An essential part of MAD’s work is community involvement from diabetics. The group has community partners, donors of insulin and other goods who MAD connects with diabetics in need who donate insulin and other goods and send it directly to a diabetic in need, as well as distributing funds directly to diabetics who need it as soon as possible. Its model—mostly diabetics helping others with diabetes—also aligns with the disability rights motto Nothing about us without us, involving people with the condition on both sides of the process.

Requests to MAD for both insulin and continuous glucose (blood sugar) monitoring devices, which cost from $100 to $300 per month, have increased. This past April, MAD received 52 aid form requests for help (where people could request multiple supplies at once), up from 7 in April 2021.

  • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOPM
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    21 days ago

    Wasn’t there an order or law passed that makes it around $35 for the insulin? I guess the things surrounding it are still expensive.

    • _core@sh.itjust.works
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      21 days ago

      It says in the article that it is capped at $35, for those on Medicare, and also that some forms of insulin are only covered by Medicare part d and that they have to pay for those formulations.

      It’s still bullshit. Insulin costs only $2-$4 to make. At a $35 price point the profit is 8x-17x the cost of production, which is a lot of profit, especially when you multiple that by the 39 million diabetics in the US.

      • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOPM
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        21 days ago

        Oh I didn’t catch that, I swear I read most of it, lol. I also didn’t realize that you had to be on medicare, it should be that way for everyone. You’re absolutely right, drugs should be capped at a certain percentage of cost to make. 200% at a maximum, which is standard retail.