This back to school supply is going to cut into my Disney budget...Epi Pen Increase

[Mofang]

Are you sure? We are in Canada, my DH had to get a prescription for his epi pen. Mind you, we never thought to ask for it OTC (actually from behind the counter). Partly because we have good insurance for prescriptions and if we went OTC, it would bypass our insurance and cost more, then we would have to submit the paperwork for coverage to get a refund. So, not worth it. The price has risen significantly in the past couple of years here too. When he got a prescription that expired too soon, my husband opened the packages before paying so he could see the expiry date, and if the expiry date was too close, he made the pharmacy give him something with a better expiry date!

Yes, I'm 100% positive this is the policy (at least in BC) unless things have changed in the last two months. Of course, if you had insurance coverage, you would want to go that route - but Canadian pharmacies will dispense an epipen without a prescription of any kind.

 

[JenB1104]

Yup, we need three for my son (one for school, one for our house and one for his grandparents), if we haven't met our deductible for the year we pay $250/each (if I recall, it might have been more). It is INSANE. He also needs budesidone which is a daily inhaled med for asthma and that cost us $300 for a month supply last time.

On a related note, yesturday was the last day of daycare for my son before he starts kindergarten and the daycare center COULD NOT FIND his epi-pen. My husband was livid (he picked the kids up). I am angry as well, what would have happened in an emergency? They make them stay locked up in the office and then can't FIND it??? Waiting to call this morning

That's scary. I hope they find it so you don't have to replace it.

 

[JenB1104]

This has been in the news recently, how the prices have gone up dramatically in the past 8-10 years. Lawmakers are supposedly getting involved but who knows where that will go and how quickly. Is that standard, that insurance/prescription plans do not cover them? Maybe if it was covered by insurance then at least the insurers would be helping to try and pressure the manufacturers to keep the costs down.

They are covered but if you have a plan where you have to meet a deductible first you are paying out of pocket. That would be nice if the insurance companies put some pressure on Mylan.

 

[JenB1104]

Sadly, this is the reason I have not been able to keep mine up to date. Luckily the allergies that I need an Epi Pen for are easy to avoid (specific antibiotics) but it is scary to know that I don't have it in case of an emergency. However, at this price there is no way I can afford it as I live paycheck to paycheck and am barely making enough to survive now.

Sorry to hear that. A life saving medication should not be out of reach for those who may need it.

 

[Canooknic]

Yes, I'm 100% positive this is the policy (at least in BC) unless things have changed in the last two months. Of course, if you had insurance coverage, you would want to go that route - but Canadian pharmacies will dispense an epipen without a prescription of any kind.

I'm pretty sure it's the same in AB. My nephew needed on a couple of months ago and I'm sure it was nowhere near as expensive as others are posting - he would have been moaning about it if it was!!

 

[JenB1104]

I just checked GoodRx and $614 is the lowest for it in my area. The last one I got filled for ds was around $450 and back in March. It expires 4/2017. I am kicking myself for not getting the refill as soon as I was able because now its costing me way more.
I understand the need for the medication but my ds has never ever had to use it. He is older and knows how to avoid his allergen. I hate that I spend all that money for something that ends up getting thrown out. I wish you could "refill" the injector with new meds at a discounted price if they aren't used.

This issue has been in the news lately. I do hope it ends up being listed as a preventative in the very near future.

I agree. I have expired epi pens I need to throw out - more than I know what to do with.

 

[LadyD]

I have been following this on food allergy groups (I'm a celiac and my sibling has a deadly dairy allergy). It seems like a lot of people are finding that coupons and discounts don't work because of the high deductible plans everyone is stuck with. I often can't just take generic medication as it might have gluten in it (commonly used as a binder) but I am at the mercy of my health insurance and sometimes you can't even contact the company that makes the generic to find out. Just 2-3 years ago I could always get the name brand but now my insurance refuses to cover any of those. Forget about trying to pay for medication w/o your insurance, the last time this happened they had already filled my prescription so they were saying they could get me the cost of the one I wanted to pay out of pocket but I would need a new script from my doctor as they had "used" the one I just got. It was antibiotics so my health couldn't afford to wait 48 hours to sort it all out. My doctor had also called in for the name brand knowing it was safe for me to take but the insurance company gets the last say in what is covered, so even with a legitimate medical reason to have the name brand insurance had ever right to refuse it which is crazy.

It really is terrible as our healthcare system is taking away from the quality of life for many rather than adding to it. For me this has become the number one issue when choosing politicians as this is starting to cost me so much as I get older and have routine health issues that need to be treated. I am really scared about what will happen if no one takes control. I think the one good thing is with many people now having deductibles to meet they see how overpriced everything is and are questioning the system. I mean if your insurance was willing to cover the epipen cost with a small co-pay most of us wouldn't think twice about it, but when its out of pocket you start to notice the dramatic increase in these things.

The healthcare system is nuts. I am too in a situation where I unable to take most generics and I am forced to use the brand name medications. Thankfully, I'm only on one medication right now that I need to take continually, but it is SO expensive for a month supply, and because it is brand name, my insurance only chips in a measly $10 toward the medication. Now my medication is far from life saving, but I remember 10 years ago the brand name cost 1/5 the amount it does now. The price increase is absolutely insane. At least I'm lucky since it is a tablet I can ask for double strength what I need and cut the tablet in half. Surprisingly, doubling the strength does not double the cost of the medication. It is a $15 difference between the same number of tablets at the two different potencies.

It is completely abhorrent that they are creating a system where only those who can afford to pay are essentially worth saving, especially with something like epinephrine which is so cheap. I cannot believe anything has changed in the delivery mechanism in the last 10 years to account for such a dramatic price hike other than corporate greed. I hope some policy is put in place sooner rather than later to stop this level of greed so families can access this potentially lifesaving medication without taking a substantial hit financially.

 

[starry_solo]

In CA at least, Costco and Sams will dispense prescriptions to non-members. A pharmacist told me that's because they also take Medi-Cal and so are required to do so

 

[wendow]

I cannot believe anything has changed in the delivery mechanism in the last 10 years to account for such a dramatic price hike other than corporate greed.

We have been buying 2-4 Epipens a year for 15 years. Other than my dd moving from the junior to the adult, nothing at all has changed. The pens look almost identical, other than maybe some plastic changing colors. Our co-pay used to be $40 for a 2-pack, now a 2-pack is almost $500 and that is with our insurance helping a teeny bit. Yet we pay more for healthcare than we ever have. I agree with you. It is pure corporate greed.

 

[LadyD]

We have been buying 2-4 Epipens a year for 15 years. Other than my dd moving from the junior to the adult, nothing at all has changed. The pens look almost identical, other than maybe some plastic changing colors. Our co-pay used to be $40 for a 2-pack, now a 2-pack is almost $500 and that is with our insurance helping a teeny bit. Yet we pay more for healthcare than we ever have. I agree with you. It is pure corporate greed.

The usual media line given for such a price hike is increased costs support the development of other drugs. However, as someone previously mentioned, I have a VERY hard time buying that line when your CEO and other executives receive massive salary increases. It is very evident where all those lifesaving profits are going. As a human, how can those people even live with themselves knowing their business practices and greed could very well lead to people dying because they can no longer afford a doctor prescribed medication??

 

[bcwife76]

Are you sure? We are in Canada, my DH had to get a prescription for his epi pen. Mind you, we never thought to ask for it OTC (actually from behind the counter). Partly because we have good insurance for prescriptions and if we went OTC, it would bypass our insurance and cost more, then we would have to submit the paperwork for coverage to get a refund. So, not worth it. The price has risen significantly in the past couple of years here too. When he got a prescription that expired too soon, my husband opened the packages before paying so he could see the expiry date, and if the expiry date was too close, he made the pharmacy give him something with a better expiry date!

I don't know anything about Epi Pens (so excuse me if my post is not correct) but I found this online: https://www.canadadrugs.com/products/epipen/0-3mg It quotes $205/CDN per pen.

 

[wendow]

I don't know anything about Epi Pens (so excuse me if my post is not correct) but I found this online: https://www.canadadrugs.com/products/epipen/0-3mg It quotes $205/CDN per pen.

It shows in USD for me at about $112 per pen. While that would still be a lot more than we used to pay, it would certainly be much less than we currently pay. I had looked into ordering them from Canada at one point but was a little nervous to do so.

 

[JenB1104]

I don't know anything about Epi Pens (so excuse me if my post is not correct) but I found this online: https://www.canadadrugs.com/products/epipen/0-3mg It quotes $205/CDN per pen.

Those prices are much better. I wonder how things are regulated if you buy through this type of venue?

 

[wendow]

Those prices are much better. I wonder how things are regulated if you buy through this type of venue?

I was worried about it getting stuck in customs. Years ago, I needed a med that the FDA had not approved so I ordered from Canada for the 4 mos I took it. The site I ordered from always said the med could get tied up in customs (or confiscated) and it would not be their fault. The med was only like $10 for a 30-day supply though so I wasn't terribly worried about that happening. I'd be more concerned about that happening with the Epipens. Wonder if that is still a problem?

 

[starry_solo]

Deleted due to duplicate info

 

[barkley]

I am in no way defending what I perceive to be outrageous and horrific increases in prices for these life saving items, but I have to wonder/take into consideration-

despite the basic 'cost' (components) of producing this item being relatively low-is a contributing factor to the increased cost due to greater numbers of people (esp. kids) being diagnosed w/allergies/prescribed these meds? (and due to our ever increasing litigious society-resulting in increased liability insurance for the manufacturers).

along the same line-is the decreased shelf-life ('use by date') b/c manufacturers (and their insurers) are overly paranoid about litigation?


this comes to my mind b/c in the late 80's I was prescribed the most phenomenal and effective migraine medication I've ever had before or since. anyone I ever encountered who prescribed it or personally used it found it to be life altering. sadly it only took a small number of individuals who did not benefit from the medication to launch costly litigation that initially drove the cost up-and ultimately resulted in it's discontinuance in being produced.

 

[LadyD]

I am in no way defending what I perceive to be outrageous and horrific increases in prices for these life saving items, but I have to wonder/take into consideration-

despite the basic 'cost' (components) of producing this item being relatively low-is a contributing factor to the increased cost due to greater numbers of people (esp. kids) being diagnosed w/allergies/prescribed these meds? (and due to our ever increasing litigious society-resulting in increased liability insurance for the manufacturers).

along the same line-is the decreased shelf-life ('use by date') b/c manufacturers (and their insurers) are overly paranoid about litigation?


this comes to my mind b/c in the late 80's I was prescribed the most phenomenal and effective migraine medication I've ever had before or since. anyone I ever encountered who prescribed it or personally used it found it to be life altering. sadly it only took a small number of individuals who did not benefit from the medication to launch costly litigation that initially drove the cost up-and ultimately resulted in it's discontinuance in being produced.

The company that essentially has the monopoly on the EpiPen is the one who lobbied to make EpiPens more widely available based on possible risk rather than known allergy issue and also poured money into getting the government to give states grants to stock schools with EpiPens. Any significant increased demand for the product is a direct result of the company trying to get the population to buy as much of their product as possible and put money back into their company. That being said, the medication and components are so cheap to manufacture compared to the sell price, and not overly complicated to manufacture, increased demand likely has less to do with the scale of the dramatic price increase than sheer greed because they basically hold a monopoly due to the patent over the delivery device for the medication.

 

[LoriKutchey]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...eases-masked-until-deductibles-rose/89123786/

 

[elphaba91]

Wow...those prices are absolutely unbelievable! At the pharmacy my mum works at here in Australia a 2 pack is $200 AUD (about $150 USD) for non-residents. It seems absurd that there is such a difference in price!

Of course, Australian residents are then very lucky that it is covered under the pharmaceutical benefits scheme so we only pay $37.30 (or $5.20 with a health care card or pension).

 

[WVMomof3]

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/con...elves-raises-they-hiked-epipen-prices-n636591

This is big news in my town, as Mylan is here. I find it disgusting that the execs have done this.