Last week, the news that pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly would be cutting out-of-pocket costs of their most commonly used insulin medications to $35 per month changed how millions of Americans think about their household budgets. After talking to three diabetes advocates about what the change meant for them and their communities, I learned that the outcome of Eli Lilly’s new policy could mean a lot more than just saving money: Advocates hope that this will set off a cultural shift that alters the way America talks about and views diabetes, reducing stigma and blame that many with the condition feel they’ve faced. Diabetes patients will be able to put the money they’re now saving toward more high-tech (and ultimately safer) methods of blood sugar management. For example, Kristin Thompson-Lerberg, a teacher in Wisconsin, told me that she’ll now be able to afford to use her continuous glucose monitoring device more frequently. Because of the cost-savings on insulin, patients might be able to see specialists, like endocrinologists, more often. The co-pays on appointments like these can be steep, but being able to go more frequently—and to do so knowing they won’t be shamed by their doctors for not being able to afford all the insulin their body requires—is likely to be a huge boost to the health of many people living with diabetes. Most importantly, advocates say, choices like buying insulin or paying rent, and risking health and life to pay basic bills, will hopefully soon become far less common than they are now.
