Austin Insulin Access Fund

Purpose

The Austin Insulin Access Fund is intended to help eligible patients afford clinician-prescribed insulin when cost, lack of insurance, inadequate insurance, or a temporary coverage gap creates a barrier to treatment.

The long-term goal is to obtain financial support, product discounts, donation matching, or other assistance from insulin manufacturers and public donors. The fund would cover approximately 80% to 100% of eligible insulin costs, depending on the patient’s financial circumstances.

Who the fund is designed to help

Patients may qualify when they:

• Have a valid insulin prescription.
• Have no public or private drug insurance.
• Have inadequate insurance or unaffordable deductibles and copayments.
• Have low or unstable income.
• Are waiting for insurance or government coverage to begin.
• Are experiencing homelessness, displacement, or another financial emergency.
• Face systemic barriers to obtaining prescribed diabetes treatment.

Financial and medical need determine assistance. The program plans focused outreach to Black, Indigenous, racialized, newcomer, low-income, and underserved communities.

How the fund would work

1. An authorized healthcare professional prescribes insulin.
2. The patient applies or is referred for assistance.
3. Financial or insurance eligibility is reviewed.
4. The Austin Project authorizes an 80% to 100% subsidy.
5. A licensed pharmacy dispenses the prescribed insulin.
6. The pharmacy invoices the fund or processes an authorization code.

Clinical decisions remain entirely with the prescriber and pharmacist. The Austin Project would not prescribe, select, store, transport, or dispense insulin.

Manufacturer partnerships

The project intends to explore support from insulin manufacturers, including:

• Cash contributions and matching of public donations.
• Pharmacy rebates and product discounts.
• Newly manufactured insulin supplied through licensed distribution channels.
• Support for dispensing fees.
• Support for glucose-monitoring supplies and needles.
• Patient-access and bridge-coverage funding.

Manufacturer funding must not influence prescribing or require preference for the donor’s insulin.