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When Barbara Ingram-Rice enrolled in Medicare at 65, she expected the transition to be straightforward. She had spent years managing her husband's coverage and knew how to shop for a plan. But nothing prepared her for the moment a $10-a-month medication became $650 overnight. What followed was weeks of research and a discovery that saved her thousands of dollars a year.
When 32-year-old Minnesota resident Kaylean DiFiori was diagnosed with diabetes in 2025, her doctor immediately created a treatment plan to help control her blood sugar. But managing the condition quickly became more than a medical challenge. It became a financial and administrative battle with her insurance company.
For more than 30 years, Michelle Fry worked in the health care system in Illinois. She built her career in primary care, dialysis and orthopedics, spending 24 years in orthopedics alone. Over that time, she shared she has “seen a lot of change in the medical field, mainly cost,” adding, “I think the cost is outrageous. I don't think it should be that expensive.” She saw how the system functioned behind the scenes. Now, as a patient, she is experiencing it for herself.
Athena Joost, a 28-year-old nurse living in Oregon, knows firsthand how prescription drug prices can impact treatment options. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a chronic condition that can cause debilitating flare-ups. After initial treatments failed, her doctor recommended a biologic medication. Together, they decided on Stelara (Ustekinumab)
May, a young woman from the Midwest, was diagnosed with a life-threatening pulmonary embolism and prescribed costly blood thinners to prevent another clot. Even with good employer-sponsored insurance, she faced staggering out-of-pocket costs—hundreds of dollars a month—for medication she needed to survive.
For years, 55-year-old Jennifer Blumenthal of New Jersey, has lived with Type 1.5 diabetes. Managing her condition depends on two prescriptions, Novolog and Jardiance. Without them, her health and life are at risk.
For Angel, a 30-year-old living in Texas who has battled severe asthma since birth, that search led him through countless treatments before finally finding stability with Trelegy. Even though Trelegy worked, Angel’s insurer initially refused to cover it. Angel’s experience underscores how difficult it can be for patients with chronic conditions to access the medications that best manage their health.
When his daughter Gloria was born with complex medical needs, Leslie Rogers uprooted his life to fight for her survival. The family endured impossible choices, liquidating their savings and facing sleepless nights to keep her alive. Medicaid finally gave them stability, but with cuts looming and critical programs already shrinking, Leslie worries families like his could once again be pushed to the brink.
Kelly Fryman, a 63-year-old woman living with diabetes in Florida, has spent years working to keep her condition under control. At first, Kelly managed her condition with medications such as Trulicity and Mounjaro. Eventually, she switched to Farziga because of cost, but even that became unaffordable. The only way she can stay on the medication is through free samples from her doctor.
Jim and Teresa Matthews never imagined that a hospital visit could unravel into a financial bureaucratic nightmare. When Teresa was hospitalized after a sudden episode of transient global amnesia—a rare, temporary loss of memory—they discovered a hidden flaw that left them with a $4,500 bill for a single day’s worth of medication and no clear path to challenge it.