WATERVILLE, Maine — There is a huge difference in the cost of insulin between the U.S. and Canada.
Paul and Annie Thompson are willing to drive hundreds of miles to save hundreds of dollars.
"It's a day's drive down and back," said Paul.
They are planning for their next drive in late October. It's not for foliage. It's for a medicine that could potentially save Paul's life.
They'll drive more than 300 miles from Waterville, Maine to St. Stephen, New Brunswick and back. They've done this drive once before.
"You have to," said Paul. "Because you know when you're insulin is out it's out."
"You were down to that day," said Annie.
"That day when I went over to get it," he said. "I had enough to last me that day in my pump."
Paul has Type 2 diabetes with Type 1 tendencies.
He and Annie will drive to Canada every three months for the foreseeable future to get the insulin he needs.
Why? That road trip saves them hundreds of dollars.
"It's a crisis," said Annie.
The Thompsons are one example of people who have traveled to Canada for cheaper insulin.
Without insurance, the Thompsons say they would have to pay over $3,800 for a three-month supply. With Medicare supplemental insurance it costs them greater than $600 for the same amount.
In Canada for a 90-day supply, the price was approximately $400 Canadian, just over $300 American.
Senator Susan Collins is supporting a new bipartisan bill to roll back a decade of insulin price hikes.
The Insulin Price Reduction Act is designed to hold pharmacy benefit managers, pharmaceutical companies, and insurers accountable for surging prices of insulin by encouraging list price reductions.
"It's about time," said Annie.
The Thompsons are hopeful this could be the solution, to finding affordable medicine at their own neighborhood pharmacy. Until then, they'll continue to spend their time to save their money.
"It was so simple," said Paul. "I don't know what I hadn't done so before."