As an Ambassador for Beyond Type 1В we are on a mission to change this. We must change this! I assure you that I am not the only frustrated Type 1 person out there that struggles with the healthcare insurance debacle and the financial burden. Now maybe you can understand my frustration and anger.В Diabetes kills more annually than AIDS and breast cancer combined.В By the numbers there are 231,404 diabetic deaths annually, versus 40,000 annually from breast cancer and 15,000 from AIDS. Everything is a battle and a hassle when it shouldnвЂ™t be for the amount one must pay to stay alive. However, this comes with great stress, frustration and in my opinion shouldnвЂ™t even be open for argument. вЂњSorry, sir, there is nothing we can do to help you.вЂќ Blood pressure elevated, I call my doctor and she has to play letter ping-pong with the insurance company to reiterate the fact that I must have these test strips to stay alive. You can only have this brand.вЂќ Well, my glucose meter and my pump communicate together so changing test strips and meter is not an option, I argued. As typical, I went to obtain my prescription for test strips and the pharmacy informed me, вЂњSorry sir, your healthcare provider will no longer provide your test strips as they do not have a contract with your healthcare company. I just spent the last 60 days arguing about obtaining my glucose test strips.

With these insane costs you would think everything is covered without question. Not including dental or vision coverage, just healthcare premiums, co-pays, deductibles and hidden deductibles. My business spent over $26,000.00 last year alone, so I could stay alive. I have been forced to pay for a massive eye surgery expense that was considered a вЂњpre-existing conditionвЂќ and wasnвЂ™t covered by the insurance company. At times it seems like the insurance industry would rather all Type 1s barely survive, rather than thrive. Sadly, not only do I have to battle to stay alive, I have to continuously battle with the big insurance companies. And these astronomical healthcare costs will only continue to skyrocket due to untreated diabetes. While the American Cancer Society estimates the costs of all cancers annually at approximately $201 billion, diabetes is even more outrageous with a staggeringВ $245 billion annual impact. If that doesnвЂ™t get your attention, the cost that comes with the silent killer will. A speculated 79 million people in the world are living with undiagnosed diabetes or pre-diabetes. Today there are 29 million diagnosed cases of some type of diabetes in the USA. And the costs associated with T1D are mind-boggling.

However, the financial burden is the largest challenge. ItвЂ™s a disease that requires constant monitoring and control, and it never sleeps. The mental challenge and care is an old hat to me. However, as #Typeoneguy4life it frustrates and angers the hell out of me that I have now spent over $1 million dollars to-date to stay alive. Life is all about attitude, especially when you are blessed with a chronic disease like Type 1 diabetes. Attitudes are like flat tires you canвЂ™t go anywhere until you fix them.

What is stay alive challenge