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Diabetes can be expensive to manage. Some programs can help you afford your diabetes medications, devices, and supplies. Read on for 15 tips to lower your costs.
It’s important to reach out for help when you need it. Here are some instances where you might want to consider asking for help:
- when you can’t afford your medications
- when you’ve been rationing your medication or skipping doses
- when you’ve been having very high blood glucose readings
- when you’re having symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes
Keep reading for tips on affording your medication and supplies.
1. Pharmaceutical assistance programs
Pharmaceutical assistance programs help people without insurance and with limited income afford their medications. Some programs allow Medicare Part D enrollees to apply.
- Merck Patient Assistance Program: Merck’s program can help you get free or low cost Merck medications.
- Lilly Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program: You can get free Eli Lilly insulin through this program.
- Novo Nordisk Diabetes Patient Assistance Program: You can get free or discounted Novo Nordisk insulin through this program.
- Sanofi Patient Assistance Program: If you take Sanofi insulin, this program can help you get it for free.
- AstraZeneca Patient Assistance Program: This program provides medications at no cost.
- Boehringer CaresPatient Assistance Program: This program provides Boehringer Ingelheim medications free of charge.
2. Device assistance programs
- Free Abbott glucose monitors: Abbott manufactures the FreeStyle line of glucose monitors. You can use its program to get a free monitor and discounts on test strips.
- Medtronic Patient Assistance: If you use an insulin pump from Medtronic, you might be able to get it at a lower cost through this program.
- The CR3 Diabetes Association: This program helps people with low income get the monitors, testing strips, and insulin pumps they need.
- Benefits Checkup: This service from the National Council on Aging helps older adults get matched with every program and money-saving benefit they qualify for, including programs that offer free or low cost supplies.
3. Coupon sites
Coupon websites are free to join. The sites show you the lowest available price for your prescriptions and give you a coupon you can bring to the pharmacy to get the deal.
You can also sign up for free discount cards, like from Optum Perks, that you can bring to the pharmacy.
4. Nonprofit assistance programs
There are multiple nonprofit programs you can use to find low cost diabetes medications and supplies:
- Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT): MAT can match you with programs to help you afford prescriptions. Enter information about your prescription, income, and insurance to get matched.
- NeedyMeds: NeedyMeds maintains a large database of information and helpful resources for people with diabetes and other conditions. The site can help you find supplies, prescriptions, and care.
- RxAssist: You can use RxAssist to search for prescriptions and get matched with ways to receive them for free or at a low cost.
- RxHope: You can apply for programs directly from the RxHope website. Search for your prescription and see programs to get it for free or at a low cost.
- GetInsulin.org: This program is specifically for finding low cost insulin. It can match you with resources to help you pay for it and can help you get emergency insulin.
5. Mail-order pharmacies
You might be able to save money by filling your prescriptions through a mail-order pharmacy, especially if you order more than a 1-month supply at a time.
If you use insurance, your copays might be lower. Plus, you’ll get the convenience of having your prescriptions delivered.
6. Pharmacy loyalty programs
Many pharmacies have loyalty programs you can use to save money, which are generally free to join. You might get coupons that are only offered to loyalty program members, or be able to earn discounts with frequent purchases.
7. Government assistance
Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs are state programs that help people with limited incomes afford their prescriptions.
You can use the Medicare website to check for a program in your state.
Keep in mind that not all states offer Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs, and the eligibility requirements are different in each state.
8. Community health centers
Community health centers can help you get care you can afford with sliding-scale payment options.
Many community health centers have pharmacies or medications on hand to help you get low cost or free prescriptions. They might also be able to connect you with other community and local resources to help you afford to manage your diabetes.
This interactive map can help you find a local health center.
9. Talk with a diabetes care and education specialist
A diabetes care and education specialist is a professional who can help you manage your care. They can help you find low cost care and prescription assistance in your area.
They can also help you better manage your diabetes. These healthcare professionals teach lifestyle changes that could reduce the number of medications you need, in turn decreasing the amount of money you need to spend on medication.
You can find an educator in your area using this interactive map.
10. Consider a generic drug
The cash price for generics can be hundreds of dollars less than the name brand. If you use insurance, your copay might be much lower with a generic drug.
Before switching, ask your doctor about generic medications if you’re currently taking a brand-name prescription. In most cases, switching is safe and just as effective.
11. Use a combination medication
A combination medication is two medications in one. It serves two purposes, so instead of two different prescriptions, you’d only have one. This can significantly lower your costs.
You can’t make this decision yourself. Talk with a medical professional about your prescriptions and see whether there are any options for a combination medication.
12. Get a 90-day supply
Ninety-day supplies are often cheaper than the standard 30-day supplies. Not all prescriptions are available in 90-day supplies, but many are. You can ask a healthcare professional to write your prescriptions for 90 days instead of 30.
13. Get samples from your doctor
Doctors sometimes have samples of prescriptions. This won’t cover you in the long term, but samples can be a good way to get what you need quickly while you wait for approval from programs discussed in this article.
14. Check out Extra Help
If you have Medicare and are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, you might be eligible for Extra Help, a program that reduces costs for Medicare enrollees with low incomes.
You can apply for the program through the Social Security Administration website.
15. Check your insurance company formulary
A formulary is a list of medications that an insurance company will cover. It’s a good idea to check the medications you take against the formulary for your insurance company.
If any prescriptions you take aren’t on the formulary, talk with a healthcare professional. They might be able to switch you to medications that are on the list.
The cost of managing diabetes can add up. Medications, devices, and supplies make up a large portion of those costs. Many programs are available to help people afford the things they need.
If you’ve been struggling to cover the cost of your diabetes care, you have options. You can apply for programs to reduce your costs or talk with a medical professional about lower cost medication options.