My 18 year old grandson lives with his older brother who is unable to pay for his brother’s medications. My grandson does not have any type of insurance. Where can he get his diabetes medications? He is on NovoLog and Lente, twice a day. He lives in Red Oak, Texas. He once went to Children’s Medical Center in Parkland Hospital, I believe.

Each of the action items described below will take time to maneuver. The first step you or your grandson should take is to contact his physician to let him or her know of the need for help in obtaining insulin and other pharmaceutical items. Many physicians receive samples from drug companies that can be distributed to their patients.

As for next steps, several issues could determine the direction that the writer can take. If the grandparent is the guardian of the 18 year old, they should look into applying for TexCare, the state’s federally mandated child health insurance program. TexCare provides coverage for eligible “children” through the 19th birthday. See TexCare for more information. If enrollment in TexCare is not an option, many pharmaceutical companies operate programs where drugs and medical equipment is distributed through assistance programs. The most comprehensive clearinghouse for this information is RxAssist, a program of the Brown University Medical School. Their web site provides a wealth of information on how to determine eligibility for the programs run by pharmaceutical companies and other organizations.

DSH

[Editor’s comment: Your grandson should also consult a physician about changing his basal insulin, as Lente is no longer manufactured. He may wish to pursue using Lantus as an alternative. A diabetes specialist should be able to help him with this change.

BH]