Posted on 01/22/2019 11:26:02 AM PST by yesthatjallen
Per-person spending on insulin doubled in a recent five-year period, according to a report released Tuesday.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes spent an average of $5,705 on insulin in 2016, compared to $2,864 in 2012, according to a study from the Health Care Cost Institute.
The dollar amount represents the combined amount paid by a patient and their insurer, and doesn't include discounts given later.
The spending jump is largely driven by price increases, the authors wrote, and not because more people are using insulin.
Between that period, average daily insulin rose a modest 3 percent, the report says.
For an individual using an average amount of insulin, the price increased from $7.80 a day in 2012 to $15 a day in 2016.
Price increases have the biggest impact on the uninsured and those with high deductible health plans, which requires that customers pay a certain amount toward their health care before insurance kicks in.
Rising drug prices has caused national outcry in recent years, with the new Democratic House majority vowing to investigate.
The House Oversight and Reform Committee last week sent letters to a dozen drug companies seeking detailed information and documents about how they price their medications.
Several Democratic committee chairmen have also said they will call in drugmakers to explain price increases.
Supply and demand.
Insulin causes weight gain.
Our government and Congress (in their infinite wisdom) doesn't encourage it. It is legal (Thanks Congress!) for one drug company to pay another company to NOT manufacture a generic or rival medicine.
So, diet and careful control of your weight and adequate exercise SHOULD reduce much of the need to take exogenous insulin. Except in very rare cases, the human being not afflicted with the actual death of the beta cells on the pancreas (Type I diabetes), still produces some insulin, and weight loss aids greatly in the ability of the body to resume adequate insulin production.
There are so many guides to maintaining good health available out there, that there is no excuse for ignorance about how to avoid many of the afflictions that affect everybody as they age. I chalk up much of personal human woe to willful ignorance, and I estimate some 95% of said personal woe is self-induced.
Doubled in price? So did a pint of lager, an order of wings, and lots of other stuff!
In 5 years?
You must be a Pharmatroll, or are going to the wrong Buffalo Wild Wings.
Thank you.
I use over the counter insulin too and people on twitter act like its absolute poison. Sorry, it’s not the same stuff as the pump stuff, but it works well, lasts long, and is dirt cheap.
Good for you. My wife weaned herself off of insulin due to a misdiagnosis and hospital induced diabetes. Dr. Jason Fung has some good books out. One on fasting and one on the Diabetes Code.
Step 1 - give the drug free to all illegals and medicaid folks.
Step 2 - Charge everyone else more to cover step 1.
Not difficult to understand at all.
I have all three of his books and have used his info to debate my primary on why if my insulin level was high (insulin resistance) are they making me take more? They are absolutely clueless on T2 diabetes
So has the price of a can of corn. So has our electric bill. So has lots of things except the paycheck.
15% annual compound interest rate. 10% ish over the 30 year mortgage rate and 12% is over the 10 year treasury.
Rumor is that the patent for synthetic insulin production was transferred to NovoNordisk for $1.
Don’t know if that is true. I know that the IP for AZT was transferred to Pfizer for free.
I went LCHF Dec 10 and have not looked back, I feel great and the side effect of weight loss and lowered BP ain’t bad either.
My monthly premiums almost doubled, while the deductible went through the roof.
Interesting.
Reviewing my own post, you are right; more like 7-8 years. Never been to a Wild Wings joint, though; I speak of my local pubs. Smaller volume, higher cost, higher price. Business 101.
“Pharma” has had a hand in keeping me alive since my first heart episode in 2011, but I’m ‘sposed to hate ‘em?
Glad to hear it. The diet the government backs is killing people.
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