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Please help with our son's Insulin and Supplies

My 10 year old son has just been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.  We are in the "working poor" which means living paycheck to paycheck with insurance.  The only thing is that our insurance is the "economy plan" according to Blue Cross Blue Sheild of NC and will not pay enough on the insulin or supplies that our son needs.  We just don't have the money to pay our $2,500 deductable then the 40% out of our pocket.  Our son also has auto immune disorder and needs more medication for his thyroid.  How will we keep him well if we can't afford the medicine or supplies?  We have two other children, one of which is already on ADHD meds that costs us $60.00 per month and he has to have this in order to get through the school day.  Please let me know if there is any help for us.  We seem to "fall through the crack" everywhere we look for help.   I have asked every doctor I know to ask and they tell me they can get us a free meter, all the meters we want, but getting the other supplies and insulin is not in their control.  My husband and I are at the end of our ropes.  We have asked and begged and worried and cried until we are exhausted.  What do we do now to keep our son on the meds that will save his life?   We have enough supplies from the hospital to last a few weeks.  What then?  
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Avatar universal
What type of pump is he on? I just switched pumps and have left over supplies. Also state healthcare is very helpful for children with chronic conditions. My daughter has asthma and receives state insured that covers all of her costly medical supplies
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am on an insulin pump and have medicaid. Social services is now threatning to take away my medicaid because I have lost my job. How can they do that to someone who has no paycheck to live by and no way to get the meds that our health demands? Do you realize how much the infusion sets and resiovoirs cost??? I ask them.... only to hear them say "Thats not our problem." Please ask your doctors for as many samples form thier offices as they can give and explain to them what is going on. I know for a fact they can help by writting letters to social services about the costs and the fact that you need this for your child.
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Avatar universal
I have seen ads on TV for this PPA push.  Maybe that is a possibility as well.  It is something about Prescription Assistance.  Sponsered by the drug companies.  promoted by Motel Williams I think.  they have an 800 # and a web site but I can't remember them off hand.  Should be easy to google.
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Avatar universal
Go to your Medicaid office and apply for all of your children.  My daughter is on my husbands medical insurance but with all of her health issues, she was accepted for Medicaid as her secondary insurance.  It took several attempts and the help of her pediatrician but we made it happen.  It sounds like all your children should qualify if not your son and your child with ADHD. Get all of their medical records from all the doctors and get the paperwork.  Its a lot of work but worth every bit of it.  Medicaid pays deductibles and out of pocket.  It also pays for most of her meds.  I hope it works out for you, it is stressful enough with having a kid with diabetes without worrying about the medical expense of saving his life. Good luck!
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Avatar universal
Another suggestion: go to the website for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at www.jdrf.org and click on the link to the Online Diabetes Support Team. Then write what you have written here -- they will forward your request to a staff member who handles all requests for financial resources. He has a wealth of information at his fingertips and he will respond within 48 hours with information to help you.
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Avatar universal
MY HUSBAND AND OUR 5 YEAR OLD SON BOTH HAVE TYPE I DIABETES.  WE HAD A HARD TIME JUST AFFORDING MY HUSBAND'S SUPPLIES BEFORE MY SON WAS DIAGNOSED. MY HUSBAND IS SELF EMPLOYED ANS WE PAY BLUE CROSS $823 A MONTH FOR OUR NOT SO GOOD INSURANCE.  OUR PLAN REQUIRES US TO PAY EVERYTHING OUT OF POCKET AND THEN FILE TO GET REIMBURSED A CERTAIN PORTION ONCE WE HAVE MET OUR DEDUCTIBLE.  THE SOCIAL WORKER AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TOLD US ABOUT CCS MEDICAL.  FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE THE ONLY MAIL ORDER SUPPLY PLACE UNLESS YOU HAVE MEDICARE. THEY SEND US OUR SUPPLIES AND INSULIN   AND BILL BLUE CROSS, THEY THEN ONLY BILL US FOR THE AMOUNT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO PAY IT ALL UPFRONT.  THEY WILL WORK WITH YOU ON YOUR PAYMENTS ALSO, THIS HAS HELPED US MORE THAN I CAN SAY.  THERE IS NO WAY WE COULD AFFORD THIS DISEASE OTHERWISE.  THEY ARE IN FLORIDA AND SHIP ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  THEY ARE ALWAYS NICE AND EASY TO WORK WITH.  MAYBE YOU WILL QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID FOR YOUR KIDS.  UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT, WE ARE MIDDLE WORKING CLASS AND FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS WHERE THAT IS CONCERNED.  IF YOU DO NOT QUALIFY IT COULD NOT HURT TO CHECK ON THIS. THE NUMBER IS 1-800-726-9811.  HOPE THIS HELPS.  GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am not a physical but a mom of a type one diabetic.  I would suggest contacting your local department of social services.  Some states have plans that can help with the costs of medicines.  I would contact the pharmaceutical companies that you use to see if they have plans to help.  There are several companies that do have programs to help.  I know that our state has plans.  

I would also see if the kids would qualify for Medicaid - you might have to take them off your policy but it would be worth looking in to.  Our daughter is on program in our county that helps pay our co pays for her medications and doctors visits.  I know how costly this can be as my daughter has diabetes and asthma and we also live from paycheck to paycheck.
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