Flexible Spending Account

Today I signed up to participate in my company’s Flexible Spending Account (FSA). The FSA allows me to put aside, each paycheck, an allotted amount of pre-taxed dollars. These dollars can be used throughout the year to buy my prescriptions (two insulin pens, needles, lancets, meters, and strips), miscellaneous over-the-counter items (glucose tablets, glucagon kits), and pay for my quarterly endocrinology and lab visits, as well as my semi-annual dental cleanings and vision exams (including glasses and contacts).

I’m use to spending $50 each year on an annual well woman exam - and that’s it!

The following will give you an idea as to how much diabetes will cost me:

Humalog (insulin) $70 co-pay (3 mon supply) x 4 = $280

Lantus (insulin) $70 co-pay (3 mon supply) x 4 = $280

Needles $70 co-pay (3 mon supply) x 4 = $280

Lancets $34 co-pay (3 mon supply) x 4 = $136

Meter $70 co-pay (3 mon supply) x 4 = $280

Strips $70 co-pay (3 mon supply) x 4 = $280

Endo Office Visits $25 co-pay (every 3 mon) x 4 = $100

Total $1,636

These totals are if I sign up for Mail Order. If I continue to purchase my supplies over-the-counter on a monthly basis then each item will have a $35 co-pay each month which is a total of $2,336 (including the office visits).

The totals are with insurance. I cannot imagine having to purchase all of the above items without insurance (below).

Humalog (insulin) $217.80 x 12 = $2,613.60

Lantus (insulin) $188.19 x 12 = $2,258.28

Needles $35.00 x 12 = $420.00

Lancets $11.30 x 12 = $135.60

Meter $35.00 x 4 = $140.00

Strips $205.19 x 12 = $2,462.28

Endo Office Visits $131.00 x 4 = $524.00

Total $8,553.76 – Yikes!

Hopefully I will be a good candidate for a pump (I have to wait six months from diagnosis to apply). I do not know how much a pump is going to cost me at this time, but I hear they are pretty pricey.

Definition of Diabetes: the siphoning of money through your wallet.