The cost of Prescription Drugs....ouch!

[Leota]

The sicker you are the more your drugs cost.....
Between Max & I, our prescription cost without insurance is roughly $8,000.00. When Max was getting an IV med, once a month - that cost was roughly $13,000.00.....
Over $3,000.00 a month just for Zofran for Max to keep the other meds down.
Anyone with Chronic/Fatal health conditions will have bills that look like this - It's disgusting that the drug companies can get away with it - Raping the sick & the elderly - great example of capitalism gone horribly wrong.......

 

[chell]

My husband does not have health insurance. For me to carry it on him it would cost over $500 each month. That would be way too much of my check! Luckily he has found a wonderful doctor who gives him all the samples she can of his most expensive medication. That helps us so much. Currently he is on 5 and 3 of those cost over $100 per month. Occasionally she does not have samples and we have to buy them, but I am not complaining. At least she does help us out.

Last month he finally found a job with health insurance, which has not kicked in yet. But he has to quit by the end of this month since we will be moving away. I just hope he can find a job in the new area with health insurance. He is still going to keep this doctor even though it is a two-hour drive. She is a good doctor. She is the first one that has ever successfully lowered his blood pressure!

 

[MeanLaureen]

Sometimes the insurance doesn't help though

I have AOSD and the only pain killer that has been somewhat effective for me is Bextra 20mg 3 times a day. (even this only takes the edge off the pain, it doesn't kill it) This would cost close to $250 a month. Unfortunately it is NOT covered by BC/BS or just about any other insurance plan My doctor is fighting the insurance company over it for me. It's really the only painkiller of that type that I can take because of a blood disorder I have that keeps me from taking anything with ibuprophen or aspirin in it.

My dr gave me as many samples as he could get from the drug company rep and I just take them when I absolutely have to. Otherwise I just do without

 

[Eeyore2U]

I knows for a fact that a major carrier in Ma wires 10s of million of dollars to their pharmacy benefits manger twice a week.

You want to know why insurance is so high? To to the drug companies.

 

[minniecarousel]

I order my Mom's most expensive drugs from Canada. Much cheaper thatn even Costco. (Believe me, I have thoroughly researched costs from every angle!) Many people don't realize that Medicare does not pay for prescriptions. Her supplemental insurance will cover generics with a $10 co-pay. Are they kidding! Some of her generics are less than $10!! It's very tough for Senior Citizens out there.

 

[kylara]

For my medication I have to pay a $40.00 co-pay rather than the usual $25.00, but even then, I am saving almost $300.00 a month. And many insurance companies do not cover my medicine. I am so glad my HMO does even with a higher co-pay.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

I work for an HMO (which are required to be non-profit in Minnesota) and I'd love to bring all of you along with me to my work site meetings when all the employees are looking at me like their premium increase is going into MY pocket!

 

[Towncrier]

Would anyone be willing to entertain the idea that the high cost of prescriptions can be partially blamed on frivilous lawsuits? I know that the drug companies are not completely blameless, but I think that you have to consider the possibility that they are covering their backsides due to the increasing number of nuisance lawsuits brought against them. And it's not just the drug companies that are the target of these lawsuits. The wife of one of my co-workers is a physician. Her malpractice insurance policy for 2003 will cost her twice as much as she paid for the same coverage in 2002.

Do I like paying as much as I do for prescriptions? Of course I don't. But I don't blame the medical industry for higher costs as much as I blame our legal system. Until we have some reform in that area, I don't see much hope for lower prescription drug prices.