I am horrified!
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23393)
United Kingdom
March 15, 2019 3:17am CST
This morning I was reading an article on the BBC news about the cost of Insulin in the USA and how some people just cannot afford to buy it due to the cost. They are cutting their doses and putting their lives seriously at risk by doing this.
The inequalities in health care throughout the world is disgraceful. This is quite Alien to us here in the UK as everyone is covered by the NHS and either pay a small amount for a prescription or those with life long health conditions do not pay for any drugs.
Diabetes is the scourge of the Western world. Diabetes is on the rise throughout the world. Type 2 diabetes is possibly self inflicted due to over indulgence. People who suffer from type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin and rely on daily injections of insulin to survive.
The article focused on a couple of people one lady had sold her personal possessions in order that she could buy her life saving insulin. She did not have private health insurance. She was unable to afford the premiums.
The cost of insulin in the USA is exorbitant costing in excess of $1000 a month.
Diabetics in the UK do not pay for any medication necessary to maintain their lives. The cost price for insulin is around £15-£16 for a 10ml vial.
Whilst our health service is not perfect by any means at least for those who need life saving treatment receive it free.
By not taking insulin this will lead to blindness, circulatory problems major organ failure especially kidney and heart problems. Risk of infections etc etc Hyperglycaemia leading to coma and death if not treated.
I think the drug companies in the USA are ripping people off.
The article also showed how people would go to Canada or across the border to Mexico to buy this life saving drug. This is complete and utter madness.
Insulin costs
Canada $38 Euro E43 £28
Mexico $13 Euro E11.50 £9.38
UK $19 Euro E 16.77 £ 16
USA $329 Euro E290 £248
The drug companies are ripping off insurance companies and worse the ordinary man in the street who has no insurance.
What an unfair world we live in.
18 people like this
10 responses
@allknowing (130064)
• India
16 Mar 19
I can eat any amount of sugar and so safe from having to use Insulin.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 19
At the moment maybe! But later in life your pancreas may just give up on you!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
16 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 I have a less than normal sugar count and so quite confident my pancreas will never let me down 
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
17 Mar 19
@allknowing I hope it stays that way too!
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79731)
• United States
15 Mar 19
Prescription costs here are ridiculous. You would think that it would be a priority for our government to make sure we all have decent health coverage.
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
16 Mar 19
That is insanely expensive. People here would result to debt because of the high cost.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15833)
• Manchester, England
15 Mar 19
I didn't realise this and I'm absolutely appalled that a country such as the USA can allow this to happen.
I think you've hit the nail on the head regarding insurance companies. It always seems to be the case that if anything is being done as an insurance claim then prices are bumped up. Just look at the garage bills for insurance jobs in the UK!
Evetybody seems to think ripping of insurance companies is fair game. A perceived victimless rip off. But ultimately someone has to pay, whether that's through higher insurance premiums for those who can afford insurance or higher prices for thise who can't.
This really should be seen as a national disgrace!!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 19
That is why we should never allow these American conglomerates to buy into the NHS. It should be sacrosanct. Look how much Branson has just been awarded for not getting the contract he had with the NHS it runs into millions!
You are right it is a disgrace. They do so many unecessary tests in the USA just to bump up payments to the insurance companies and yet deny people life saving insulin.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15833)
• Manchester, England
15 Mar 19
@garymarsh6 The problem in this country is we don't really know what bits of the NHS are being hivd iff to private companies. It's so big it's easy to hide stuff.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 19
@WorDazza It is all being done underhandedly! All these millions they tell us they are pouring into the NHS we have not seen one penny of this so called money but we are still witnessing cuts to services ward closures putting extra stress on the already overstretched staff. 7 More working days and I am out of it.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246838)
• United States
15 Mar 19
Fortunately, no one in my family is a diabetic, but our insurance would cover everything. A friend of mine has diabetes, heart disease, and bone problems, but her insurance covers everything, and she is quite poor. I am happy with the way things are here in the USA, and am against socialist medicine.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Mar 19
I guess you could call our system a socialist system. However I would much rather treat all people rather than just those who are fortunate enough to have their insurance bills paid for them by their companies or they are wealthy enough to be able to afford private health care. There should be no inequality where health provision is required especially if it is life saving.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16532)
• China
15 Mar 19
Ours is much cheaper than those in your list and over here medicine for chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes can be reimbursed by 50%.
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
15 Mar 19
my gosh it is quite big difference eh.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
15 Mar 19
My uncle has type 2. He has insurance though.
1 person likes this
