Can You Get Free Insulin?

---

Posted by Prescription Hope - See Editorial Guidelines (Last Updated On: Tue Apr 25 2023)

If you’re looking for free insulin, then this article should help you. It may also be a good idea for you to look into joining our program to see how much we can save you on your insulin.

Can you get free insulin? There are many patient assistance programs (PAP’s) that offer free insulin for one year or more. But these programs require patients to meet certain minimum household income, citizenship, or residency eligibility. Novo Nordisk, Lilly Cares, and Sanofi are famous companies that offer free insulin through their PAP’s.

Healthcare costs are continuously affecting those with diabetes. The average out-of-pocket cost for an American diabetic is $360 per month.

This is a growing sum that many are struggling to pay or find a way of paying. The stories of many people who still suffer due to lack of insulin are a major concern.

So, knowing where you can obtain insulin at a much lower price may ease people’s suffering, or possibly even save a life, and is therefore critically important. So, let’s give you a clear guide on how to get free insulin when you have no other option.

Before beginning on other alternative methods, here are the three largest manufacturers that offer free insulin to patients with low income for a year or more. They also provide other cheap diabetic supplies to those who deserve and meet their requirements.

Prescription Hope works alongside these manufacturers via our medication access service to provide an affordable method to obtain much-needed medications. Enroll now to find out more.

1. Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is the largest manufacturer of insulin in the world. Getting on to this patient assistance program means those who qualify can get access to free insulin.

Their insulin products include Tresiba U100 or U200, Levemir, Fiasp, Novolog, Novolog 70/30, Novolin N, Novolin R and Novolin 70/30.

The qualification to obtain the eligibility for free insulin includes that you must be US resident or citizen and have a household income below 400% of the federal poverty level.

Prescription Hope manages this entire process for you from start to finish.

2. Lilly Cares

Lily Cares offers free insulin such as Humulin N, Humulin R U100 or U500, Humulin 70/30, Humalog 50/50, Humalog 75/25, Humalog U100 or U200, and Basaglar through their PAP for one year. The patient should be able to meet the minimum income limits. Prescription Hope manages this entire process for you from start to finish

Note – Apart from this free insulin through the PAP, Eli Lilly also provides point-of-sale savings, free insulin, and more through the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center. According to them, around 10,000 people get help affording their insulin by lowering the amount they pay at the pharmacy or other customized solutions to suit their income levels.

3. Sanofi

Sanofi is among the three largest manufacturers of insulin in the world, and they offer free insulin through their Sanofi Patient Connection program if you meet their eligibility requirements. Their insulin products include Admelog, Apidra, Lantus, Soliqua, and Toujeo.

The qualifications for this program include that the patient must be a US citizen, and the household income of the patient should be equal to or less than 250% of the federal poverty level.

After you’ve been able to complete your application, and it has been accepted, you will receive free medication for up to 12 months. After one year, if you still require assistance, you can reapply each year. Prescription Hope manages this entire process for you from start to finish

Also, it is worth mentioning that some of these and other insulin manufacturers offer vouchers that are available at the doctor’s office for free. But these insulin samples are minimal. As an example, Eli Lilly offers vouchers for five vials of any of their insulin products for free.

If these are unlikely to work for you, you may be able to opt for the following low-cost insulin options.

Community Health Centers

These are health care providers that provide medical care for anyone with or without insurance. There is a specific scale payment option for receiving low-cost insulin and other medications. However, your ability to use the health center and their benefits are decided by your household income.

Older Formulations of Insulin

If you’re in absolute need of insulin with minimal funds and have no options for free insulin, then you can obtain very affordable older types of insulin over the counter from Walmart or Sam’s Club.

But you can only obtain these if you do not have any health insurance coverage. This insulin is sold under the ReliOn name and costs $25 for a 10mL vial. It works differently than newer insulins, so you will need to learn how to dose it correctly. However, this should not be your first option as it is very dangerous to guess the dose you need. If you are in serious need, talk to your doctor for advice.

Apart from these options, you can also explain to your healthcare provider about your financial situation and that you’re struggling to afford your prescribed insulin. Your primary healthcare provider may have insulin samples at their office, which they can offer to you – at least for emergency purposes.

They can also help you in reducing your cost for the insulin by writing a larger quantity prescription, changing brands or formulas of your prescribed medication, or documenting your medical needs for other patient assistance programs.

The Role of Prescription Hope

Applying and being accepted into these patient assistance programs can be very difficult and tedious. Each manufacturer has its own qualifications that you have to meet, which means each one requires different information.

For example, if you are applying to two different PAP programs, you have to provide all different types of information specific to that manufacturer. Prescription Hope simplifies this process for you. You submit one form to us, and we do the hard work.

The pharmaceutical companies have their reasons for having PAP’s, but one reason could be that it is a social obligation. Regardless of their reasons, it can be challenging to have cooperation from them. It could be that the paperwork gets lost, or the priority to fulfill the PAP application isn’t high on the list. Prescription Hope has streamlined this process for you so that you can trust us to get you the help you need.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this has provided you with some information on how you can afford your insulin. Your healthcare provider will be able to provide you with more information regarding ways to afford your medication.

If you have any questions about how Prescription Hope can help you save money on the drugs that we offer, or if you’re having trouble affording any medications you’ve been prescribed, contact us. Visit the enrollment page to create an account and fill out an application to start saving.