Editor’s Note: Educational content related to inhaled insulin is made possible with support from MannKind (makers of Afrezza (human insulin) Inhalation Powder), an active partner at the time of publication. Editorial control rests solely on Beyond Type 1.
Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, including BOXED WARNING on Afrezza.com
Inhaled insulin—Afrezza manufactured by MannKind—is a unique kind of ultra-rapid-acting insulin for adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. FDA-approved in 2014, it’s still relatively new to the market, which means your doctor and health insurance provider may not be familiar with it.
Here’s what you need to know in order to get a prescription for Afrezza and have it approved by your insurance—or how to get it if you don’t have insurance coverage!
You may need to educate your healthcare team about Afrezza because it’s relatively new, and there are a few common misconceptions about using it. The top two misconceptions tend to be:
But those aren’t the facts! So, let’s get this straight:
Afrezza can be a good option for many people, so if your doctor is hesitant to write a prescription, you can educate your healthcare team to help them understand how Afrezza works and why you’d like to try it.
Note: If you struggle to speak up for yourself during your diabetes checkups, you’re not alone. Here is a resource that can help.
How you fill your Afrezza prescription can play a big role in getting insurance to cover it.
If you have health insurance: Let your doctor know they should send the prescription to the pharmacy that Mannkind works closely with, UBC Pharmacy:
UBC Pharmacy LLC
4700 N Hanley Rd Ste B
Saint Louis, MO 63134
NPI: 1962978858
Fax: 866-750-9260
Phone: 844-323-7399
Anyone in the United States can use this pharmacy to fill an Afrezza prescription.
The patient advocacy and overall customer service at Mannkind are fantastic. It’s easy to get a real human being on the phone very quickly! Use MannKind’s services and let them help you.
If you are still denied coverage after trying all of this or if you don’t have health insurance, you still may be able to try Afrezza. Mannkind has a relatively affordable patient assistance program that offers people with diabetes the opportunity to use Afrezza for $99 per month.
Afrezza helps many people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who use it today. It’s worth the effort and the steps it takes to get your hands on it if you’re willing to try something new!
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about AFREZZA?
AFREZZA can cause serious side effects, including:
What is AFREZZA?
What should I tell my healthcare provider before using AFREZZA?
Before using AFREZZA, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins or herbal supplements.
Before you start using AFREZZA, talk to your healthcare provider about low blood sugar and how to manage it.
What should I avoid while using AFREZZA?
While using AFREZZA do not:
Do not use AFREZZA if you:
What are the possible side effects of AFREZZA?
AFREZZA may cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including:
See “What is the most important information I should know about AFREZZA?”
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Signs and symptoms that may indicate low blood sugar include:
Decreased lung function. Your healthcare provider should check how your lungs are working before you start using AFREZZA, 6 months after you start using it, and yearly after that.
Lung cancer. In studies of AFREZZA in people with diabetes, lung cancer occurred in a few more people who were taking AFREZZA than in people who were taking other diabetes medications. There were too few cases to know if lung cancer was related to AFREZZA. If you have lung cancer, you and your healthcare provider should decide if you should use AFREZZA.
Diabetic ketoacidosis. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have an illness. Your AFREZZA dose or how often you check your blood sugar may need to be changed.
Severe allergic reaction (whole body reaction). Get medical help right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of a severe allergic reaction:
Low potassium in your blood (hypokalemia).
Heart failure. Taking certain diabetes pills called thiazolidinediones or “TZDs” with AFREZZA may cause heart failure in some people. This can happen even if you have never had heart failure or heart problems before. If you already have heart failure it may get worse while you take TZDs with AFREZZA. Your healthcare provider should monitor you closely while you are taking TZDs with AFREZZA. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new or worse symptoms of heart failure including:
Get emergency medical help if you have:
The most common side effects of AFREZZA include:
These are not all the possible side effects of AFREZZA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, including BOXED WARNING on Afrezza.com.
Diabeets
26/10/2022