Paying for diabetes care during times of financial hardship

* if you smoke, stop. The money you'll save will help pay the pharmacy bills, and will protect your health.
* pill-splitting. See David Mendosa's article about this.

* find out if your drug's manufacturer has financial assistance available. The rules vary from company to company, but your doctor can get forms from the drug company (he/she can ask the drug reps or call the phone number in the PDR) and you fill them out; the doc will sign a prescription and somewhere on the form you complete.
* investigate patient assistance programs, such as the following:

* The Partnership for Prescription Assistance brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free.
* NeedyMeds.com provides information about patient assistance programs which provide no cost prescription medications to eligible participants.
* Rx Outreach is a patient assistance program developed by Express Scripts Specialty Distribution Services, Inc. The program provides qualified low-income individuals and families with access to generic versions of brand name medications.
* for children with diabetes, Supplies for CWD Foundation (SCWDF) is a branch of the Children with Diabetes Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

* compare ideas with others at on-line discussion forums such as DiabetesDiscussions.com

* finally, complain to your Congressperson. Send copies of the bills, and a letter signed by your doctor, and add your voice to the many many others who have protested the high price of living with chronic disease.