Looking through the medical chart in the emergency department, it was clear before even seeing her that Ms. C would be admitted to the hospital today. Her blood sugar was four times the normal value, and her blood tests were starting to show signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that arises when the body does not have adequate insulin to usher carbohydrates into its cells.
As I entered her room she looked up with a tired smile. I learned that she had lost her insurance two months ago when she was laid off from her job. Without health insurance, the cost of her insulin — a drug that has been in use for nearly 100 years and costs pennies to make — had skyrocketed to over $200 per month.