Diabetes And Coronavirus: What You Need To Know

We all understand how careful we must be to avoid catching Coronavirus that leads to Covid-19.   But many people are not aware that those with type 1, and type 2 diabetes need to be even more cautious than the average person.

Everyone needs to be careful to avoid the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you should be even more cautious.   Over 34 million people in the United States alone live with a type of diabetes.

 

Diabetes and the Coronavirus Statistics

 

According to WebMD, studies have shown that about 25% of people who went to the hospital with severe COVID-19 infections had diabetes. Those with diabetes were more likely to have serious complications and to die from the virus. One reason is that high blood sugar weakens the immune system and makes it less able to fight off infections.

People with diabetes are not at a higher risk of contracting the virus compared to a non-diabetic.   Rather the complications from the Coronavirus may be worse.   Especially to those who have a diabetes related complication, or if their diabetes isn’t well controlled to begin with.   Studies have shown that Covid-19 could put you at a higher risk for Diabetes Ketoacidosis.

Your risk of catching the virus isn’t higher than anyone else’s. But you could have worse complications if you do get sick. That’s especially true if your diabetes isn’t well-controlled.   Below are some tips to reduce the chances of getting infected:

  • Manage your blood sugar and keep it within normal limits
  • Practice social distancing
  • Practice good hygiene

Have an emergency plan in place in case you were to get sick.   Make sure someone is able to help out and deliver your diabetes medications if needed.

 

Difficulties Obtaining your Diabetes Medications

 

Not everyone who has diabetes obtains their medications from a pharmacy in the United States.   Due to the high cost of Insulin, and other medications, people with diabetes need to live, many travel to Canada and Mexico to purchase their medications.

With borders being closed currently, several within the diabetes community are not able to secure their medications at the lower cost available in foreign companies.   This unintended consequence has led many individuals to not being able to afford their life-saving drugs.

Melissa Thompson of Diabetes 365 states, “One positive we’ve seen from insulin manufacturers in this time of need is the lowering of the price of Insulin and capping out of pocket costs.   This change in pricing will help diabetics being able to afford the Insulin they need to stay alive.”

Per Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical giant is capping the out-of-pocket cost of most of its insulins to $35 per month to help ease the financial burden on diabetics who might be facing financial challenges due to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus outbreak.

This cap will apply to both patients who hold commercial health insurance and those who have no insurance coverage. Those covered under government insurance plans such as Medicaid and Medicare will not be eligible for the discounted price.

While these changes have not been confirmed to be permanent, we do hope that consideration is being made to keep the cost of Insulin affordable to the masses who need this to live.

 

Trouble with Qualifying for Insurance Policies

 

Like most people, the need for life insurance or long term care insurance is a common concern or need.   In times like this, it’s extremely important to make sure you have the proper protection products in place to protect you and your family.

With the current environment, insurance companies have been forced to make changes to their portfolio of offerings.   In addition to these changes, they have also made changes to underwriting criteria, which directly impacts people with type 1 diabetes.

Looking for life insurance or long term care insurance with diabetes has always been a challenge.   Currently, finding coverage is almost impossible.   Melissa Thompson mentions, “companies like American General, Nassau Re, North American and others are no longer offering coverage to people whose health profile is highly table rated.   Before the Covid-19 crisis, these companies would most likely have no issues offering coverage to people who have good control of their diabetes.   But for the foreseeable future, life insurance for diabetics will be an uphill struggle to secure.   The same applies to diabetics seeking long term care insurance.”

We do want to note that while these underwriting changes are not permanent.   Insurance providers are hoping to get back to business as usual later this summer.   In the event a person with diabetes doesn’t qualify for coverage today, there’s a great chance that in the coming months, they’d have several options available to them.

 

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Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

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