What if I cannot afford insulin during Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic ?
What programs can help me get and afford insulin?
Lilly introduced their new Lilly Insulin Value Program on April 7, which allows anyone who has commercial insurance, or no insurance, to purchase their monthly prescription of Lilly insulin for $35. This program covers most Lilly insulins, including Humalog and non-branded insulins. To access this program's copay card, call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at 1-833-808-1234 between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Those who currently have a Lilly co-pay card do not need to take any action – active cards have already been reset to a $35 copay.
Novo Nordisk may also grant a free, one-time immediate supply of Novo Nordisk insulin (up to three vials or two packs of pens) for consumers in an emergency situation. If you have a prescription for Novo Nordisk insulin and find yourself in this situation, you can call Novo Nordisk at 1-844-NOVO4ME (1-844-668-6463) or visit NovoCare.com for help.
Sanofi insulin users may call 1-888-847-4877 to speak to a representative about financial challenges and how to get the medicines and resources you need.
All three insulin manufacturers – Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi – also have patient assistance programs and prescription savings cards in place to help people with diabetes afford insulin.
What do I do if I run out of insulin?
If you are in urgent need of insulin, several options may provide immediate relief.
At Walmart, you can buy insulin for $25 without a prescription (“over-the-counter”) and without insurance. It comes in a 10mL vial and is called Novolin ReliOn Insulin. It is offered in both regular human insulin (“R” – for use at mealtime) and NPH (“N” – a longer-acting basal insulin). You can also get Novolin at a CVS Pharmacy for $25 per 10mL vial through the Reduced Rx program. It takes little time to enter your email and receive a discount card (which you can print or show digitally) that you can use immediately at 67,000 participating pharmacies nationwide, including those at CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Walmart.
Note that NPH and regular insulins work differently from analog insulins:
NPH lowers blood glucose over a period of more than 12 hours (its “duration of action”), and its peak glucose-lowering effect is at 4-6 hours.
Regular insulin lowers blood glucose over a period of 6-8 hours. It peaks around 2-4 hours, and it is best taken 15 minutes before eating.
Because of these differences, be sure to discuss your decision with a healthcare professional before changing to one of these insulins.
For a compile guide on getting insulin during COVID-19, visit DiaTribe