Woman says her son couldn't afford his insulin – now he's dead

[HenryChinaski]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mother-fights-for-lower-insulin-prices-after-sons-tragic-death/

Her son, Alec, was a Type 1 diabetic – someone who needs to take insulin every day to survive. But turning 26 meant his parents' insurance would no longer cover the cost, shooting his monthly cost for insulin and supplies up to $1,300 per month, according to his mom.

"My son died because he could not afford his insulin," she said.

What she said Alec didn't tell her was that he was struggling with that cost. He'd started trying to ration his insulin to make it last longer. It wasn't enough. He died after falling into a diabetic coma alone in his apartment.

The drug industry is starting the New Year by hiking the costs on hundreds of prescription medications despite pressure from President Trump. A group that tracks drug costs said about 60 companies increased the price on almost 300 medications.

The price of insulin, a life-saving drug for diabetics, tripled between 2002 and 2013. Since 2008 three of the top makers raised the list price of insulin at least 10 times. Now, the state of Minnesota is taking action by suing three of the world's largest insulin manufacturers.

Lori Swanson is Minnesota's attorney general. She's now suing the top three insulin manufacturers for what she calls "deceptive, misleading, and misrepresentative list prices."

"I think in America nobody should lose their life because they can't afford the cost of insulin," Swanson said. "They've raised the price of insulin by being in cahoots with the pharmacy benefit managers and having a secret price for them that the public doesn't get."

Right-wing ideology. Survival of the fittest. "Can't afford necessary life saving medication? That's the way the mop flops, just die and be quiet about it and God bless Murica"

 

[tres borrachos]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mother-fights-for-lower-insulin-prices-after-sons-tragic-death/ Right-wing ideology. Survival of the fittest. "Can't afford necessary life saving medication? That's the way the mop flops, just die and be quiet about it and God bless Murica"

This is such a sad and horrific story. Truly.

Cue the people who bitched and pissed and moaned about 26 years olds staying on their parents' insurance. Or the people who will claim that diabetes is a disease that people bring on themselves.

 

[Samhain]

Even though Alec never told her he was struggling to pay for his insulin, she still feels like she should have known.

There are numerous programs available to help people pay for their required daily medications. Its unfortunate when an individual doesn't seek help.

 

[HenryChinaski]

There are numerous programs available to help people pay for their required daily medications. Its unfortunate when an individual doesn't seek help.

That's such a typically short-sighted and black and white response. You don't know this mans circumstances or what he was aware of or wasn't or if he had information of where to turn. Nor what "programs" if any were available to him in his area and based on his qualifying criteria.

 

[Samhain]

That's such a typically short-sighted and black and white response. You don't know this mans circumstances or what he was aware of or wasn't or if he had information of where to turn. Nor what "programs" if any were available to him in his area and based on his qualifying criteria.

He clearly didn't bring it up to anyone. And look at it this way, if insulin was $10, there still would be someone, somewhere, that can't afford it and would die without seeking help.

What's the solution?

 

[tres borrachos]

There are numerous programs available to help people pay for their required daily medications. Its unfortunate when an individual doesn't seek help.

Maybe I missed it in the article. Can you share the name of which group he should have gone to that would have covered his expensive insulin?

 

[tres borrachos]

He clearly didn't bring it up to anyone. And look at it this way, if insulin was $10, there still would be someone, somewhere, that can't afford it and would die without seeking help.

What's the solution?

Let us know when insulin is $10.

 

[dirtpoorchris]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mother-fights-for-lower-insulin-prices-after-sons-tragic-death/ Right-wing ideology. Survival of the fittest. "Can't afford necessary life saving medication? That's the way the mop flops, just die and be quiet about it and God bless Murica"

We need to make a new law that companies are only allowed to sell life saving drugs for 5% profit. Anything over that is illegal. That should kick all these pharmaceutical tycoons right in the nutts.

 

[Samhain]

Maybe I missed it in the article. Can you share the name of which group he should have gone to that would have covered his expensive insulin?

LMGTFY

 

[tres borrachos]

LMGTFY

So you don't know. Nor do you know if he went to anyone anyway. Got it.

 

[Joecool44]

Since 2008 three of the top makers raised the list price of insulin at least 10 times. Now, the state of Minnesota is taking action by suing three of the world's largest insulin manufacturers.

The OP blames "right wingers", but the increases came under Obama's watch I see.

It's unfortunate that someone died for a lack of insulin but it sounded like he needed to reach out and appeal for help.

 

[Samhain]

So you don't know. Nor do you know if he went to anyone anyway. Got it.

I'll ask him if he went to anyone. Why didn't you buy his insulin for him?

 

[Cephus]

This is such a sad and horrific story. Truly.

Cue the people who bitched and pissed and moaned about 26 years olds staying on their parents' insurance. Or the people who will claim that diabetes is a disease that people bring on themselves.

Anyone who is capable of working at the age of 26 ought to have a decent job and insurance of their own. You shouldn't be relying on your parents for your care, unless you have something significantly wrong with you, at that age.

 

[Lutherf]

There are numerous programs available to help people pay for their required daily medications. Its unfortunate when an individual doesn't seek help.

Sometimes it's necessary to sacrifice someone so you can maintain the media propaganda program.

 

[HenryChinaski]

Sometimes it's necessary to sacrifice someone so you can maintain the media propaganda program.

Utterly disgusting but predictable comment.

 

[Samhain]

Utterly disgusting but predictable comment.

What's your solution to the problem or did you just create this thread to use a dead man to cudgel "right wing ideology"?

 

[Bucky]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mother-fights-for-lower-insulin-prices-after-sons-tragic-death/ Right-wing ideology. Survival of the fittest. "Can't afford necessary life saving medication? That's the way the mop flops, just die and be quiet about it and God bless Murica"

Cut the crap. Right-wing ideology didn't kill this young man.

1. Why didn't this young man have a job that covered the cost of this drug

 

[Lutherf]

Anyone who is capable of working at the age of 26 ought to have a decent job and insurance of their own. You shouldn't be relying on your parents for your care, unless you have something significantly wrong with you, at that age.

And if someone is totally and permanently disabled the 26 years old thing doesn't matter as they generally become eligible for medicaid.

 

[PoS]

The FDAs stranglehold on who it allows into the drug market has created monopolies. If you want things to change then the power of the FDA must be severely curtailed.

 

[Bucky]

Anyone who is capable of working at the age of 26 ought to have a decent job and insurance of their own. You shouldn't be relying on your parents for your care, unless you have something significantly wrong with you, at that age.

You don't even need a job.

 

[tres borrachos]

Anyone who is capable of working at the age of 26 ought to have a decent job and insurance of their own. You shouldn't be relying on your parents for your care, unless you have something significantly wrong with you, at that age.

I'm married to someone who was born with Juvenile Diabetes. It's Type 1. My husband was lucky. He was able to work through the terrible challenges that Type 1 diabetes brings, and ended up having a successful career as a hockey player. His cousin, also born with JV, is now 41 years old and has been in a wheelchair since he was 25 as he lost both of his legs to gangrene, since people with Type 1 diabetes are prone to terrible issues with circulation.

But hey, he should be out working like anyone else, right?

Unless you have expertise on the side effects of Type 1 diabetes, you can't diagnose someone's ability to work.

And why would you or anyone else care that someone who is 26 is on his parents' insurance policy anyway? They pay for him. Not us.

 

[Lutherf]

Utterly disgusting but predictable comment.

Yeah? Does looking in the mirror really bother you that much? If so, fix your issues.

 

[Manc Skipper]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mother-fights-for-lower-insulin-prices-after-sons-tragic-death/ Right-wing ideology. Survival of the fittest. "Can't afford necessary life saving medication? That's the way the mop flops, just die and be quiet about it and God bless Murica"

We're looking down the barrel of something similar here over Brexit. Nobody considered that many of our drugs are supplied from Europe, including insulin, but also other major lifesaving medicines. The government has belatedly been talking about stockpiling some to tide the country over during the disruption when we leave, while swearing the NHS to secrecy. Patients just don't know if their medicines will be there when they need them!

 

[tres borrachos]

I'll ask him if he went to anyone. Why didn't you buy his insulin for him?

He didn't ask me. I buy it for my husband, who has been on insulin since the day he was born.

 

[americanwoman]

We need to make a new law that companies are only allowed to sell life saving drugs for 5% profit. Anything over that is illegal. That should kick all these pharmaceutical tycoons right in the nutts.

I'd love to see that. It's just not right to make such big profits off life savings drugs.