Type2 care depends on Insurance. USA.

[cherrypie]

Care for Type2's is patchy in the Uk but imagine not even getting the basic checks for lipids, no flu vaccine, a blood sugar level test or even a urine test for possible kidney damage because your insurance, or lack of it, means you cannot afford it.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics...e-thwarted-by-unstable-health-insurance-study

 

[Northerner]

I'm just hoping that the NHS doesn't get wrecked by the reforms and we end up being dependent on private insurance in order to get good care.

 

[AlisonM]

It's one of my common nightmares that Cameron et al will be allowed to dismantle the NHS in favour of some such system as that in the States.

 

[Copepod]

Also, reveals the differences between rights and responsibilities - I bet that American health care providers have fewer "no shows" for appointments than NHS, as they probably charge for missed appointments. And that less medication / blood testing kit is wasted in USA than UK.

Not that any of these statements change my loyalty to the NHS system, having worked in it over many years and been a patient, (very rarely before diagnosis and somewhat more since), but I think it's fair to raise the issue of responsibilities of patients. I choose to reuse blood lancets and needles, although recognise that's not suitable for everyone.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

On some of the USA based forums there are people with type 1 diabetes without ins begging for their life (insulin) I so hope are government does not wreck our NHS.

 

[Northerner]

On some of the USA based forums there are people with type 1 diabetes without ins begging for their life (insulin) I so hope are government does not wreck our NHS.

Yes, I've heard of people having to turn up at A&E to beg for it. Even with insurance you usually have to 'co-pay', so you're not fully covered, and prices for the US for most supplies are higher than here. People whose companies provide good health insurance can often tie people into their job if they then go on to develop something like diabetes as they would have difficulty getting the same level of cover if they moved I even read of one insurer refusing to replace a pump at the end of its warranty until it actually failed!

Copepod makes a very good point about things like waste and missed appointments - I've never missed an appointment, and if I need to change or cancel I always give notice, yet every time I go in there is a poster up giving the number of missed appts each month - usually in the order of 200. My dentist charges ?25 if you don't give 24 hours notice, which I think is fair enough as it gives you and incentive (if you need one!) to cancel rather than just not turn up.

 

[mcdonagh47]

Care for Type2's is patchy in the Uk but imagine not even getting the basic checks for lipids, no flu vaccine, a blood sugar level test or even a urine test for possible kidney damage because your insurance, or lack of it, means you cannot afford it.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics...e-thwarted-by-unstable-health-insurance-study

I remember an American on another newsgroup about seven years ago saying they knew they had T2 diabetes but couldn't let themselves be dxed officially because they hadn't got insurance. They were asking for advice on how to beat a medical to get insurance !
Other Americans assured him he could survive quite well on medicare.

 

[mcdonagh47]

I'm just hoping that the NHS doesn't get wrecked by the reforms and we end up being dependent on private insurance in order to get good care.

"reforms" ?

 

[mary101]

insurance

i have been without insurance for about six years now
and found out i was a diabetic about four years a go
the only way i made i thru was a chain store here in us which
is wal-marts sell insulin for 25 dollars a bottle, testing supplies
for about half of other places and pills you can get a 90 day
supply for 10 dollars
now the place i work for has got us insurance thank the lord
because i could not pay for any tests the doctor wanted to do
he took four vials of blood the other day to start the testing
private insurane would have costs over 500 a month
i would advise anyone to call wal-marts to check prices
their bs tester is 10 dollars which is there brand i did not care
who made it only i could afford to buy one
any chain store here in us have their own brands and is alot cheaper
than name brands hope this helps someone

 

[lauraw1983]

It's one of my common nightmares that Cameron et al will be allowed to dismantle the NHS in favour of some such system as that in the States.

He already is in some places. God I hate them 😡

It must be terrifying being a diabetic (or any life long condition) in the USA. I cannot imagine it tbh.

I don't really understand why so called developed countries like the US are so inhumane towards their own citizens.

 

[cherrypie]

i have been without insurance for about six years now
and found out i was a diabetic about four years a go
the only way i made i thru was a chain store here in us which
is wal-marts sell insulin for 25 dollars a bottle, testing supplies
for about half of other places and pills you can get a 90 day
supply for 10 dollars
now the place i work for has got us insurance thank the lord
because i could not pay for any tests the doctor wanted to do
he took four vials of blood the other day to start the testing
private insurane would have costs over 500 a month
i would advise anyone to call wal-marts to check prices
their bs tester is 10 dollars which is there brand i did not care
who made it only i could afford to buy one
any chain store here in us have their own brands and is alot cheaper
than name brands hope this helps someone

Wow Mary,
That certainly makes you sit up and think how invaluable the NHS is here.
Glad things have improved for you.

 

[Northerner]

i have been without insurance for about six years now
and found out i was a diabetic about four years a go
the only way i made i thru was a chain store here in us which
is wal-marts sell insulin for 25 dollars a bottle, testing supplies
for about half of other places and pills you can get a 90 day
supply for 10 dollars
now the place i work for has got us insurance thank the lord
because i could not pay for any tests the doctor wanted to do
he took four vials of blood the other day to start the testing
private insurane would have costs over 500 a month
i would advise anyone to call wal-marts to check prices
their bs tester is 10 dollars which is there brand i did not care
who made it only i could afford to buy one
any chain store here in us have their own brands and is alot cheaper
than name brands hope this helps someone

Good to hear from you Mary, and very glad to hear that things have improved for you 🙂 I find it wrong that someone should be denied access to what is (no doubt) relatively cheap medicine and supplies to produce, that are daily life-savers.

 

[HelenM]

I would hate the UK to lose universal health care but do think that it would be no bad thing if people were aware of how much it actually costs. For myself, I came close to losing healthcare a few years ago when the French attempted to change the system and I realise just how lucky I am to have it.

I quite like the system here (in France), which includes an element of private insurance. Chronic conditions are fully re-imbursed but other things are only reimbursed at 70% or less. Most people insure for these costs. 'Top up' insurers aren't allowed to take existing conditions into account. and the least well off get a free'top-up' insurance.

I have an insulin pump and since the end of May my medical costs have added up to about €1570. I have had to pay out about €28 for the odd non refundable expense (small charges for each presciption etc, the proceeds ringfenced for expensive cancer treatments) and the costs of one non-diabetes appointment which was mostly covered by insurance. When I was diagnosed the cost of hospital treatment and investigations was over €14,000. We did have to pay a daily board and lodging charge but that was also mostly covered by insurance.
Thankgoodness for univeral health care🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I had an interesting conversation when I was very first Dx living in a shared house at art college. My friend had contact lenses and had to buy them, saline, cleaning solution etc etc etc.

And here I was suddently with free prescriptions for everything because of diagnosis with a chronic condition.

It applies even more so now that I am on a (more expensive and) better treatment option for improved control/quality of life.

He didn't ask to have dodgy eyes. I didn't ask to have D. Contact lenses made his life far easier than NHS specs, but at the time there was no way of getting them (or any supplies) on NHS.

Not sure if that is still the case.

 

[Copepod]

I've paid for my own (hard gas permeable) contact lenses and spare glasses as back up, including CL check ups at optician since I turned 18 and left home - prior to that, my parents paid. Only difference is that since diagnosis with diabetes aged 30 years, I haven't had to pay for annual eye tests (general sight & eye health checks), but still have to pay for CL checks, which are actually even more important with diabetes than before. Admittedly, hard gas permeable are the cheapest overall type of contact lenses - only need a new set of CL and spare glasses about every 2 years, and don't need lots of expensive solutions, because I use a chemist's own brand solutions.

So, I make sure I don't waste any items, whether contact lens or diabetes related!