU have to buy, what costs a fortune out of pocket and what insurance companies determine how many you receive and when... are the test strips. Next time you’re bored browse the “diabetic” aisle at Wal-mart or your local pharmacy. Generally you’ll find the test strips “locked up” with a nice over the counter price tag of $50-75 dollars a bottle. Even with insurance we end up paying 20% of that price.
The first month Saul was diagnosed and we were attempting to check a 16 month olds BG’s 10-15 times a day… we blew through those suckers pretty dag on quick.
1. We were checking 10-15 times a day
2. We were checking a 16 month old… so come on… holding him down, keeping him steady and trying to draw blood was a wee bit difficult
3. We received half as many “ERROR TEST STRIP READING”s as we did successful readings. (Those of you in the diabetic community “give a shout out” you know exactly what I'm talking about)
That was when we were using the Accu-chek meter which I highly prefer over Medtronic’s One Touch meter that we now HAVE to use (because of course… it and only it “works” with the system….). Okay sure we can manually enter all BG’s taken by another meter into his pump… but seriously… do I have time to do that? Especially when you’re talking about 10 times a day?
Ironically it just so happens that with the One Touch meter we get even more error readings.
“ERROR PROBLEM WITH TEST STRIP OR NOT ENOUGH BLOOD.” I scream profanities (in my head of course) every time I see this because....
SERIOUSLY…. WTH!!!…. SAUL AND I ARE COVERED IN BLOOD…. HIS FINGERS’ DRIPPING ALL OVER MY COUCH…. IT’S YOUR PROBLEM ONE TOUCH ULTRA... YOUR PROBLEM TEST STRIP… NOT MINE… THERE’S ENOUGH FREAKING BLOOD… SO DON’T EVEN TRY TO BLAME ME…. !@#%^&^%$#@&@#$%^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So like I was saying… “they” know… oh “they know” and “I” know I can’t do anything about it… except count my blessings I’m not dealing with something worse… be thankful I have insurance in the first place… try to stttrrrreeecccchhhh them out until the date (which is brightly marked on my calendar) that tells me...yes… yes.. now Humana will allow you to go to the Pharmacy and get more test strips, and of course meanwhile, convince Jeff we should quit our jobs, sell our house and move to Europe... where we wouldn't have to deal with this crap.
We learned a hard lesson that first month… when we almost… almost ran out. We got down to half a bottle… so I called up Rite Aide ony to be told by the Pharmacist… "oh… you’ll have to wait on those, Humana won’t cover those until the end of the week."
(*umm… excuse me? )
*yeah… they only cover the cost for _________ days
(*umm… excuse me?)
*well… you can always purchase them OTC…. But you might not want too… they’re pretty expensive _____$$$$$$$
(*umm… excuse me?)
I wasn’t satisfied so I called Humana myself. And they basically verbatim gave me the same (schpeel).
(*umm… excuse me?) at which point I went ahead and added !^*&#$^*!*&$ (in my head of course… ) and then a little (*right. right. I get it… you only cover like 10 strips a day… but I’m checking like 15 times a day… and you realize that most of them say ERROR and then I have to start again… and I’m blowing through them… and I have to have them… and… and… and… and… and)
As you might have guessed… I still had to wait until the end of the week… used the last dag on test strip we had on Solly while waiting in line to be checked out at the Rite Aide Pharmacy picking up the brand new batch.
Oh… and did I happen to mention all of this “stuff” has a shelf life? So yeah… my attempt at hoarding these things is for not. Although… in case of a zombie apocalypse or the chance that my family might be the only survivors of the Mayan prediction… you better believe I’ll be busting in to some Pharmacies and grabbing my fair share of test strips.
