The Cost of a Chronic Illness


Its day 2 of the eighth annual Diabetes Blog Week. The idea is that bloggers sign up to write about a set topic each day for a week, and readers can get a variety of different perspectives on the one topic. Here is today’s prompt:

Insulin and other diabetes medications and supplies can be costly.  Here in the US, insurance status and age (as in Medicare eligibility) can impact both the cost and coverage.  So today, let’s discuss how cost impacts our diabetes care.  Do you have advice to share?  For those outside the US, is cost a concern?  Are there other factors such as accessibility or education that cause barriers to your diabetes care?

The cost of having diabetes sure does add up. Over the years, I’ve definitely felt envious of my peers who get to spend their money on having a good time and living like there’s no tomorrow.

But if I have to have diabetes, then there’s no place I’d rather have it than in Australia. My own diabetes care has been relatively accessible and affordable. I am not judged based on my income or socio-economic status. I have never struggled to make ends meet. I have a stable job and a supportive family around me. However, I do expect that there are still many in Australia who would still find it hard to make ends meet.

Insulin is heavily subsidised through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, costing me approximately $35 for 5 boxes of Novorapid insulin.

Test strips, needles and insulin pump consumables are heavily subsidised through the National Diabetes Services Scheme, which is an initiative of the Australian government. I would pay around $16 for a box of 100 test strips and a box of 10 infusion sets for my insulin pump. Needles are free.

My diabetes healthcare is completely free through the diabetes clinic at my public hospital. I have access to a diabetes educator, dietitian and endocrinologist, the latter of whom refers me to any other healthcare professional in the hospital that my diabetes desires.

I’m also fortunate enough to be able to afford a private health insurance policy, which costs me approximately a week’s wage. This covers the costs of any hospital care, and I get benefits on things like dental and optical services. As someone with diabetes, a private health insurance policy will also cover the cost of an insulin pump – something I would definitely not have access to without insurance.

I feel that the biggest barrier to my diabetes care would be the quality of care I have received over the years. Although the public system is free, it doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily great. Busy public hospitals just didn’t have the time for me, especially when there were young children and families who understandably needed it more. I was pushed towards self management after about a year, not knowing any better. In retrospect, not having the support of a diabetes educator from years 2-5 were really detrimental to me. I was unmotivated. I felt isolated, and my diabetes felt unmanageable.

When I jumped online and found the Diabetes Online Community in 2015, I started feeling less “conscious” of my diabetes. I developed an interest in it. I eventually got back in touch with my diabetes team and started on insulin pump therapy, which quite honestly changed my life. I found the motivation to learn and more actively manage my diabetes. Last year I began seeing a private diabetes educator, who now gives me all of the time and support I need. Today, I call myself an advocate, dedicating my spare time towards something I am really passionate about.

I wasn’t always comfortable with my condition. I wasn’t always motivated to self manage, and speak up for what I wanted. I wish a healthcare professional encouraged me to jump online. I wish a healthcare professional had suggested an insulin pump to me. I wish a healthcare professional had encouraged me to seek out peer support. I feel like there are a lot of people out there who are in that place where I once was, just waiting for the front porch light to switch on.

To read other responses to today’s prompt, click here.

10 Comments

  1. Proud of you and your advocacy. It’s a big step. Glad you have the services you need and now fight for others to have the same. You can be their porch light

  2. Great sharing. I know how you felt when you weren’t seen as a priority in the first 2-5 years. It’s been 12 for me. Now it seems I warrant more. Not whining. Just stating the reality. 🙂

  3. Frank, You’ve done an outstanding job. I can only imagine what it would have been like to have diabetes at your age as each stage of life brings it’s own challenges. Thanks for all of the insight you provide.

  4. Great points here… every system has its flaws, but I agree: I wish a diabetes diagnosis came with a referral to the DOC. Peer support has been fundamental in shaping the way I care for myself.

  5. love the porch light – I started my first online counselling and support website/forums etc in 2001 and over the 16 years have seen so many great changes in our ability to connect and create community

  6. We have a similar set up in Ireland and the quality of care, while improving, is still lagging behind what motivated patients know through connecting with the DOC. And sometimes it can lead to a conflict between professional and patient instead of a good partnership ?

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