Out-of-Pocket Costs of Insulin and Diabetes-Related Supplies Among Patients With Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

The cost of insulin has increased exponentially since its discovery in the 1920s, but the degree to which this financial burden has been transferred to patients is unknown. The present study is a retrospective analysis using claims data for privately insured patients with type 1 diabetes from 2005 to 2017. We quantify the mean annual out-of-pocket costs for insulin and diabetes-related supplies during the study period. It is imperative for health care professionals to be aware of this cost, and we hope that these findings serve as a call for legislation to cap the rising price of insulin.

Keywords: Cost; diabetes; insulin; insurance.