Insulin. How does it work here for gringo with diabetes?

JessicaRabbit

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Sep 21, 2009
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Im thinking of bringing my 56 y.o father to DR, but he has diabetes and needs insulin in injections. In our country he gets it for free but he has to go under tests etc one in a while to keep receiving it. If i move him over here, how this will work? If i get him insurance will it cover insulin? or i will have to buy it in a drugstore? Is it expensive?

thanks
 

Campesina

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Sep 12, 2004
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For cryin out loud, why would you think some other country should take care of you if you move there? If you can afford to get to the Dominican Republic, you can afford to buy your own meds. Leave the free meds for poor people who can't afford to buy their own and maybe donate some yourself! I know poor dominicans who buy blood pressure pills one at a time and go without when they don't have the money to get them or money to get to the hospital pharmacy by taxi or concho.
 

Tamborista

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Apr 4, 2005
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For cryin out loud, why would you think some other country should take care of you if you move there? If you can afford to get to the Dominican Republic, you can afford to buy your own meds. Leave the free meds for poor people who can't afford to buy their own and maybe donate some yourself! I know poor dominicans who buy blood pressure pills one at a time and go without when they don't have the money to get them or money to get to the hospital pharmacy by taxi or concho.


Why are you attacking the OP?
She asked about buying insurance not a handout, this is why people are afraid to ask questions on DR1...sorry Judy... I tell it like it is.

tambo'
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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1. insuline is available in DR over the counter so no doctor visits necessary
2. it is covered by dominican insurance
3. but normally insurance does not cover pre-existing condition, not sure about coverage for diabetes then and in any case just one insuline purchase could use up a yearly ambulatory coverage
4. it is expensive - up to few thousand pesos for a box of flexpen, for example
5. tell me what medicine your dad takes and i will be able to check you availability and pricing
 

JessicaRabbit

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to Campesina: my father is below poor (trust me Ukraine is not sweet place at all and his pension is like 200$ a month while prices are same as in DR and he gives 50% to his ex wife) and i am taking him here to give him a little better life. BUT! im not rich myself at all and i have a child to take care of and nobody takes care of me, so dont judge that fast! I will take him after he sells his mother's apartment that has just passed away, and use that money for his tickets. And if i will have to pay thousands of pesos for meds for a lifetime the bill will hurt me.
 

Campesina

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DR isn't such a cheap place to live unless you want to live in the same poverty you are coming from. You said yourself prices are the same as Ukrane. What happens when you get to DR and can't afford to get back to where you came from? Who takes care of you, then? He gets "free" meds where he is now. Think ahead, if the "bill will hurt" you, then neither of you can afford to move him here. Nice of you to want to help, but moving and living your new life may cost far more than where you are now. You did say he gets free now and how will that work when you come here? I read your last statements as in addition, not just the only question. My comment was toward your first question.

I don't post often because my opinions can be a little radical but, I feel pretty strongly about this.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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he is in ukraina right now? then not sure i can help with the availability of the brand medicine, he may be taking something made in eastern europe. we have few american brands of insuline and total monthly price really depends on the quantity of the units he has to take a day. i would suggest you take your dad to a dominican doctor and have him decide what locally available meds are best for your dad. you have to get him medical insurance thou, it will come in handy, trust me. your monthly payment should not be significantly big as you should be able to add him to your existing plan (providing you have one).
on a more personal note - i sure hope you have other eastern europeans where you are coz your dad will surely feel lonely and out of place.
 

Jumbo

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Jul 8, 2005
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For cryin out loud, why would you think some other country should take care of you if you move there?

I want like to nominate Judy for Republican of the year. I like your thinking about handouts.

As for test strips and insulin it could run RD3000 a month easy.
 

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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Ok...you all know me already so here goes....

Miss Judy.....I don't know who you are and frankly only want to know if you are Dominican. Because since you have so much to say to this woman regarding her poor father, I will match you tit for tat. Don't get me started in the thousands of Dominicans who cone to my country and in 2 months are in line applying for "el medi-que" and "la tarjeta de comida". Not to mention using up daycare vouchers that should be for hard working Americans, to take their kids to daycare while Tia M?cho, Tia Gladis, and Abuela Antonia sit in the rent subsidized apartment watching "Casos de Familia" all damn day.
The lady asked a question about insurance and medicine. A very valid question. I don't read anywhere in her post where it said..."Where can my dad get free medicine?"

SHALENA

And I had been doing so well these last couple of days......
 

Chuck T

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Nov 30, 2010
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Ok...you all know me already so here goes....

Miss Judy.....I don't know who you are and frankly only want to know if you are Dominican. Because since you have so much to say to this woman regarding her poor father, I will match you tit for tat. Don't get me started in the thousands of Dominicans who cone to my country and in 2 months are in line applying for "el medi-que" and "la tarjeta de comida". Not to mention using up daycare vouchers that should be for hard working Americans, to take their kids to daycare while Tia M?cho, Tia Gladis, and Abuela Antonia sit in the rent subsidized apartment watching "Casos de Familia" all damn day.
The lady asked a question about insurance and medicine. A very valid question. I don't read anywhere in her post where it said..."Where can my dad get free medicine?"

SHALENA

And I had been doing so well these last couple of days......
LOL ! Shalena, don't get your ass in an uproar, life too damn short for that.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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Jessica, if I remember correctly, you are in Sos?a. There is an Institute for Diabetes in Puerto Plata. I understand that insulin is available there at a slightly lower price.

I know, from experience, that Jumbo is correct about test strips and glucometers. When the dental group I help comes to Puerto Plata, they always test blood sugar of the patients before treating them. The left-over test strips, lancets and glucometers are repeatedly requested by Dominicans who either work in the clinic or who were patients.
 

Campesina

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Sep 12, 2004
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In my defense, JessicaRabbit stated

"Insulin. How does it work here for gringo with diabetes?
Im thinking of bringing my 56 y.o father to DR, but he has diabetes and needs insulin in injections. In our country he gets it for free but he has to go under tests etc one in a while to keep receiving it."

Then she asked 4 questions:

1. "If i move him over here, how this will work?"

2. "If i get him insurance will it cover insulin?"

3. "or i will have to buy it in a drugstore?

4. "Is it expensive?"

My comment was directed at question number one. I guess I shouldn't have taken her post literally.
 

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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You guessed right.

In initially reading her post, I guessed that question number 1 meant if she moved him over here would he need to see a Dominican doctor or could he continue to take the medicine that he has been prescribed there.
But of course, in my DR1 travels, I also have been known to misunderstand a post or two.
But I am sorry, I defend where defense is warranted

SHALENA
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Ok...you all know me already so here goes....

Miss Judy.....I don't know who you are and frankly only want to know if you are Dominican. Because since you have so much to say to this woman regarding her poor father, I will match you tit for tat. Don't get me started in the thousands of Dominicans who cone to my country and in 2 months are in line applying for "el medi-que" and "la tarjeta de comida". Not to mention using up daycare vouchers that should be for hard working Americans, to take their kids to daycare while Tia M?cho, Tia Gladis, and Abuela Antonia sit in the rent subsidized apartment watching "Casos de Familia" all damn day.
The lady asked a question about insurance and medicine. A very valid question. I don't read anywhere in her post where it said..."Where can my dad get free medicine?"

SHALENA

And I had been doing so well these last couple of days......

Shalena don't assume as it can be dangerous. Judy is not Dominican and was/is a very respected member of this site and even more of the community where she lived here. I can totally understand how she interpreted the OPs question.

To the OP. It is very expensive to cope with diabetes here and I frequently have had to help diabetics with testing kits and papers by getting them from the states for them. As has been said insurance will often not cover pre existing conditions so you need to find a way of securing insulin cheaply if possible. Good luck to you in your endeavors and also bear in mind what dv8 said.

Matilda
 
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SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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That's why I asked her was she Dominican. Damn, do you people read the posts before you go off on your holier than thou rants.
And I don't give one damn about how respected she is the OP did not deserve her nasty comments. Now can we get off of this.....we are taking the thread off track. But if you want to continue you can PM me and I can just give it to you personally. This is not my thread and I was just defending someone who asked a VALID question and was given nasty uncalled for responses.
Again, we can take this up personally, I will no longer address this on this woman's thread

SHALENA
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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Im thinking of bringing my 56 y.o father to DR, but he has diabetes and needs insulin in injections. In our country he gets it for free but he has to go under tests etc one in a while to keep receiving it. If i move him over here, how this will work? If i get him insurance will it cover insulin? or i will have to buy it in a drugstore? Is it expensive?

thanks

Jessica, I applaud you for wanting to take care of your father here. But let us be realistic. Every insurance company is in it to make money, and this is the same all over the world, so there is no way you will be able to insure your dad for those insulin injections as it is a pre-existing condition.

Maybe you should check if his present coverage in the Ukraine would cover the costs, or part of it, over here. You would probably have to advance it and get reimbursed, but it could help you and your dad.

Good luck to you and your dad.
 

Pib

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Jan 1, 2002
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www.dominicancooking.com
Every insurance company is in it to make money, and this is the same all over the world, so there is no way you will be able to insure your dad for those insulin injections as it is a pre-existing condition.
Furthermore, I have yet to find a private plan that covers prescriptions. The only plans that cover part of the cost of prescriptions are those that cover employees of big companies (I am open to be corrected, and would love to as I'd like to find a plan that covers prescription before I acquire one of those dreaded "pre-existing conditions").