Diabetes is already an unaffordable disease for some who have it. COVID-19 has compromised people’s jobs, insurance and the ability to afford basic necessities like food, housing and medications.
Lilly Diabetes has taken a step to help make insulin more affordable and accessible to people with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can read more about the program here.
“Too many people in the U.S. have lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 crisis, and we want to make sure no one goes without their Lilly insulin,” said Mike Mason, president, Lilly Diabetes.
“We’ve been providing affordability solutions for a long time, but more is needed to help people during this unprecedented period. People with commercial insurance, as well as those without insurance at all, are eligible, and the process is quick and simple. We want people who need help to call us,” Mason says.
How can patients access the savings?
The savings can be obtained by calling the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234. The Solution Center is open 8 am to 8 pm (EDT) Monday through Friday.
If you already have a co-pay card from the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center for an amount higher than $35, no action is necessary. Active co-pay cards have been re-set to a $35 co-pay.
While this response is a noble one that helps to bring more people into the fold, affordable insulin should be the norm – not just an exception in a crisis.
The price of insulin itself is a crisis. Deaths from insulin rationing are prevalent because of the rise in insulin costs.
Cost even forces American families to travel to Canada or Mexico to buy their insulin.
Lilly’s ability to bring the cost down temporarily proves that there can be a solution.
My hope is that the other manufacturers follow suit, but that there’s a serious discussion about what the price of insulin looks like for people with diabetes after the pandemic is over.
We’re doing what we can do get through it now, and this is a start.
We shouldn’t go back to a world of unaffordable insulin.
