How Much Does Treatment for Diabetes Cost?
Question by Cody: How much does treatment for diabetes cost?
How much does treatment for diabetes patients cost per year? Any help is appreciated. Estimates are great too
Best answer:
Answer by Gary B
WITH INSURANCE:
Insulin — about $ 100 a month
Other medications — about $ 200 a month
Doctor visits — about $ 50 a month
Special shoes — About $ 30 a month
TOTAL PER MONTH — about $ 400 a month WITH INSURANCE
Figure insurance pays about 80%, an uninsured person would pay about $ 2000 a month, or about $ 25,000 a year.
if you become disabled, the costs go WAY up.
My Kidney Transplant cost almost $ 400,000 UP FRONT.
Follow up care is running about $ 100 a month with insurance.
Answer by john e russo md facm faafp
The good news is that there have never been as many good treatment options for diabetes. The bad news is that nearly all are punishingly expensive. Type 1 diabetics must use inuslin and modern analog insulins – basal plus bolus insulin – may run $ 350 to $ 450 per month. Type 2 diabetics may require insulin but most start off on oral medications. The most typical progression is metformin hydrochloride (on the so-called $ 4 drug lists), pioglitazone (Actos), and sitagliptin phosphate (Januvia). The latter two drugs would also likely cost $ 350 to $ 450 per month. There are obviously many more diabetic medications from which to choose but most are expensive as noted above. I am very displeased with American medicine. As a physician I find our current state embarrassing. The US presently ranks 29th in the world in health care outcomes yet American medicine is the most expensive by far. We pay the most and receive the least for our money. It is my belief that ‘medicine for profit’ and ‘greed’ and the primary reason. It is not compatible with medical ethics that a physician should be allowed to profit off the misfortunes and miseries of their patients. This is a capitalist country but when it comes to something like healthcare – the commonwealth of its citizens – I believe that the government has an obligation to cap physician incomes and prevent pharmaceutical companies from making obsene profits. Exxon-Mobil is the most profitable company in the history of human civilization. You have the option to buy a more fuel effecient car or to find an alternative mode of transportation. If you have diabetes you have no option. Medications are a life and death decision. And too many patients cannot afford their medications. Yes pharmaceutical companies have public relation programs where they will provide medications for free to those below the poverty level. This is nice but the average middle class American is not able to afford medications as expensive as those listed above. We need real change not some politically motivated healthcare bill. That having been said I hope that this is a homework question and that neither you nor a loved one has diabetes. I wish you the very best of health and may God bless.
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