My name is Elizabeth and I have lived in New Jersey most of my life. I met my husband in high school, and we’ve been together ever since. We love the active retirement community we reside in and all of the friends we have made here. I have a wonderful life.

I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at 45 — now I’m 71. Back then, I wasn’t on insulin, just oral medications. 10 years ago, I had to start on injectable insulin. But in that time, it has gotten much more expensive. Originally, I was on just one type of insulin, but as my diabetes progressed,  I was prescribed both short and long acting insulin. Then my doctor put me on a very expensive medication, Victoza, used to manage diabetes.  I am also on Xultophy, another diabetes drug that costs about $700 for three months.

For a time I received assistance from a pharmaceutical manufacturer for my short-acting insulin. But then I stopped getting the assistance, and I had to start stockpiling my insulin. Between that and my other meds, it gets incredibly expensive. My husband and I are both retired and on Social Security. We are living on a fixed income. The cost of insulin is prohibitive, and something needs to be done regarding the prices of all prescription medicine. No one should ever have to wonder if they can afford to stay alive.