People with diabetes may use insulin pens, wearable pump devices, or a glass vial and syringe to deliver this needed medication. Costs vary depending on which method you choose.
The price of insulin can be overwhelming, especially if you need it to live and stay healthy. Even with insurance, you could be paying hundreds of dollars in out-of-pocket costs each month.
Insulin is absolutely necessary for people with type 1 diabetes, and many people with type 2 diabetes also take insulin. Several types of devices are available to deliver insulin, each with its own set of pros and cons.
The best insulin delivery method for you depends on many factors, including how much your blood sugar fluctuates each day and your lifestyle.
Insulin pricing is a sensitive topic for many people with diabetes, and it’s been a high profile policy issue in the United States for more than a decade.
A single vial of insulin can cost more than $300 without insurance, and some insurance plans may not fully cover it. That could mean a monthly prescription of multiple vials could be hundreds of dollars or more.
Newer versions of insulin in recent years are available as generics, and those may be less expensive. But even those may cost $45 per vial, adding up for those who take more than a single vial each month.
Prefilled insulin pens are also costly, reaching into the hundreds of dollars before any insurance.
Manufacturer coupons, discount programs like Optum Perks, and insurance benefits can lessen the impact of the high costs of insulin for some people with diabetes.
In 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a new rule that allowed insurers and third-party pharmacy benefit managers to list insulin as an “essential medication,” meaning that it could be seen as an item for which the cost and any copay might be lower or even $0 per prescription.
This is not the same as it is for Medicare, which has capped the out-of-pocket insulin cost at $35 for older adults through Medicare parts B and D since 2023. However, that federal policy isn’t a guarantee, and pricing could always evolve as policies change.
Retail pharmacies like Walmart do offer older versions of Regular and NPH human insulin for $25 per vial, though the medical community does not view these Humalog insulins from the 1970s as appropriate for 21st-century diabetes care.
You and your doctor will work together to determine the best insulin for you.
Insulin comes in many forms. Which you use may depend on many factors, including your type of diabetes and your management needs.
According to the
| Insulin type | Onset | When it peaks in your system | Duration | When taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra-rapid acting | 2 to 15 min | 30 to 60 min | 4 hours | • Taken with meals, usually with the first bite of a meal. • Commonly used along with long-acting insulin. |
| Rapid-acting | 15 min | 1 hour | 2 to 4 hours | • Taken with meals, typically right before a meal. • Commonly used along with longer-acting insulin. |
| Rapid-acting inhaled | 10 to 15 min | 30 min | 3 hours | • Given 10 to 15 minutes before meals, typically right before a meal. • Commonly used with injectable long-acting insulin. |
| Long-acting | 2 hours | doesn’t peak | up to 24 hours | • Taken once a day. • Can be used with rapid- or short-acting insulin if needed. |
| Ultra-long acting | 6 hours | doesn’t peak | 36 hours or more | • Taken once a day. • Can be used with rapid- or short-acting insulin if needed. |
| Premixed | 5 to 60 min | varied peaks | 10 to 16 hours | • Taken twice a day, commonly 10 to 30 minutes before breakfast and dinner. • • This type is a combination of intermediate- and short-acting insulin. |
Some people with diabetes may also take older types of insulin, which are not as fast-acting and are made differently than the current insulin that has been available since the 1990s. These are sold under the names Regular (R), Lente (L), Ultra-Lente (UL), and NPH.
Your healthcare team can best guide you on which insulin may work best for you.
Using a glass vial and needle is one of the most common ways of taking insulin. It may help you avoid the additional costs tied to prefilled insulin pens or expensive diabetes pump devices.
A box of 100 syringes may cost between $15 and $20, depending on where you get them. You may also be able to buy them online, over the counter, or at diabetes supply stores.
Pros of vials and syringes
- They’re the least expensive option without insurance factored into the cost.
- This option may be preferable for those who don’t want to carry around prefilled insulin pens or be connected to an insulin pump.
- Each syringe can be safely discarded after a single use. This means you only need to keep the glass vial stored at room temperature once you’ve started using it, compared with other options like an insulin pen that may require safely storing the bulkier insulin pen with more insulin inside.
Cons of vials and syringes
- Injections can be more difficult for people who don’t like needles.
- Needles may be more imprecise for dosing insulin than insulin pens or pumps, which may offer incremental, smaller amounts as needed.
- Compared with an insulin pump, you need to carry the vials and syringes around, but you may not require those supplies each day.
- People with vision or dexterity challenges may also have difficulty reading the insulin syringe text, which can make it difficult to correctly dose the medication.
An insulin pen is an injection device that delivers insulin into the fatty tissue below the skin with a short, thin needle.
In general, pens are less painful and more convenient than syringes and vials.
Costs of insulin pens
Pens usually come in packs, so you can’t buy just one at a time.
Each pen contains 3 milliliters (mL) of insulin and is typically packaged in boxes of five pens. Smaller “junior” pens designed for children hold smaller amounts of insulin and sometimes offer smaller increments for more precise dosing.
Depending on your insurance and the pharmacy you go to, a box of five insulin pens can cost several hundred dollars to more than $1,000 for a month’s prescription.
Your insurance may cover the cost of a pen, but you may need to pay a copay out of pocket.
To use an insulin pen, you buy needles that attach to the tip of the pen when you’re ready to take a shot. Each pen cap needle is used once, and then you dispose of it safely. These pen needle caps are sold in boxes. They are a separate medical expense from the insulin pen filled with insulin.
Pens typically cost more upfront than syringes and vials. But when it comes to total healthcare costs, choosing pens over syringes may save you money in the long run.
Pros of insulin pens
- Insulin pens are not as intimidating as a medical syringe, and some say they hurt less than syringes.
- The pen is already prefilled, so drawing insulin into a needle is unnecessary.
- They’re ready to use and easy to carry.
- Many have dosing features, such as a clicking sound as you draw up units or inject them, to know how much you’re injecting. It’s easier to set the right dose.
- Some have a memory feature on the pen, or through a connected smartphone app, to keep track of how much insulin you use and when.
Cons of insulin pens
- They’re usually more expensive than insulin in a vial.
- Some insulin is wasted if the device has to be “primed” before each time you inject to remove air bubbles.
- Pens aren’t made for all insulin types.
- Most insulin pens only contain one type of insulin. You’ll need two separate injections if you’re using different types of insulin, such as a basal and a meal bolus.
- Pen needle caps that are needed to use the insulin pens are an additional cost.
- Pens aren’t always covered by insurance in the same way as insulin vials and syringes.
Insulin pumps are small devices that deliver insulin 24 hours a day through a small tube called a catheter placed just under the skin.
This technology is more expensive and is used most often by people with type 1 diabetes, though certain pumps are available for those with type 2.
Different companies make insulin pumps. There are typically pump supplies you will also need to buy to use the devices. These supplies can be different depending on which company’s pump you have, but they generally include:
- cartridges or reservoirs that hold the insulin inside the pump
- infusion sets that stick onto your skin to deliver the insulin from the pump into your body
- insulin filling needles to get the insulin into the device
Costs of insulin pumps
Even with coverage, an insulin pump can cost over $1,000 to several thousand dollars, depending on the insurance plan’s benefits and other factors.
Insurance companies may cover these diabetes devices, but they place more coverage rules. Many must get preapproval from a doctor showing the pump is medically necessary.
Without insurance, a new insulin pump may cost $6,000 to $8,000 or more out of pocket. This doesn’t include another $2,000 to $6,000 per year for ongoing pump supplies.
Exact costs will vary depending on the type of pump, the specific pump supplies needed, and other supplies tied to using the device, such as alcohol wipes or skin tape to place over the site once attached to your skin.
You’ll also need to pay separately for the insulin delivered via the device, so the cost of using an insulin pump even with insurance coverage can be quite high and unaffordable for many people with diabetes.
Advantages of insulin pumps
- They most closely mimic the body’s normal release of insulin.
- Pumps deliver insulin more accurately than multiple injections.
- Different brands offer various features that may best fit your life and preferences, including tubeless or those with a touchscreen.
- They may allow you to be more flexible about when and what you eat.
- Most modern pumps allow you to connect to a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which uses that data to automatically adjust how your pump delivers insulin.
Cons of insulin pumps
- Insurance doesn’t always cover them. If an insurance policy does cover a pump, it usually has strict guidelines before the insurance company will pay for it.
- Insulin pumps attach to your skin, meaning they may not stick or could get knocked off easily.
- Pumps can malfunction. You may experience insulin tubing kinks, absorption issues, or defective supplies that cause your pump not to work as expected. This can cause high blood sugar.
- If a pump breaks, you need backup insulin pens and pen needles or vials and syringes until a replacement pump arrives.
- They’re more expensive than other options.
- You must change your site every 2 to 4 days. There’s a risk of infection at the site where the catheter goes into your skin.
- You typically need training before you use pumps. Some clinicians and pump companies require a certain amount of in-person training to start using the device on your own.
Insulin syringes and vials are usually the least expensive options. Pens and pumps may be more convenient than syringes and vials, but they can be unaffordable even with insurance.
The price of insulin remains a consideration regardless of the delivery method. Importantly, you can discuss affordability with your healthcare team if you have concerns about how much these diabetes tools cost to manage your condition.
Your healthcare team can help you decide which insulin delivery works best for you to achieve your medically necessary treatment goals. You may also be able to find various discount cards or programs that you’re eligible for to reduce the cost.
Always evaluate your insurance coverage options before making a decision about an insulin device with your doctor’s guidance.
Find discount perks on Optum Perks
You can explore different products and medications for diabetes on Optum Perks, including possible discounts or programs for various types of insulin, pens, and other diabetes supplies.