This 6 yr old meme that I took on in 2018 has been resurrected. It recounts a tragic situation, but omits much relevant information that so often accompanies these types of stories. Also, it’s even less likely to happen today given many changes, but here’s the original takedown:

▪️According to news reports, his mom said they were looking at a $450/month insurance plan, and he opted to stay uninsured. However, this appears to be the list price for the premium, not including subsidies the govt pays. A look at the MNsure site (the Obamacare exchange in MN where he would be shopping) shows substantially lower payments. These vary depending on the exact income, age and location, but all scenarios are much lower than $450.

▪️For example, a 30 yr old making $38,000 would pay $286/month on a bronze plan vs the $512 list price. A 26 yr old making $28,000 would pay $247/month on the gold plan (low deductible) compared to $451 total. A 30 yr old making $30,000 would pay $170/month on a bronze plan compared to $352.

▪️Assuming he made $35,000/yr, it’s likely his insurance would cost somewhere around $250/month for a bronze plan and $300 for a gold plan when the subsidies are factored in.

▪️Since he opted for no insurance, he knew he needed to pay for insulin himself. Certain brands of insulin can be quite expensive, and it’s certainly possible he was quoted something high, although it wouldn’t be $1,300 per month. According to a New England Journal of medicine report, insulin can cost as much as $120-400 per month out of pocket. Even the news article says the high-priced brand Humalog costs $250 for a 2-3 week supply, which would put that brand at around $500 per month without insurance.

▪️However, much cheaper prices can be found when shopping around. Walmart sells Novolin N insulin for $25, it’s listed right now on their website. The same can be found at Walgreens for $64, and other pharmacies sometimes charge $100 or more, so it pays to look when insurance isn’t footing the bill. Inexpensive insulin brands are sometimes not as desirable, as they don’t last as long and might need more applications than newer more expensive options, but they still work and are affordable for those on a budget.

▪️Walmart also offers inexpensive prescription plans for many diabetes medications, ranging from $4-30/month. There are several other prescription assistance programs out there that will help, not to mention charities for the truly needy. If you are paying out of pocket or money is an issue, it’s important to let your health care professionals know, as they can prescribe cheaper options and help to make sure you get medication. Not telling anyone and rationing medication is the worst decision, and not necessary.

▪️The real tragedy of this case is that it doesn’t appear Alec communicated with his doctors or sought any outside help. Instead, he took matters into his own hands, and ended up dying over something completely preventable and affordable. While the high price of some insulin products is an issue, it in itself was not the cause of this tragedy, and it’s simply wrong to pretend the only realistic options for diabetics are to risk death or spend a fortune on medication.

Note: some of these source links might not work or have changed in price as I used them 6+ yrs ago
http://www.startribune.com/son-s-death-pushes-mom-into-drug-price-spotlight/482344871/
https://mn.gov/mnsure-stat/assets/2018-MNsure-healthcare-coverage-plan-rates.pdf
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health/how-to-get-insulin-at-a-cheaper-price
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pharmacy-Relion-Humulin-Insulin/167672445
https://diabetesed.net/page/_files/Diabetes-Meds-on-a-Budget.pdf