西弗吉尼亞人前往加拿大尋找負(fù)擔(dān)得起的胰島素

西弗吉尼亞人前往加拿大尋找負(fù)擔(dān)得起的胰島素

A group of West Virginians left the country Sunday in search of affordable insulin — they went to Canada, where insulin prices are reported to be about a tenth of what it costs people in the United States.

一群西維吉尼亞人星期天離開美國，前往加拿大尋找便宜的胰島素。據(jù)報(bào)導(dǎo)，加拿大的胰島素價(jià)格只有美國的十分之一。

Across the border, no prescription is even necessary to purchase the life-saving medication, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. State data says about 15% of West Virginians rely on insulin. The nonprofit Health Care Cost Institute says insulin cost a person with Type 1 diabetes about $6,000 in 2016, and prices have only increased since then, making it difficult for even insured people to afford it.

《查爾斯頓gazetter - mail》報(bào)道稱，在美國境內(nèi)，甚至不需要處方就可以購買這種救命藥。州數(shù)據(jù)顯示大約15%的西弗吉尼亞人依賴胰島素。非營利機(jī)構(gòu)衛(wèi)生保健成本研究所(Health Care Cost Institute)表示，2016年，1型糖尿病患者使用胰島素的成本約為6000美元，而自那以來，胰島素價(jià)格只漲了一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)，就連有保險(xiǎn)的人也很難負(fù)擔(dān)得起。

“Insulin isn’t something you can go without, or skip when you can’t afford it,” said Tammy Owen, a volunteer with the West Virginia Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and whose son lives with Type 1 diabetes. “For someone with diabetes, it’s like air. Like water. It’s a basic need, and there are barriers in place that make it inaccessible for many.”

西維吉尼亞青少年糖尿病研究基金會(huì)(West Virginia youth Diabetes Research Foundation)的志愿者塔米·歐文(Tammy Owen)說，“你不能沒有胰島素，也不能在負(fù)擔(dān)不起的時(shí)候跳過它。”歐文的兒子患有1型糖尿病。“對(duì)糖尿病患者來說，這就像空氣一樣。像水一樣。這是一種基本的需求，但也存在一些障礙，讓很多人無法達(dá)到。”

The trip from Morgantown was organized by state health care activists and supported by state Delegates Barbara Fleischauer (D-Monongalia) and Jordan Hill (R-Nicholas). Fleischauer said their caravan has held news conferences around the state, where they’ve heard about ever-increasing co-pays for insulin prescriptions.

來自摩根敦的行程是由州衛(wèi)生保健活動(dòng)家組織的，并得到了州代表芭芭拉·弗萊肖爾(D-Monongalia)和喬丹·希爾(r -尼古拉斯)的支持。弗萊肖爾說，他們的車隊(duì)已經(jīng)在全州各地舉行了新聞發(fā)布會(huì)，他們?cè)谀抢锫犝f了越來越多的共同支付胰島素處方的消息。

“It is really shocking how much some people, especially Type 1 diabetics, are having to pay for life-saving medicine. I do not use the word shocking often, but hearing these personal stories has really affected me,” Fleischauer said in an email.

“令人震驚的是，有些人，尤其是1型糖尿病患者，不得不為挽救生命的藥物支付這么多錢。我不常使用“震驚”這個(gè)詞，但聽到這些個(gè)人故事真的影響了我，”弗萊肖爾在電子郵件中說。

She plans to introduce a bill next year to cap insulin prescription co-pays. Such legislation already has passed in Colorado. This isn’t the first such excursion to find affordable medication and showcase the failings of the US health care system. Each seat on this trip cost $100, though individuals with diabetes didn’t have to pay, thanks to donations and scholarships.

她計(jì)劃在明年提出一項(xiàng)限制胰島素處方自付的法案。科羅拉多州已經(jīng)通過了這樣的立法。這并不是第一次在尋找負(fù)擔(dān)得起的藥物和展示美國醫(yī)療系統(tǒng)的失敗方面的旅行。由于捐款和獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金，此行每個(gè)座位的費(fèi)用是100美元，但糖尿病患者不必為此付費(fèi)。