Cost of insulin leads to half dosage

[admin]

I have been on Social Security disability since March 2006. I qualify for Social Security subsidy at 75 percent, for my Part D medications. I do not qualify for Medicaid. I did qualify for food stamps till the Social Security was raised in January 2009 and I lost my $14 a month benefit.

I am a diabetic and require intense insulin of Humalog and Lantus of five injections a day. I started a new health plan on Jan. 1, 2009. I had a different insurance plan for the previous two years. I had high premiums but had no co-pay for my insulin. This year they have increased the premium and higher co-pays. Now, with the subsidy I pay $102.48 a month premium. My co-pays for prescription medicine for January and February 2009 were $246. My insulin was in tier 2 so a local hospital charged me $35 each. In February I was charged 15 percent and was charged $57.54 for the Humalog and $67.52 for the Lantus. I was told I reached the "gap" in February and I will be charged more in March.

I asked the hospital for an exception for my insulin. I was told to write the request and also include a letter from my diabetes doctor. This I did and mailed it March 9. On March 17 I received the hospital's reply. I was denied. The hospital will pay 100 percent if I am admitted to the hospital.

I feel I must reduce my insulin by half in order to afford this life-saving medication. Then if I need to go to the hospital, "no problem," I'm covered.