Hello,
My son Madden (12 yrs old) was just diagnosed T1D. I am open to all suggestions and guidance. I am concerned about the financial cost of the medicine and everything else needed. I am looking forward to hearing from the group and building strong relationships.
Thank you,
Mark
Hi Mark,
I was diagnosed when I was 2 1/2 years old. That was 52 years ago. My best advice is don’t stress, difficult as that might seem.
Yes, diabetic supplies can be expensive. Check with your son’s insurance carrier to see what they cover. Quite often certain brands are preferred over others, cutting costs. Also, if the cost is a hardship for you, the manufactures often have programs to help, so contact them as well. There are several generic brands for test strips that are less expensive than the name brands, but I don’t believe that those are covered by insurance. So, compare the costs. Also, keep in mind that diabetes supplies are tax deductible as well.
You didn’t say whether the doctor is putting your son on shots or a pump. I know that a pump is pretty much the norm these days, so I’m guessing that’s what he’s on. If so, call the pump manufacturers too. I know that some of them offer payment plans, which might be an option for you. I know when I got my pump I waited until Dec. so that my deductible was met before I bought one. Talk to your son’s doctor, as well as your son, to see what will work best. If your son is against taking shots everyday then call the pump manufactures to see what they can do to help.
If you have any questions about his diet, exercise, etc please don’t hesitate to ask here! There are a lot of people with T1D and we are all willing to help answer questions!
Pam (T1D 52 years)
Pam,
Thank you for the response and your compassion. Madden is taking shots now and 6 months to a year we will explore the pump. I didn’t know the supplies were tax deductible…thank you!
I really appreciate the support and guidance!
Have a great day!
@msanker Hello Mark,
I was dx’d at around 13 as well so I feel for you and Madden. on the support side there is the JDRF and they may have local chapters near you - you can find a link at the top of the page under ‘resources’. Also, “Think like a Pancreas” is a decent guide for all things type 1, and the “calorie King” handbook or online database for carbohydrates is very useful. The first year can be tough.
on the finance side, in my opinion and as already said, if you have insurance then work with their formularies and preferred esp around testing supplies. The doctor’s orders will dictate how many are dispensed, for example, if the doc writes “test 4x per day” vs. “test 8x per day” can mean double the supplies on one copay. insurance is very complicated today, you will soon become an expert. if you are in financial stress many companies offer assistance, but it can be hit or miss. If you are working, then the threshold for tax deductions can be very high. I do pretty good, but I am never going to turn down “free samples” at each endocrinologist visit.
feel free to reach out. this is a very good group of people - there is a lot of experience here.