Community Chat

[Witchy Woman]

I use Lantus on one of my cats and 5 pens were $400+ and the cost of needles. 

It will last for a long time, but I'm sure by the time I have to repurchase it is going to be a lot more than that.

I checked on ordering it from Canada and the one place I deal with doesn't carry it.  I'm going to check around.

[Puzzle Piece]

When will the Robberies stop! 

[hckynut]

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@chiclets wrote:

It is difficult for people to afford some medications and some individuals can not afford the medicines and just do not take it. It seems as though when there is an increase in people needing medications the pharmaceutical companies increase the price. Doctors prescribe and when you tell them the insurance company will not pay for it, or even if the insurance company will pay for it and you still can not afford it, the doctor shrugs. There are some who will try to help by writing a letter for people. Pharmaceutical greed is happening more often.

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@chiclets

What exactly is "the doctor", suppose to do about Pharmaceutical prices?

hckynut(john)

[chiclets]

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@hckynut wrote:

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@chiclets wrote:

It is difficult for people to afford some medications and some individuals can not afford the medicines and just do not take it. It seems as though when there is an increase in people needing medications the pharmaceutical companies increase the price. Doctors prescribe and when you tell them the insurance company will not pay for it, or even if the insurance company will pay for it and you still can not afford it, the doctor shrugs. There are some who will try to help by writing a letter for people. Pharmaceutical greed is happening more often.

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@chiclets

What exactly is "the doctor", suppose to do about Pharmaceutical prices?

hckynut(john)

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My son was told to take a certain drug. It was not one his insurance would pay for. The doctor got in touch with the insurance company and notified the maker of the drug, hence, he now gets the medication at a cost he can afford. Yes, it rarely happens but that was what I was referring to when I mention some would help, meaning the doctor, and not the prices. I was not clear on the matter, but thankful for the doctor.

[Mary Bailey]

I have used Restatsis on and off since it came out.  This time it is $430 per month after insurance. 

The first few times I used it, it was in the $100something per month.

I will do without it. 

[Moonchilde]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@traveler

Are there generics for these drugs?  

I guess one of the most important features of health insurance in 2016 is to have an excellent prescription drug plan!

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I can't speak about insulin. As far as type 2 diabetes drugs, some have generics and some don't. Diabetes medications, both oral and non-insulin injectable, have been coming fast and furious for the past 15 years. So many are so new that there is no generic, and they are high-priced "just because."

Many if not most of the newer diabetes medications have potentially very serious (as in fatal) side effects that both drug companies and doctors just gloss over. In addition to that, it's often proven by studies that the newer drugs don't give any better results than older, cheaper medications with few/no side effects, or even results as good as.

In many cases it's this last reason that leads to insurance dropping high-priced medications that patients are actually being the test subjects for. Free clinical trials on the insurance companies' dime. [Said somewhat facetiously, as more drugs are now being taken *off* the market after first being approved by the FDA because the FDA doesn't actuallt protect us any more. They just rubber-stamp approve and then "oops" later when people die of kidney/pancreatic cancer, kidney failure or heart attack.]

[Moonchilde]

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@Perkup wrote:

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@traveler

Are there generics for these drugs?  

I guess one of the most important features of health insurance in 2016 is to have an excellent prescription drug plan!

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I take Prandin, a disbetic drug.  It's always been rather expensive, so I was delighted when I heard that there was a generic.  Checked on it with my pharmacists, and found that the generic was exactly the same price as the original medication.  Big deal!!

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I paid through those nose for Prandin when it had no generic. It's had a generic for quite a few years now. It's considered Tier 2 in my Medicare RX supplement but my co-pay is still $10 or less.

[Moonchilde]

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@hckynut wrote:

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@chiclets wrote:

It is difficult for people to afford some medications and some individuals can not afford the medicines and just do not take it. It seems as though when there is an increase in people needing medications the pharmaceutical companies increase the price. Doctors prescribe and when you tell them the insurance company will not pay for it, or even if the insurance company will pay for it and you still can not afford it, the doctor shrugs. There are some who will try to help by writing a letter for people. Pharmaceutical greed is happening more often.

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@chiclets

What exactly is "the doctor", suppose to do about Pharmaceutical prices?

hckynut(john)

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As a physician, "the doctor" has the ability to prescribe a generic if one exists, or an alternate drug.  I always mention I want this up front with the doctor - people need to be proactive - but most people just take that piece of paper without question.

But many doctors are lazy or more invested in their friendly drug rep than they should be, and don't even think about or consider cost for their patients - which is pretty elitist and uninformed IMO. 

[Gracies Mom]

It becomes a ridiculous cycle--no one wins. If a patient cannot afford a prescribed drug and therefore doesn't buy it--the patient gets sicker or a chronic ilnness exeracerbates--then the patient ends up hospitalized---so the insurance company ends up having to pay a huge hospital bill--it doesn't make sense. People would buy and take their prescribed drugs if they are affordable--and hospitalizations would be less--hence less money the insurance companies would have to pay. Makes perfect sense to me. Our government should look into why the drug companies have become so greedy--and do somerthing about helping the citizens of this country. I find this trend of continous increases in medication alarming!!!!

[bonnielu]

It is not going to get any better.  I  am on a borderline and my weight loss seems to have helped me stay under. I did fill one prescription and lucky me I HAD A COUPON so I thought I would use it... NOT.  Using the copay I only was charged $25.  If I used the coupon the bill would have been $345.  I kid you not.  So far my insurance company is working for me.  I would not want to bet on tomorrow. IF THEY CAN GET IT, THEY WILL.