Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
Just deductible and copays is about $400.00 then when you add in the cost of insurance it is $900.00 per month. That is just for my insurance – my husband has his own health care issues and separate insurance so you can double that for our families monthly medical costs. Outrageous! I have been our sole support for the last 20 years – we have not been able to save much for retirement
My insurance barely covers 50% of my sensors for one month. That alone should tell you how much I spend. My job (and coworkers) thinks they offer “great” insurance. I’m guessing none of them have diabetes supplies to buy.
Keep in mind that I’m on disability and Medicare but it’s one a $1,000 for 3 months, just for my DM supplies and insulin. My insulin alone last year was $779.89 every 3 months.
I answered “Other” because it depends on what part of the year I’m in. Because Dexcom isn’t paid for until I hit my deductible, it could be a lot After I hit my 2750 dollar deductible, it’s not as expensive for the rest of the year with everything coming to about 400 for three months since I pay a smaller percentage of the total. Thankfully, I do have an FSA to help me in the start of the year.
I am a senior T1D, so I have the best insurance I could purchase as a supplement to Medicare. So the cost of covering diabetic supplies are the premiums I pay monthly to Cigna, Express Scripts, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare and Bankers Life. This may all change after the election of 2020. I am looking forward to the vaccine for Covid19 so life can get back to some fellowship with other people, especially my family .
I think my premium for my primary insurance is $360 a month through hubby’s employer. Other than that we pay nothing since we have a secondary insurance that picks up the balance.
I have a high deductible health plan with a $3,000 deductible. By the end of February to mid-March, I’ve reached it and that’s with a doctor visit and labs for one, so Type 1 supplies actually help me reach my deductible sooner. After that I pay 20-50% for Rx’s and supplies so it’s still expensive.
My copays and co-insurance charges are approximately $500 every 90 days. Our health insurance premium takes $1,800 from my spouse’s paycheck every month!
Because I use a pump my supplies are covered by Medicare part B as special durable equipment. Of course I paid $150 a month for the Medicare premium. I also have a secondary insurance and since last year I’ve been by their enhanced plan which requires a higher premium ($386 a month) but now I don’t have to worry about any more deductibles or copayment.. so it’s the premiums amounting to about $540 a month that I have to pay.
This site says there are more than 150 answers ti this question but I can only see 6 comments. Any reason? Can this be fixed?
Ok. I messed up my answer. I don’t spend over $3000 a month. I pay 100% of everything until I spend $3500. That’s my deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. After that, BCBS pays 100% of everything. Everyone on here will want to shoot me, but my employer pays 100% of my insurance premiums. I think that’s so no one will want to retire! I know it’s keeping me here.
I meet our deductions about a third of the way through the year with other medical costs, but our insurance through my husband’s employer covers diabetic supplies completely.
It depend’s on insurance payment then as the year goes on & I pay more toward my deductible then the cost of anything I get goes down.