Diabetes Politics

     I am one of the lucky ones…I have health insurance.  Of course it costs my family 20,000 dollars per year for our plan, with significant co-pays for visits and medicine, but at least we have insurance.  But I’m here to say that it’s not enough to simply make sure everyone is covered by health insurance. It seems to be that the entire system is failing, corrupt, and designed to support the pharmaceutical and insurance agencies' insatiable lust for profit.
     When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I was immediately put on two different insulin medicines, 4 injections per day. Fortunately my insurance paid for most of the supplies – but I was still left with $150 per month to pay on my own.  I wondered how others with insurance coped with that $150.  Then I looked at the receipts and noted that the actual cost of the medicine and supplies was approximately $15,000 per year.
     We have a growing epidemic of diabetes.  How on earth do people without health insurance afford to medicate themselves?  I heard one horrifying story of a woman with diabetes who could only afford enough test strips to test her blood sugar once per day.  I now know, unfortunately, just how terrifying and inadequate that is.
     When I was diagnosed, I was handed prescriptions and for all intents and purposes told to go away, live my life, and increase the amount of medicine as my health deteriorated.  Yes, there was brief mention of diet and exercise…I got a pamphlet with a picture of the ideal dinner plate and a consultation with a nutritionist who robotically lectured me with a prepared litany of instructions that left no room for my individual situation and made me feel patronized, infantilized and like she thought I was an idiot.
     But I’m not an idiot.  And I made the decision, DESPITE the medical “care” I received, that I was going to fight for my life.  I designed my own diet, I joined two gyms, I tested my blood sugar 6 times a day (not the two times per day the nurse thought was plenty) and I clawed my way towards health with a determination that I still am puzzled by.  I don’t know where I got the strength and focus, but I’m grateful to whatever will to live I found inside me.
     The doctors and insurance companies continued to be happy to fund my disease to the tune of $1300 per month, but I paid the $95 per month for two gym memberships and fitness training support myself.  Insurance doesn’t pay for that.  Why are they so comfortable with paying thousands for medicine, but nothing for actual treatment?  In fact, the first time I needed to reduce my medicine the nurse asked suspiciously… "I don’t know what’s wrong…have you been dieting or exercising or something?” as though that was unexpected…almost inconceivable. 
     But I didn’t do it with the help of the medical profession.  And I want to know, why are “they” so happy to pay for medicine, but not for exercise and prevention?
     I’d think my insurance company would hire someone to train me rather than pay $15,000 per year for the next 25 years of my life.  Not to mention the complications that comes from diabetes?  Why weren’t they concerned or disturbed by that?  Doesn’t it SAVE them money?  But maybe it doesn’t.  I don’t know what goes on inside these corporations, but I remember the Watergate days…follow the money.  Somehow my being on medicine is making money for someone very powerful.
     Why were my doctors so comfortable accepting my diagnosis and defeat?  Why weren’t they fighting for me and hoping for change?  Isn’t that their goal?
     The endocrinologist stares at me and says, "Do you realize HOW unusual your story is?  This almost never happens.”
     Yes.  I realize.  And I’ve read David Kessler’s book about the profit to be made in supersaturating foods with salt, sugar and fat and profiting off of the strategic marketing of highly processed, easy to chew, dangerous food.  Yes, I realize.  And I understand that selling medicine must be lining some pretty deep pockets.  And I understand that not a week goes by that teens are being diagnosed with type II diabetes right here in the valley…something that is largely going ignored.
     There is a deep and profound health crisis that goes beyond getting everyone signed up for a dysfunctional system.  We need real education – not shaming or blaming or infantilizing, but education that is respectful and engaging and meaningful.  We need real prevention and support, we need to refuse to continue to feed the bottomless appetite of the monster who profits off of the diseases the 21st century society fosters.

It’s time for change.