If you require Emergency Medical Assistance
Call 800-379-3839
Now, more than ever, the work of the Nevada Diabetes Association (NDA) is beyond urgent. Our flagship Emergency Medical Assistance Program has been operating beyond capacity for the last several years. Through this long-running program, our staff provides immediate, lifesaving assistance to individuals with diabetes – from infants to adults – who have found themselves in a crisis situation and are unable to afford their life-sustaining medications and supplies.
Because of the work, the NDA saves our Nevada communities over 15 million dollars annually in emergency hospitalizations.
Diabetes, a chronic condition, has skyrocketed from affecting 6% of our national population in the 1970s to today, affecting 60% of the population. Within this current paradigm, the NDA is operating beyond capacity. As the state of Nevada struggles to provide the critical resources and support needed for those living with diabetes, our Medical Assistance Program is a force for good; a constant, reliable resource for our community and individuals living with diabetes.
The Emergency Medical Assistance Program serves over 850 individuals annually.
Our primary goal for the Emergency Medical Assistance Program is to save lives. Emergency situations can happen to anyone at any time. The Nevada Diabetes Association has designed this program to provide a means for individuals to have access to their life-sustaining medications regardless of their ability to pay. This program is an alternative to using the emergency room as a source for daily insulin administration, or rationing insulin dosages which could have devastating consequences. The Emergency Medical Assistance Program serves over 850 individuals annually. Based on the previous contacts made by individuals in the North Lake Tahoe/Truckee areas, the organization can provide services to over 50 individuals with access to insulin, other diabetes medications and supplies.
The NDA measures the outcomes of this program by the number of individuals who are directly served. Individuals also complete surveys to measure the effectiveness of the program and its impact.
Our Emergency Medical Assistance Program provides short-term relief to individuals with diabetes who have found themselves in a crisis situation and are unable to afford their life-sustaining medications and supplies. The NDA provides one month of lifesaving insulin, diabetes medications, and other supplies at no cost to the individual, so daily diabetes self-management can continue without interruption. This program prevents individuals from the dangerous implications of rationing insulin or completely stopping their daily management due to a financial crisis. It also eliminates the need for individuals to seek extremely costly treatment at local hospital emergency rooms to receive a dose of insulin. Lives are saved and the potential for long-term complications caused by diabetes is significantly reduced through this community program.
For the last several years, the Emergency Medical Assistance Program has been operating beyond capacity. Our lifesaving work has been greatly impacted by the ongoing, unstable state of our national and local economies. As in all sectors, this inflation has had a snowballing effect on family budgets. The typical American household spends over $750/month more than three years ago to buy the same goods and services, according to Moody’s Analytics. Earnings remain stuck at 2019 levels. Food and energy costs have soared and, especially in Nevada, housing costs have skyrocketed. This inflation has created a dramatic increase in demand for our Emergency Medical Assistance program. This is evidenced by the dramatic increase in calls we receive from individuals with diabetes who are forced to ration their insulin.
Our offices are often contacted by individuals during a stressful life event causing unexpected financial hardship. This can be due to sudden loss of employment, a lapse in insurance coverage, the transitional period between insurance coverages, or other personal emergency situations preventing the individual from obtaining life-sustaining insulin(or other diabetes medications), prescriptions,and necessary supplies for daily diabetes self-management. Upon being contacted by the individual in need, completing a brief intake, and providing a current prescription, the NDA has the prescription filled at a local pharmacy with no cost to the individual. This allows the individual to continue their diabetes self-management routine without interruption.
We also help to connect the people we serve with other local agencies that can provide them with additional resources they may need. The risks for long term complications for individuals living with diabetes and insulin dependent increases by 50% when the individual is not able to properly self-manage the condition with the proper dosage of insulin. Mismanagement can lead to irreversible damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and respiratory system, or even death]
Our program also prevents individuals from going to a hospital emergency room to receive a dosage of insulin. This is not only extremely costly but places the individual at risk for other illnesses due to their compromised immune system. This program saves lives as it prevents individuals from being forced to ration insulin or completely go without insulin dosages which can lead to irreversible complications, or ultimately result in death. Available year-round, individuals access this program directly through our website; many are referred by hospital social workers, local endocrinologists, and via our partnership with the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition where we directly support underserved populations. The NDA makes this program available once per year and for a one-month (30-day) supply. However, consideration is given to requests for an additional month of medications and is determined on a case-by-case basis. The Medical Assistance Program is a vital resource and has saved our community over $15,000,000 in medical expenses since its inception in 2002.
Hospitals will not discharge a patient with diabetes without a supply of insulin or a valid/current prescription. Our affiliated pharmacies will prioritize delivery directly to hospital bedsides.
We rapidly respond to all rural Nevada requests for insulin and related supplies via FedEx delivery service. For local individuals in need, our affiliated pharmacies will deliver directly to an individual’s home if needed.
The Nevada Diabetes Association has spent over 30 years redefining the diabetes experience, empowering individuals through inclusive programs, education, and support to help them lead healthier, longer lives.
Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. Site by Design On Edge
Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. Site by Design On Edge
The Nevada Diabetes Association has spent over 30 years redefining the diabetes experience, empowering individuals through inclusive programs, education, and support to help them lead healthier, longer lives.
Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. Site by Design On Edge
The Nevada Diabetes Association has spent over 30 years redefining the diabetes experience, empowering individuals through inclusive programs, education, and support to help them lead healthier, longer lives.
