How cheaper insulin will affect Americans with diabetes

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Cheaper insulin will make a huge difference]( By Haley Weiss Health & Science Reporter Last week, the news that pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly would be cutting out-of-pocket costs of their most commonly used insulin medications to $35 per month changed how millions of Americans think about their household budgets. After talking to three diabetes advocates about what the change meant for them and their communities, I learned that the outcome of Eli Lilly’s new policy could mean a lot more than just saving money: - Advocates hope that this will set off a cultural shift that alters the way America talks about and views diabetes, reducing stigma and blame that many with the condition feel they’ve faced. - Diabetes patients will be able to put the money they’re now saving toward more high-tech (and ultimately safer) methods of blood sugar management. For example, Kristin Thompson-Lerberg, a teacher in Wisconsin, told me that she’ll now be able to afford to use her continuous glucose monitoring device more frequently. - Because of the cost-savings on insulin, patients might be able to see specialists, like endocrinologists, more often. The co-pays on appointments like these can be steep, but being able to go more frequently—and to do so knowing they won’t be shamed by their doctors for not being able to afford all the insulin their body requires—is likely to be a huge boost to the health of many people living with diabetes. Most importantly, advocates say, choices like buying insulin or paying rent, and risking health and life to pay basic bills, will hopefully soon become far less common than they are now. [READ MORE]( Share the story What else to read [Our Relationship With Time Is Changing—Maybe for the Better]( By Lily Rothman The pandemic created a window for many to re-evaluate their attitudes toward time itself. Now we’ll find out if what we learned will stick. [Read More »]( [Paris Hilton: Why I’m Telling My Abortion Story Now]( By Paris Hilton 'So many women are facing it, and they feel so alone and judged and abandoned.' [Read More »]( [Less Than 1% of Earth Has Safe Levels of Air Pollution, Study Finds]( By Coco Liu / Bloomberg Nearly the entire world is breathing harmful levels of PM2.5—tiny particles linked to lung cancer and heart disease. [Read More »]( [4 Ways Exercise Helps Fight Aging]( By Liz Seegert Physical activity is one of the best things you can do to protect your body as it ages. Here's how it helps. [Read More »]( [Why Rewatching Your Favorite TV Show Is Good for You]( By Anna Goldfarb A psychologist explains [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [A startup attempts to make artificial breast milk]( In the New Yorker, Molly Fischer writes about Biomilq, a startup trying to produce lab-grown breast milk from human mammary cells. While duplicating breast milk is likely not possible, they're hoping to make the next best thing: a highly optimized alternative to baby formula. [Read More »]( --------------------------------------------------------------- If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Haley Weiss and Mandy Oaklander, and edited by Elijah Wolfson. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.