I don't doubt the numbers, but I do detect some omission/simplification to make it seem extra stark.
Fiasp is an example of one of the most modern ones and still I can't find a price higher than $125 per 3ml: https://www.goodrx.com/fiasp?dosage=3ml-of-100-units-ml&form...
You have a citation that it’s available from every provider in the country at that price? The person quoted specifically said they’d been quoted that much and I would assume that people aren’t making up reasons to go on 5 hour drives.
Of course, there might be a more expensive provider that I don't know of.
I don't think that those people are making up reasons to go on 5 hour drives, but I do think it's quite likely that journalists fudged the numbers or just found some theoretical maximums and approximated the price from there. Just so it's a juicier story, of course.
*edit, as I am on an insulin pump I only take fast-acting insulins. Lantus/Levemir other longer acting insulins usually are more expensive than the fast-acting stuff.
Assuming
- 50 units of Lantus per day -> 4.5 vials per 3 months @ 300/vial = 1,350 USD/month
- 80 units of Apidra per day -> 7.2 vials per 3 months @ 300/vial = 2,160 USD/month
total = 3,510 USD/month
Now, to be fair, I'm older and have more insulin resistance than a younger diabetic would. Either way, the numbers without insurance add up real quick.
Humalog without insurance costs $95 per 3 ml cartridge, let's say it's a $100. This would mean that this child needs 37 cartridges for 3 months, or 12 cartridges per month, 3 per week.
That's a pretty crazy amount of insulin. I'm a T1 diabetic, that doesn't eat particularly healthy, and I need 2-3 cartridges a month, almost an order of magnitude less than the person in the article.
I don't think those numbers are right.