WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — In 2021, 38.4 million Americans were living with diabetes. In Georgia, the state said nearly a million Georgians live with it.
Insulin is known as a life-saving medication, but Haley Melvin said it's been unaffordable for those who need it most.
"You didn't do anything to deserve this," Melvin said. "It's sad that you're struggling to stay alive."
Melvin has lived a life with insulin since her Type 1 diagnosis at 18 months old.
"Sometimes it was more of a struggle to get it like insulin is expensive, insurance is expensive, and there were times like my parents were pinching pennies to make sure I got what I needed," Melvin said.
People with diabetes have been fighting more than the disease. Bonaire pharmacist, Parth Patel, said the price of the life-saving medicine forces some people to make difficult decisions.
"It wasn't affordable at all," Patel said. "Some people's insulin need cost more than their rent money in some cases."
Patel said many diabetics struggled to pay for insulin pens. Diabetics have several ways to give themselves insulin, but Patel said the pens are a popular option. One box of insulin pens, on average, has a month's supply of insulin.
"For a whole box would be anywhere from three to four hundred dollars," Patel said.
A report by the American Diabetes Association said the cost of insulin increased 24% from 2017 to 2022 and spending on insulin has tripled in the past decade to $22.3 billion in 2022.
A 2020 survey found that one in every four Type 1 diabetics rationed their insulin because of the price.
"They would start cutting their dose in half to last you until you get that money to buy the insulin, so yes, that was really happening in the past. Then, those patients would have high glucose for the last few days of their therapy," Patel said.
High glucose can lead to dehydration and hospitalization because diabetics don't have enough insulin or their bodies isn't using it properly.
Melvin said she always tried to be responsible and be on top of her insulin to avoid hospitalization.
"If you don't take care of yourself, you're going to a hospital or you can make it even scarier if you're not taking care of yourself, you're going to lose your limbs. Your organs are going to stop working. That's terrifying," Melvin said.
Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 helped curb the cost of insulin for people on Medicare. It capped the price for seniors on Medicare at $35 a month, according to the White House.
Then, last summer, Sen. Raphael Warnock introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, which contained a cap on major manufacturers' insulin prices. That law didn't pass.
However, Patel says he's seen prices go down. This comes after pressure from the Biden administration, lawmakers and consumers prompted many manufacturers to voluntarily reduce prices.
He says long-term insulin pens now cost under $100 for people without insurance. For insured patients, the price varies based on co-pays and deductibles
Now, Patel said these moves will help improve healthcare outcomes as more people are diagnosed.
"Especially with the amount of people that get diagnosed with diabetes in our country, it was a step in the right direction," Patel said.
All this, Melvin said, for a life-saving drug.
"You need it to survive. I feel like it should be treated like an over-the-counter drug and a lot easier for people to access especially people like me. It would make things a lot easier in general," Melvin said.
If you're struggling to pay for insulin, Patel said coupons are offered for certain manufacturers. He recommends people to talk to their pharmacist to see what those options are.