Mom Breaks Down as She Can't Afford Son's $1,000 Insulin Despite Working Full Time

By Bella Vidal First Posted: Jan 14, 2021 10:36 AM EST

A crying mom's video became viral on TikTok following her tirade against the skyrocketing price of insulin in the United States. Katie Schieffer, a working mom from North Carolina, recently broke down on video after revealing that she can't afford her son's medication despite working a full-time job.

Schieffer couldn't help but turn emotional as she expressed her grievances against the United States' healthcare system.

Her ten-year-old son has Type 1 diabetes, where his pancreas cannot produce insulin. Because of this, he requires insulin shots every two hours, according to Daily Mail.

Mom struggles to afford son's insulin

However, just a few days before Christmas, Schieffer came back from the drugstore empty-handed. In a video, the emotional mom claimed that she could not afford the medication, which costs $1,000 per prescription.

"I've worked for, like, 17 years. I work all the time. I've been paying medical bills on my son for nine years since he was born. And he was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, he has to have insulin every two hours," says Schieffer.

[VIDEO] Mom Breaks Down as She Can't Afford Son's $1,000 Insulin Despite Working Full Time

(Photo : Screenshot from Tiktok/Slimkwow)
A mom from North Carolina becomes emotional as she struggles to afford her son's $1,000 insulin shots.

The crying mom revealed that she's working overtime in her full-time job, as well as attending school during the day.

On the other hand, her husband is also employed full-time. Despite this, Schieffer cried that they're struggling to afford their son's medication.

"I just got his prescription. It was $1,000. I couldn't pay for it. I now have to go in and tell my nine-year-old son I couldn't pay for it. I work a full-time job. My husband works a full-time job. I work third shift. I go to school during the day. How you guys making it? Am I the only one struggling?"

As of writing, Schieffer's tearful rant already reached more than half a million views on TikTok. It has also been shared on Twitter and Reddit, where it elicited divided reactions.

Many social media users questioned the US' healthcare system, described as 'outrageous' and 'anti-poor.'
On the brighter side, this video also opened doors of opportunities for Schieffer and her son.

Plenty of good Samaritans online offered financial assistance to the family so that her ten-year-old son can afford his medication, according to IGV Official.

The skyrocketing price of insulin in the US

It may seem like a scene out of movies, but this is a sad reality for millions of Americans who can't keep up with insulin's skyrocketing price.

Despite being a first-world country, the US is still struggling to make insulin more affordable and accessible to millions of Americans who need it.

(Photo : Diabetes Journals)
Average Medicare out-of-pocket spending for insulin, per user, by product category, 2006–2013. Source: USC Schaeffer Center analysis of Medicare Part D claims data.

In Brazil, the federal government provides free insulin shots for diabetes treatment, as reported by DMS Journal. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, a person with low income pays around $5 for a prescription of insulin.

According to Diabetes Journal, around 7.4 million Americans with diabetes require insulin. From 2012 to 2016, the price of four insulin categories in the United States has risen from 15% to 17% every year.

The complex supply chain, along with the continuously rising price, means that patients' out-of-pocket expenses also continue to increase. This poses a problem, especially for individuals with income below the poverty level.