Any Type 1 diabetics on here? How did you pay for insulin?

[Lolitainkwell 2]

Thank you for all the replies, everyone.

 

 We plan to marry next year and then set the ball in motion with the necessary immigration paperwork.

 

I've looked at buying my own insurance and it is pretty high for insulin.I will be working so will have to find an employer that offers this.

I am tempted to go down the trip to Mexico route, if I am unable to get it. 

 

Although this wont be for a few years, I am doing the groundwork now.

 

Future spouse has Medicare, and is not a pensioner yet 😄

 

All replies are gratefully received. 

 

Thanks all!

 

[Lolitainkwell 2]

12 hours ago, little immigrant said:

Agreed with Lemons lice. 

 

I don't have type 1 diabetes but I have a chronic illness. 

 

If you're still working in your home country, save up money in case you need to pay out of pocket here. Also you can bring supplies worth of 3 months once you move. 

 

When I came I was out of insurance for two months and I got really sick. I then was able to get insurance through employment. Definitely not worth it going uncovered not even temporarily. 

Can I ask, when you started your paperwork, did you do it yourself or use a lawyer?

 

I don't want to make a mess up with my application given my health requirement situation.

 

Thank you!

[Boiler 43,859]

Things change and quite what the situation will be in a few years time is impossible to say. Even if you obtain a job with Health Care benefits that does not mean the whole cost is covered, there are deductibles etc to be taken into account.

 

Medicare from recollection can cover those who are basically long term disabled. Might be a sponsorship factor.

[Lolitainkwell 2]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Things change and quite what the situation will be in a few years time is impossible to say. Even if you obtain a job with Health Care benefits that does not mean the whole cost is covered, there are deductibles etc to be taken into account.

 

Medicare from recollection can cover those who are basically long term disabled. Might be a sponsorship factor.

Thank you.

That's the scary thing, the not knowing.

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

I’m type 1 diabetic and me and my fiancé have looked into this extensively.

 

Firstly, when I move, I will be taking at least a 6 month supply of medicines with me.

 

Not all brands/types of insulin are available on all insurances - my fiancé is with Kaiser and originally we’d planned for me to go on Kaiser too, however, they don’t offer Tresiba Flexpens (or Tresiba at all), as it’s a fairly new insulin. As such, I spoke with my diabetes consultant and made an appointment to see her two months before I leave, so I start switching my insulin over to another type and have time to do this with her support and help (we agreed that we would probably talk weekly to review dosages etc)...

 

HOWEVER! My fiancé has decided that he will change healthcare plans and we’ll have a PPO instead, so that I don’t have to change insulins, as what I’m currently on really works for me - however, you definitely need to look into whether what you take is available on whatever plan you’re going on - and if not, see your diabetes consultant to arrange the switch.

 

Price-wise, we’ve worked out that it’ll cost approximately $1000 a month for my healthcare insurance and contributions towards medicine. Please note, I am hypothyroidic and anaemic also, so this includes the meds for those too (I was born with a messed up immune system)...however, the meds for those are pretty cheap, it’s the healthcare, insulin and other associated costs (needles, blood tests strips etc) that form the bulk of that figure. That figure also doesn’t include contributions towards going for blood tests, seeing the doctor, anything random that happens...

 

You have no way of buying/getting insulin if you return to the UK for visits (that was my first thought, that I could stock up when I come back to visit as it’s vastly cheaper here), as you won’t be valid for NHS and pharmacies will not sell it you without an EU prescription.

 

You could nip to Mexico or Canada  to buy insulin, but I believe there are actually laws against doing that and if they believed you were carrying more than just your regular amount to use, it could be confiscated/you could get in to trouble. Sorry I’m not explaining that very well, I read up on it a few months ago and can’t remember the ins and outs, just that it sounded a little nerve wracking and not a path I would fancy. 

 

But yeah, living in America with diabetes is very expensive. If my fiancé didn’t have a great job, that he couldn’t do here, he would probably come here instead of me there, because of how much I benefit from the NHS here. The government has issued some ultimatums to the CEOs of the insulin companies there, so we hope the prices will go down in the next couple of years (there’s some interesting videos you can watch on this if you like), however, they currently cost an awful lot. The reason the government are talking about it at the moment (sorry US people to call it ‘government’ - I think it’s congress, but I don’t really understand the different government sections yet and confuse them!) - the reason it’s a hot topic is because people are dying, because they cannot afford to buy their insulin - employed people with incomes.

 

If finances are a concern, perhaps your fiancé moving here might be a better option?

[Lolitainkwell 2]

3 hours ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

I’m type 1 diabetic and me and my fiancé have looked into this extensively.

 

Firstly, when I move, I will be taking at least a 6 month supply of medicines with me.

 

Not all brands/types of insulin are available on all insurances - my fiancé is with Kaiser and originally we’d planned for me to go on Kaiser too, however, they don’t offer Tresiba Flexpens (or Tresiba at all), as it’s a fairly new insulin. As such, I spoke with my diabetes consultant and made an appointment to see her two months before I leave, so I start switching my insulin over to another type and have time to do this with her support and help (we agreed that we would probably talk weekly to review dosages etc)...

 

HOWEVER! My fiancé has decided that he will change healthcare plans and we’ll have a PPO instead, so that I don’t have to change insulins, as what I’m currently on really works for me - however, you definitely need to look into whether what you take is available on whatever plan you’re going on - and if not, see your diabetes consultant to arrange the switch.

 

Price-wise, we’ve worked out that it’ll cost approximately $1000 a month for my healthcare insurance and contributions towards medicine. Please note, I am hypothyroidic and anaemic also, so this includes the meds for those too (I was born with a messed up immune system)...however, the meds for those are pretty cheap, it’s the healthcare, insulin and other associated costs (needles, blood tests strips etc) that form the bulk of that figure. That figure also doesn’t include contributions towards going for blood tests, seeing the doctor, anything random that happens...

 

You have no way of buying/getting insulin if you return to the UK for visits (that was my first thought, that I could stock up when I come back to visit as it’s vastly cheaper here), as you won’t be valid for NHS and pharmacies will not sell it you without an EU prescription.

 

You could nip to Mexico or Canada  to buy insulin, but I believe there are actually laws against doing that and if they believed you were carrying more than just your regular amount to use, it could be confiscated/you could get in to trouble. Sorry I’m not explaining that very well, I read up on it a few months ago and can’t remember the ins and outs, just that it sounded a little nerve wracking and not a path I would fancy. 

 

But yeah, living in America with diabetes is very expensive. If my fiancé didn’t have a great job, that he couldn’t do here, he would probably come here instead of me there, because of how much I benefit from the NHS here. The government has issued some ultimatums to the CEOs of the insulin companies there, so we hope the prices will go down in the next couple of years (there’s some interesting videos you can watch on this if you like), however, they currently cost an awful lot. The reason the government are talking about it at the moment (sorry US people to call it ‘government’ - I think it’s congress, but I don’t really understand the different government sections yet and confuse them!) - the reason it’s a hot topic is because people are dying, because they cannot afford to buy their insulin - employed people with incomes.

 

If finances are a concern, perhaps your fiancé moving here might be a better option?

Thank you so mucb for replying to this post.

 

Your medical situation is like mine, I am on Tresiiba and Thyroxine too. 

 

My fiance is a deaf T1 also and on Medicare as stated. The option  of getting on his insurance is not possible and hence I have been  looking into the same options you have stated. 

 

I was on bovine and changed to the moderns in late 2017, consultant has not been helpful at all. Pretty dire care where I live and have tried two different ones.

 

For this reason, my fiance refuses to come over. Also I have to be earning at least £20k and am currently doing two part-time jobs as a single parent. I've applied for over 100 jobs since July and not so much as an interview. But that's another story altogether.

 

Thank you for the video tips, I will check those out.

 

I wish I could PM you on this topic. 😔

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

1 minute ago, Lolitainkwell said:

Thank you so mucb for replying to this post.

 

Your medical situation is like mine, I am on Tresiiba and Thyroxine too. 

 

My fiance is a deaf T1 also and on Medicare as stated. The option  of getting on his insurance is not possible and hence I have been  looking into the same options you have stated. 

 

I was on bovine and changed to the moderns in late 2017, consultant has not been helpful at all. Pretty dire care where I live and have tried two different ones.

 

For this reason, my fiance refuses to come over. Also I have to be earning at least £20k and am currently doing two part-time jobs as a single parent. I've applied for over 100 jobs since July and not so much as an interview. But that's another story altogether.

 

Thank you for the video tips, I will check those out.

 

I wish I could PM you on this topic. 😔

You’re more than welcome to PM me, I’m happy to help.

 

Re healthcare and wages - perhaps a solution to this may be to look at moving to a new part of the UK?

 

I’ve always lived in the East Midlands (Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire) and I’ve had great care from all the diabetes consultants I’ve had (been diabetic for 30 years, since I was 4) - and I’ve never felt that I haven’t had the best care due to financial cutbacks - I was moved onto Flexpens aged 11, despite them costing more and have always had up to date equipment. There are also things like the DAFNE course run by the NHS, that really help you handle life as a diabetic.

 

Re wages, there are lots of office jobs here where the starting wage is £20K or higher. 

 

I’m not saying necessarily move up to the East Mids, but if you are out in the sticks, it can be harder, so worth considering looking at other parts...

 

And yeah, it baffles me to hear your fiancé say that he doesn’t want to move to the UK because he’s worried about the medical care - for diabetics, or those with other life-threatening chronic conditions, I think the UK is probably one of the best places in the world to be. If that the experience you have where you live, then that really is a shame 😢.

[Lolitainkwell 2]

32 minutes ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

You’re more than welcome to PM me, I’m happy to help.

 

Re healthcare and wages - perhaps a solution to this may be to look at moving to a new part of the UK?

 

I’ve always lived in the East Midlands (Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire) and I’ve had great care from all the diabetes consultants I’ve had (been diabetic for 30 years, since I was 4) - and I’ve never felt that I haven’t had the best care due to financial cutbacks - I was moved onto Flexpens aged 11, despite them costing more and have always had up to date equipment. There are also things like the DAFNE course run by the NHS, that really help you handle life as a diabetic.

 

Re wages, there are lots of office jobs here where the starting wage is £20K or higher. 

 

I’m not saying necessarily move up to the East Mids, but if you are out in the sticks, it can be harder, so worth considering looking at other parts...

 

And yeah, it baffles me to hear your fiancé say that he doesn’t want to move to the UK because he’s worried about the medical care - for diabetics, or those with other life-threatening chronic conditions, I think the UK is probably one of the best places in the world to be. If that the experience you have where you live, then that really is a shame 😢.

Thank you  

 

Ahhhh! how do I send a PM? I can only post on your public feed?

 

I've had it almost 46 years and am 48. Care has been abysmal since the bovine switch.

 

I've got a primary school aged child and been divorced almost 6 years. The court order has not helped me if I want to relocate anywhere to be honest. Got no family to help with childcare so have a childminder and lose a day's wage with that expense.

 

I'm based close to London. 

 

Yes if he moved here it would be so much easier, but as that's not going to happen, I have to find a way to make this work.

[Unlockable 7,309]

14 minutes ago, Lolitainkwell said:

Thank you  

 

Ahhhh! how do I send a PM? I can only post on your public feed?

You click on the member’s name and it will take you to their profile. In their profile you will find a link to send them a message.

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

53 minutes ago, Lolitainkwell said:

Thank you  

 

Ahhhh! how do I send a PM? I can only post on your public feed?

 

I've had it almost 46 years and am 48. Care has been abysmal since the bovine switch.

 

I've got a primary school aged child and been divorced almost 6 years. The court order has not helped me if I want to relocate anywhere to be honest. Got no family to help with childcare so have a childminder and lose a day's wage with that expense.

 

I'm based close to London. 

 

Yes if he moved here it would be so much easier, but as that's not going to happen, I have to find a way to make this work.

Re the court order...if that prohibits you from moving to another part of the UK, will it not prohibit you from moving countries?

 

Re making it work, I guess the only thing to do is get your health care priced up and then calculate what you’ll have to contribute on top of that...and then work out if that is going to be viable. Like I said, for me, it’ll be around $1000 a month, plus extra for check ups and blood tests...and extra if I have to see the doctor or an emergency happens. Obviously you’ll also have to factor in your child’s medical costs too (and their school costs)...

 

If you’re absolutely certain that your fiancé won’t consider moving (despite knowing that in England, your whole family will always receive the medicines they need...whereas in the US, you literally could die if you run out of money for your meds...), then I guess you need to discuss income and tally up all the living costs and see if it’s viable.

 

I’m sorry if that seems harsh, I just feel a bit narky about your fiancé’s reason for refusing to consider moving, knowing the risk it could put you in. None of my business though. 

 

Again, welcome to message me at any point x

 

 

[Boiler 43,859]

It is a money issue, Insurance is obviously important but you will have a sponsor as well to cover the costs.

[databit 328]

Don't take any job that doesn't offer health insurance.

[Lolitainkwell 2]

4 hours ago, Unlockable said:

You click on the member’s name and it will take you to their profile. In their profile you will find a link to send them a message.

Thank you.

25 minutes ago, databit said:

Don't take any job that doesn't offer health insurance.

Very valid point. Thank you.