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Insurance claim

Kempy50

Kempy50

Newbie
Messages
3
Location
Folkestone
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone has any info on the following...

Recently, I visited my partner's home town in Holland. I'm normally extremely organised when packing all the paraphernalia related to Type1 including spare insulin pens but within a day of our arrival, I realised that I hadn't done so and would not have enough of either my Lantus or my Novorapid to last the full week.

I therefore had two options; one would be to visit the in-laws GP, the other to go to and see the Apotheek (pharmacist). In slight panic-mode, I took the 2nd option and ended up having to pay over 100€ for the two packs (no pharmacy will supply just one pen!). I have subsequently tried to claim on my travel insurance but am told that, as this was not a medical emergency, I have no illegible claim.

What to do? Any advice welcome.
Best,
Mike
 
Hello Mike,

My thought process would be to contact your GP or your practice in regards to this and explain this situation to them, ask if they can issue a letter which explains that you are a type 1 diabetic and require insulin to live which could validate this claim. The very fact that we have medical cards means that we take medication to live so therefore our prescriptions are free is reason enough, so perhaps they do not understand that you are type 1 possibly ?

In future when you travel you can apply for a medical EU card: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx this should help with the costs, but let's hope it doesn't happen again ;)
 
Thanks @tim2000s and @Juicyj for your prompt replies. Unfortunately (stupidly?), I don't have the EHIC card despite making regular journeys "across the channel".

I admit to having panicked a little and, in hindsight, it might mave been better to have paid the in-law's GP in the first instance. Now I have paid out 100 quid for things which are ostensibly free and no recourse to reimbursement!

Ho hum, thanks again :)
 
Hi @Kempy50 - I will be honest I have been caught short in the UK, I went to Cornwall only a few months after getting my pump, I took supplies for one set change as only there for 3 days, however when I changed my set I bent the cannula so I wasn't getting any insulin at all, so in my panic I ended up in Boots paying for a Novorapid insulin pen as my BG levels were hitting high 20's, then driving home 2 days early from hols, I have definitely learned from this experience as it won't happen again, so don't beat yourself up :)
 
Juicyj said:
Hi @Kempy50 - I will be honest I have been caught short in the UK, I went to Cornwall only a few months after getting my pump, I took supplies for one set change as only there for 3 days, however when I changed my set I bent the cannula so I wasn't getting any insulin at all, so in my panic I ended up in Boots paying for a Novorapid insulin pen as my BG levels were hitting high 20's, then driving home 2 days early from hols, I have definitely learned from this experience as it won't happen again, so don't beat yourself up :)
Click to expand...
@Juicyj - FWIW - Cornwall runs an emergency prescription service whereby the pharmacy will give you emergency medical supplies on prescription if you have forgotten yours. You just have to fill a form out for it at the pharmacy (and I think it gets referred back to your CCG). I used it last year when I'd picked up the wrong test strips.
 
Thanks @Engineer88 that was the first thing I did when I found out the cannula wasn't delivering insulin, sadly no one near me had the 640g medtronic pump so getting to Boots was my next priority :banghead:
 
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