Geesh medicine is expensive!

[miccit]

I just went and filled my prescription. It is for 12.5 mg Paxil, only 10 tablets to start and with my co-pay it is $20.00. To me that seems like a lot of money. Is that normal? I haven't bought anything other than antibiotics in a long time. My insurance really sucks.:mad:

Just whining. I know it could be so much worse. I could have no insurance. We pay $250 per person per month for our insurance and the co-pays are awful. Whatever happened to the good old days of inexpensive insurance?

[moe265]

hmmmm I think no matter how many pills they give you your co pay is the same. I work at a doctors office and our patients always ask for a bigger prescription so they can get more pills for the money. It also depends on your insurance, some only let you get so much per 30 day period. Look at your plan or call them and they will tell you. :)

[mattsmom32]

Also, next time ask for samples at the doctor's office. If they have them, they'll be glad to give them to you. I just got a 40 day supply of Singulair from my ENT. Too bad they don't work. :-(

Good luck to you!!

[ckerr4]

Yes, ask for samples! I just got about $158 worth of migraine meds in samples today - just by asking. I would have got my other meds in samples, but they were all out. Can't hurt to ask, especially if it's the first time you're taking a med, or the first time in a long time, or a new version (or you're out and desparate because your in pain, which was my deal today, lol)

Yep, meds are expensive:(

[LunaChick]

You should check with your prescription plan to see if they give you 90 days supply for maintenance drugs via mail program for less than your copay. I have Pharmacare: Brands=20 Generics=5 but if I go thru mail, they cost me anywhere from 5-20 bucks for 90 day supply.
You pay 250 per month per person? EEEEK!! What kind of insurance do you have? I have Personal Choice and pay 150 total for 2 people and that includes dental and vision.

[DIRKSWIFE4]

Thats crazy. I am on Paxil CR 37.5 mg and I get a months worth for 10.00 co-pay.
Also when I started on my Paxil I was on the ones you are and it takes 2-3 weeks of daily doses to get it in your system to really work.

[miccit]

I did ask for samples, but they didn't have any. That is the way my luck usually works!

I am going to check into that maintenance thing someone was talking about. I will have to see if we have it.

Yes, our insurance is $250 per person. We have dental and eye care. Our co-pay for dental is 60% and our co-pay for eye is 40%. Our office visits are $15.00. Prescritions are either $15, $20, or $30. And to go to the ER is $100 plus a 20% co-pay per visit. I hate Regence Care!!!!! Luckily, my husband's is free and the kids get medical through the state because my son is disabled. I would hate to see what it would cost in co-pays if the kids had our insurance as much as they see the doctor.

[justme23]

Prices of meds and co-pays depends on manufacturer and if there is a generic of it... it also depends on how long the med has been on the market and if there isn't a generic the prices skyrocket anymore cause what choice do you have really?

It's something that really should be addressed, the meds I take for my migraines, the actual name brand is like almost 100 bucks for it, but the generic is less than 10 bucks, so you KNOW they can make them cheap, they just inflate the prices and it's really not fair to the consumer at all. My doctor knows we really aren't all that well off and meds are expensive, so she refrains from giving me newer medication but why paxil is still so expensive is beyond me, it's been on the market for atleast (or almost) 20 years and there should be a generic by now. Always make sure you tell your pharmacist you want the generic if they have it. They're out to make money too, so you have to ask for it sometimes.

[justme23]

Originally posted by freebiequeen1234
miccit, i know how you feel!! i could really use allergy meds..i can't afford even the freakin copays!! i use OTC stuff! I have Aetna and they keep rasing their stinking rates every year!! I would do as the other's suggested, ask for samples!!

I would throw a fit w/ your company (or your state legislation since they control alot of it too). We had Aetna for 2 years and our copay on meds was ALWAYS 5 dollars for generic and no more than 15 for name brand. Alot of time it's not the actual insurance company that is the problem but the 'plan' the company buys... make your anger over the issue known to your human resource department and encourage others to do so too, they can't fix what they don't know is broken.

[cherish328]

I understand.....I've got pretty good insurance, but I didn't, I'd really be in a bad way...I take Synthroid .175, and bc pills, that are 40.00 a month, plus my DH takes Allegra and that is $80.00....thank god for insurance....You know, when you have medical issues they really know how to screw you!!!!! First they jack up the prices, then they put you on so much stuff, you feel like a junkie....Am I the only who feels this way?

[Bohemut]

Alot of time it's not the actual insurance company that is the problem but the 'plan' the company buys... make your anger over the issue known to your human resource department and encourage others to do so too

Too true. I worked for Aetna at one time, and for another insurance company after that. I know for a fact that your insurance plan is something that your employer worked out with the insurance company. When I worked for them I couldn't come out and say your employer is cheap, but I can now! The cost of insurance is so high because of the high cost of the medical care. The doctors and hospitals have to charge people who can pay enough to make up for those who cannot pay. Most of them are a for profit business--they are not going to take a loss. Higher costs mean higher insurance premiums. Medication also has the cost of research and developement, and advertising. It may only cost a manufacturer $2.00 to actually make 100 pills, but they factor in all the cost incurred in developing, marketing and advertising the drug. So $2.00 worth of pills becomes $100.00. It's all big business. I know about the pharmaceutical business because my neice has been a pharm. rep for several years and she's seen it all.

My medicines cost over $400.00 a month, but fortunately I have recently been put on Medicaid with NO copays. My DH on the other hand doesn't qualify (he has retirement plans through previous employers) so he only has Medicare, with no prescription drug benefits. He has multiple sclerosis and needs to be on a maintainence drug. This drug costs over $1000.00 a month. That is more than his monthly SSDI. So he is going without. I know there are several programs to help with the cost for low income people, but with both our SSDI's we make a couple of hundred dollars each month too much to qualify. Such is life. :rolleyes: We get by, we always do.

[miccit]

Bohemut-- I know what you mean my Grandma makes about $50 too much a month to qualify for any help. She has medicare and that supplemental stuff they have them sign up for now. She pays a bunch of money for her medication.

I know the reason we pay so much for insurance is because DH's company is too lazy to chip in any money. They are the cheapest, meanest people I have ever met. We (me and the ladies he works with) call them the Pongs who stole Christmas. Not nice, but sometimes laughter helps!

People here used to go to Canada all the time to get their meds. These elderly people (like 12 of them) would go up on a bus and get their meds. The news did a story on them all together they saved over $2000. That is ridiculous that the medications maded here in America are so much cheaper elsewhere!

Ok, I am going to get off my soapbox now.

[justme23]

Only cheaper cause their govt pays for everything medical there, so there are no insurance companies lobying to have more control over pricing... Imagine if you had NO insurance, the 'regular price before copay' would be even MORE expensive!!

[Kelsey1224]

Okay...health care costs are skyrocketing and it will only get worse. This is a national crisis! I work in employee benefits for a large company and our anticipated increase for medical coverage for the year 2004 is 150 million dollars! There is no way that any company is going to absorb those costs...part of it will be passed on to the employees which will mean higher co-pays and deductibles.

My company offers several plans from which the employee can choose. Those that are cheaper mean higher deductibles. I think most employees would be shocked if they knew what the actual premium was for their coverage. I know when people go on Cobra coverage, they are usually quite surprised!

I have to take several medications monthly. With my co-pay, it still costs almost $200 for month. Luckily we do have the "Tele-drug" program which allows us to get 90-days worth of meds for the cost of 60 days.

And...yes...the cost is per prescription. If your doctor prescribes only 10 pills...it will probably cost the same as if he prescribed 60 pills. So, if your doctor is only giving you 10 pills to start to see how you handle them, it will cost the same as if he gave you a month's prescription of 30 or 60 pills.

[schsa]

I just did a quick calc on my system and the price I came up with was $30 for 10 tablets. This would be a high end price. Your copay was for a brand drug and it will be $20 regardless of whether you get 10 or 30.

Anti-depressants are expensive. Any new drug or anything that doesn't have a generic is expensive. My copay's total over $110 for the drugs that I take. And that is a monthly expense. My Effexor runs $128 a month and that is the cheapest price I have found anywhere. Thank goodness I have a $17 copay or I couldn't afford to take all of the meds that I do. Retail would be well over $500.

[hotwheelstx]

I know somewhere here there's a bus that goes to Mexico for people to get their medicine's cheaper.

I'm on 5 meds. and the copay isn't really bad. $2.00 generic 20% non generic. There's only 3 meds that Aggie/I take that aren't generic. Those cost us about $100.00 a month.

Problem w/ssi, ssd, ss if you want the medicaid/medicare you have to pay for it. It's $50.00 a month. That's a big hunk your check. You'd think working so many years, becoming disabled (in the eyes of our government) they wouldn't have us pay for meds. that we NEED to be taking. Doesn't this come out of our checks every payday????

We go w/out hoping for the best outcome.

I'm thankful that Aggie's health ins. it's good. We don't have to pay that much for it. His ins. is paid thru employer and he only pays the premiums on me.

All and all still is a bad deal.............You're on a limited income you're classified by (statistics, gov't) standards as BELOWE poverty level. Then, try to get help and make to much money. Doesn't make any sense to me WHAT SO EVER. Then, why are we paying for benefits that we can't even afford???? :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Just an idea why doesn't anyone try and sue the ss program for makeing someone's health problem worse??? by not making enough money to pay for the meds. you need to be taking.................Seems like to me someone would stand up and do something. I think this happens a lot and there's NOTHING that can be done about it. I think it's atrocious to say the least.

Off my soapbox..................HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY ;) ;) ;) ;)

[schsa]

The saddest part is that medication is becoming the bigger part of treatment and insurance companies, in order to save employers money are going to start cutting the benefits for prescriptions. It wouldn't surprise me if it becomes very common for brands to go at $40 and generics at $20. What companies don't understand is that by doing this they are making people make a choice between their health care and eating or their electric bill.

I would not purchase meds of any sort from Mexico. There medications are not as strictly regulated as ours are so you really can't be sure what you are getting. Canada is however, and you can purchase drugs and have them mailed to you from Canada through many of the Canadian pharmacies. If I ever get to the point where I can no longer afford my drugs I will go to a Canadian pharmacy and have them filled there. It would be worth it.

[miccit]

They were just talking on the news here not too long ago that they have cracked down on getting meds in Canada. I know it used to be you had to see a doctor up there and then get a Rx from them. Now they said the older people who used to go up there aren't allowed to do it anymore. I am not sure why though.

I am just thankful that the kids have the insurance they do. We couldn't make it if they didn't. My dot has a broken leg, my two youngest have asthma, and my oldest has behavioural issues they think might be attributed to autism. I don't know how we would pay all the co-pays and still just live.

I know I worry about my Grandma and her meds. I know my uncle buys her meds for as a gift (he also buys her other stuff), and it is a big help to her. Her meds are so expensive.

[FireFox1973]

Yikes! When I went on Paxil, the gave me two weeks worth of samples starting at 12.5 mg and increasing to 25 mg just to make sure it would work before I filled the expensive scipt. I am lucky to have a perscription plan that will give a 90 day supple for the $20.00 copay.
My hubby is on procrit shots twice a week after having a kidney transplant. It is covered totally. Good thing, because a one month supply would cost $1836.00 w/o insurance! These drugs are highway robbery!!!

[mattsmom32]

miccit: autism issues really can be hard to treat. My 3 1/2 yo son is autistic, and we're still trying to get the right med combination for the best control of his symptoms and not drugging him up. It's not easy. Good luck to you. How old is your oldest?

[miccit]

Originally posted by mattsmom32
miccit: autism issues really can be hard to treat. My 3 1/2 yo son is autistic, and we're still trying to get the right med combination for the best control of his symptoms and not drugging him up. It's not easy. Good luck to you. How old is your oldest?

He is 11. They are thinking it is like PDD. He is in the fourth grade, but can read at a tenth or eleventh grade level, he does geometry and basic algebra. Heck, I think he may be smarter than I am!;) So, we are just waiting for all of his testing to be done to find out what is going on.

The main problems my son has is aggression and his social skills are way behind those of his friends.

[mattsmom32]

{{{miccit}}}

My son's major issues are speech and social issues as well. I'm SO thankful that he doesn't have the aggression. He didn't start talking until well after he was 3, and has major social anxiety. Possibly ADHD too. Wild little thing, but will give you a hug and kiss anytime of the day or night. :) Good luck

[miccit]

Originally posted by mattsmom32
{{{miccit}}}

My son's major issues are speech and social issues as well. I'm SO thankful that he doesn't have the aggression. He didn't start talking until well after he was 3, and has major social anxiety. Possibly ADHD too. Wild little thing, but will give you a hug and kiss anytime of the day or night. :) Good luck

My son has really bad social anxiety also. He is getting better as he gets older.

The aggression is what gets me. He has been hospitalized 6 times for hurting me and his sisters. He goes along really well for a long time and then he will snap and get violent. But, most of the time he is just a normal kid. He does not give hugs or kisses anymore. He hasn't in a long time. Of course, now that he is 11 he is all embarassed by old mom!;)

[1busymomma]

This is the reason I had to go off my meds. I was on OHP until they kicked me off as I made to much money (no problem, there are others more needy than myself) but then I went to go fill my prescrition and it was 105.00 a month!!! I could not afford one more bill so I went to dr and had her take me off it via samples. Everything is so expensive and I cringe whenever one of us gets sick let alone getting hurt or anything.

[ntgsmommy]

there is a program for people on medicare that the government has. my hubby only pays 1/2 price for his meds, and it is paid for by the government. presiden't prescription plan is what it is called i think...also if you qualify, the government will also pay yoyr decutible for your $50 month they take out of your check each month, but you have to be really low-income like none other than your ss check...at least that is the way it is here in Indiana--it may be different elsewhere---

[angelinwaiting]

I know how you feel too...We have to pay full price for our meds qand then our insurance reimburses us 80%, but still the cost of meds are so high...me and my hubby do without so we can buy our sons meds...my oldest son takes albuterol inhaler which is $40 and breathing treatments that cost $164 for one box and my youngest son takes Singulair which cost $85 for 30 pills:eek: but there are meds that they have to have so we scrimp and try to buy them:( :(

[miccit]

angelinwaiting and 1busymomma --- Are your kids not eligible for Healthy Options. I know you can make more and be eligible for this than any other DSHS program.

[1busymomma]

Miccit- my kids are on OHP I'm right on that fine line. I qualify for them, food stamps etc...but I make to much to qualify for myself being on OHP which stinks. :(