1. "Financial Help" was my "About the Internet" column on the Web site of the American Diabetes Association for Decembe 15, 1999. The URL is
   http://www.mendosa.com/aid.htm

    

2. "Free Drugs" was an article that I wrote for DiabetesWebSite.com, but copied to my site. The URL is
   http://www.mendosa.com/dws-free_drugs.htm

Savings Programs
Some of the pharmaceutical companies and other organizations have established money-saving programs for those in need:

1. NeedyMeds.com provides information about patient assistance programs which provide no cost prescription medications to eligible participants.

   The URL is http://www.needymeds.com/

    

2. Rx Outreach is a Patient Assistance Program developed by Express Scripts Specialty Distribution Services, Inc. The program provides qualified low-income individuals and families with access to generic versions of brand name medications.

   The URL is http://www.rxoutreach.com/en/

    

3. Pfizer announced in early July 2004 that it will launch the pharmaceutical industry's most comprehensive initiative to significantly expand access to prescription medicines in the United States, with a specific focus on enabling America's 43 million uninsured to obtain Pfizer medicines at significant savings.

   With enrollment beginning in August, Pfizer will provide millions of working families without drug coverage access to Pfizer medicines at an average savings of 37 percent. Pfizer's medicines treat many common medical conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes.

   Pfizer will offer uninsured families earning less than $45,000 a year the ability to buy medicines at prices similar to those paid by large purchasers. Families without drug coverage making more than $45,000 will be eligible for average savings of 15 percent off retail prices, if they do not have drug coverage.

   The URL is
   http://www.pfizer.com/are/news_releases/2004pr/mn_2004_0707.html

    

4. Supplies for CWD Foundation (SCWDF) is a branch of the Children with Diabetes Foundation. The mission of SCWDF is to provide short-term diabetes supplies for children with type 1 diabetes who are in emergency situations in which their families are unable to obtain these supplies. The URL is
   http://www.cwdfoundation.org/Supplies.htm

    

5. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has an online database to help patients without prescription drug coverage access user friendly information about more than 1,400 medicines offered free through patient assistance programs sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry and others. In English the Web site is http://www.helpingpatients.org and in Spanish it is http://espanol.helpingpatients.org/

    

6. Eli Lilly has started a new program where qualified seniors only have to pay $12 dollars for a month's worth of any medication made by the company, almost certainly including its insulins and an older sulfonylurea, Dymelor. But I'm not sure about a popular oral medication, Actos, because while Lilly markets it, this drug is made by Takeda. The URL is
   http://www.lillyanswers.com

    

7. Diabetes-Meds is an advocate program that works with low-income patients on a case-by-case basis with every drug manufacturer to provide nearly every medication a patient requires for chronic illness. Diabetes-Meds, a service of ElderMeds, works with over 161 pharmaceutical companies and is not confined to people of any age. Every U.S. citizen is eligible, regardless of age or medication prescribed. The URL is
   http://www.diabetesmeds.org/

    

8. The focus at the website called Free Meds and Solutions is to provide information about programs that can assist efforts to save or eliminate prescription medicine costs. It is not free (the fee is usually $10) and I have not investigated it. The URL is http://www.freemedsandsolutions.com/

    

9. Other helpful sites include http://www.rxhope.com/ and http://www.rxassist.org/default.cfm.

    

10. You can also buy meters and test strips at a deep discount on eBay in the area "Everything Else:Health & Beauty:Medical, Special Needs:Monitoring, Testing:Other Monitoring, Testing." The URL is
    http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/list/category11780/index.html

     

11. Beware of any website that advertises its assistance in obtaining free prescription medicine. Reports indicate that the companies are charging consumers hefty amounts  — nearly $200  —  for assistance in applying for free drugs, according to the attorney general of Michigan. See also http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=1918744&page=1 and http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/fl_free_meds.html.

Scholarships
Some scholarships for people with diabetes are now available. However, the Lilly scholarships that were offered for several years are not available this year.

1. Novo Nordisk is the new sponsor of the WTT Donnelly Awards. Billie Jean King established the awards in 1998 to encourage diabetic children to lead an active life and compete in tennis. The two awards each provide $5,000 scholarships to young tennis players suffering from diabetes and are named after two long-time World Team Tennis executives and tennis champions, Diane Donnelly Stone and Tracy Donnelly Maltby, who are sisters. Stone was an All-American and NCAA doubles champion at Northwestern University, and Maltby earned All-Big Ten honors at the University of Iowa. Both women have had diabetes since childhood. Two young people ages 14-21, who have diabetes and play tennis competitively in tournaments or on their school team will receive a $5,000 scholarship. All applications must be received by June 1, 2005, and the winners will be announced by June 15, 2005. To download an application log on to www.wtt.com and click on BJK/WTT Charities.

    

2. LifeScan Inc. is awarding $500 Diabetes Camp Scholarships to 20 children. They will be selected at random and will also get a new One Touch Ultra blood glucose meter and a disposable camera. An additional 5,000 prize winners also selected at random will also get a One Touch Ultra. Successful applicants must have diabetes, be under 18 years of age on September 30, 2001, and be a U.S. resident. Scholarship winners agree to share their camp experiences in words and pictures with LifeScan for promotional purposes. Entries must be received by May 15, 2001. Call (866) 238-8301 or visit http://www.lifescan.com.

    

3. TheraSense funds scholarships for children to participate in nationwide diabetes summer camps. A Certified Diabetes Educator must submit the nomination. The URL is URL: http://www.therasense.com/nominate_child/nominate_1.htm

    

4. See also the section on scholarships at ChildrenWithDiabetes.com. The URL is http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/kids/d_02_400.htm

Health Insurance
Getting health insurance for someone with diabetes can be tricky. But you do have several choices. Start by reading the article from the November 2001 issue of Diabetes Interview magazine or read it on-line here at http://www.mendosa.com/chiat.htm. Reproduced by permission of the magazine.

Another excellent article is Tony Novak's "Health Insurance for Diabetics" at http://www.tonynovak.com/ARTICLES/health%20insurance%20for%20diabetics.htm

Some specific solutions include:

1. Care Entrée is for people who can't afford health insurance or who can't get it. You pay for your own health care, but it is repriced to the much lower rates that insurance companies pay. It can save you from 15 percent to 50 percent, and sometimes more, on all healthcare needs, including physicians and hospitals. This is not an insurance plan, but a patient advocacy program that will minimize your out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. The URL is
   http://www.careentree.com/

    

2. See also the answers from the Diabetes Team at ChildrenWithDiabetes.com to 20 or more questions about insurance and costs at "http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/index_insurance.htm"

    

3. Most states now require health insurance providers to cover diabetes supplies, equipment and self-management training. See http://www.aadenet.org/Government%20Relations/mapbroch.pdf and/or http://www.diabetes.org/main/community/advocacy/states2.jsp.

Prizes
You can also win prizes:

1. LifeScan Inc. awards the annual LifeScan Prize for Athletic Achievement at the annual meeting of the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Associaiton. Applications for the LifeScan/DESA award are accepted year-round and are available by calling DESA at (800) 898-4322, through visiting the DESA Website at http://www.diabetes-exercise.org, or by writing DESA at PO Box 1935, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340. The nomination process begins each fall, the the winners are announced the following summer at the annual DESA conference.

About.Diabetes Article
See also the article, "Financial Help for Diabetes Care," on the About.Diabetes site at http://diabetes.about.com/cs/insurancemedicare/a/financial_help.htm

This article originally appeared on mendosa.com on January 24, 2003.

Last modified: July 16, 2006