Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois changes coverage of insulin! Imagine that.

So I got this wonderful gem in the mail last night.

You really really have to love it when an insurance giant like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois decides that it can force you to use which ever insulin they want.  NOT what your DOCTOR thinks is right for you but what they decide they want to cover.  Starting Jan 1 members who are currently taking Humalog or Humulin will be required to go through prior authorization before the drug will be covered at the non-preferred benefit level.  Your doctor will need to submit a request for coverage.

WHAT. A. JOKE.  They use to cover them both equally, what happened?!



Luckily I JUST switched to Novolog but if I had not I personally do not feel like I should be pushed by an insurance company to switch the type of insulin I am on.  Read the bottom line: Most brands of human insulin work nearly the same.  They all work to lower your blood sugar.  Starting January 1, 2015 if you decide to start using a preferred insulin - you should ask your doctor first.  (REALLY?  Because the last time I checked we are allowed to just change our own prescriptions without telling our doctor?)  What the freaking heck?!

THEN it goes on to state about the preferred test strips also!  I have been using Bayer CONTOUR test strips for several years now, thankfully I dont have to change AGAIN!  BUT the kicker is the back of this letter!

 

Members who are currently using non-preferred test strips will need to go through step therapy.  This means that non-preferred test strips will not be covered unless you try the preferred strip first.  If you and your doctor decide the preferred strip is not right for you, your doctor should submit a prior authorization request for the non-preferred test stip.  If the request is approved, the test strips will be covered at the non-preferred benefit level. (Good luck getting it approved, I have tried this several times and finally gave up)

I know that this shouldnt technically have much effect on people with Diabetes but to have your insurance company make these sort of decisions about our Diabetes medications and treatments really quite frankly pisses me off and it pisses off almost everyone with Diabetes.  MAYBE these insurance companies should get together and force the pharmaceutical companies to lower their costs.  I mean come on 3 bottles of Humalog was around 650/mo before insurance for me.   It does not need to cost that dang much!  Say hey Mr. Billionaire we arent going to cover your insulin AT ALL unless you lower the cost down to 100/bottle or whatever.  

How do you all feel about your insurance companies dictating what insulin you take and what test strips you can use?  I flat out cannot use any other brand of test strip, they just are not covered AT. ALL. I do know this has been going on for many years as I have had to switch several times so I know that this has nothing to do with the ACA, so please do not assume I am blaming that or attributing it to the new health care laws.