Last year I had really crappy insurance. This year it is also very crappy, but at least they “somewhat” cover NovoLog.
(With my insurance last year it was not covered at all!)
The problem with my new insurance is that Novolog is very expensive.
But I got a discount card from Novo Nordisk’s Novocare site. (Novo Nordisk is the manufacturer of NovoLog).
It’s really a great deal. The pharmacy runs your current insurance, and then applies the discount card on top of it. As advertised, it brings it down to only $35 per vial.
That’s a really great deal if you think about it. Walmart charges $25 per vial for the old slow stuff - the “R” insulin.
Here is the link if you want to see if you can save anything:
The minimum prescription you would get is 1 vial every 30 days. So that is the worst case. For most people it would be a better deal.
Even if you are using less than 1 vial per month, the Novo usage instructions say “Dispose after 28 days, even if there is insulin left in the pen or vial”. So you could easily get a script for at least 1 vial per month. Otherwise your doctor would not be following the guidelines from the insulin manufacturer.
@Eric, does your crappy insurance provide generic insulin at $30 / month? Because I thought that one of the Biden administration’s moves was to provide insulin at $30/month for everyone?
Also, it seems like that $30/month insulin is just generic – you have to pay more for Novolog (although the coupon brings the price down to $35).
I use Humalog and was told that Humalog and Novolog are interchangeable; obviously not the case for some people. I get my Humalog for $30 /month.
@bostrav59,
For me, Humalog and NovoLog are not the same in a pump. I have posted a number of research studies showing that Humalog breaks down sooner, so it does not last 3 days as well. This was definitely the case for me.
Even Tandem has a different recommendation for the time in changing your infusion and cartridge if you use Humalog vs. NovoLog. So the research is documented enough for them to know about it.
I do not know what crappy stuff is covered by my insurance. I am happy to pay $35 per vial for something I know.
The coupon makes it reasonable for me. Without the coupon it was over $70 per vial.
And I think the coupon works in such a way that it will bring the price of whatever anyone is paying with their insurance down to $35.
If I had to guess, I’d say I have probably between 300 - 500 pens/vials but it’s only a guess. I hoard because I never know when I may fall upon hard times and not have insurance at all…but I also hoard to help others. So you know you can always connect with me and I’ll hook you up with w/e you need.
