Cost Of Insulin Driving 80% Of Diabetic Americans Into Debt: Survey
A new survey finds that the cost of insulin is driving many diabetic Americans to go into debt, forcing them to ration medication as they struggle to pay for other living expenses.
The survey, conducted by CharityRX, found that 79% of respondents said insulin costs had created financial difficulty for them personally, or for those in their care – both with and without health insurance, The Hill reports. 80% of those surveyed said they had to take on credit card debt to afford the drug.
What’s more, on average, diabetic Americans take on $9,000 of debt to cover these costs.
That cost carries serious implications, as 83 percent of respondents indicated they’ve feared not being able to pay for living expenses — such as clothing, food and their rent or mortgage — due to high insulin costs.
The pressure to afford insulin even drove 63 percent of people to consider selling prized personal possessions and 32 percent to consider selling prescriptions or illicit drugs to get the money needed to buy insulin.
More than half of respondents, 62 percent, skipped and/or adjusted their insulin dosage to cut down on costs. -The Hill
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