Wellness

[PinkyPetunia]

There are other options: ask your Mom's doc if they have samples of the med to give her.

Check the med's website to see if there are any discount coupons. I once found a discount online for a med that cost $50 with my copay. The discount brought it down to $25.

Check the price at other pharmacies.

Last gasp: see which drugs are inexpensive at the pharmacy and ask the doc if any of these might be substituted.

Good luck, this is so frustrating.

[DoneTryin]

Yes, that's frustrating & infuriating. I think I'd start shopping around your area for better pricing, and/or check with her dr. to see if you can get an equivalent med from a different company at a better price.

Neither condoning nor criticizing pharma's charges to us, but some of what we pay for meds goes towards research. Think about it: those costs have to be covered somehow & we'd all be screaming bloody murder if our govt was footing the bill. Research is time-consuming & extremely expensive, but it's the only way to find some solutions to our health problems.

[terrier3]

On 2/6/2015 VCamp2748 said:

Yes, that's frustrating & infuriating. I think I'd start shopping around your area for better pricing, and/or check with her dr. to see if you can get an equivalent med from a different company at a better price.

Neither condoning nor criticizing pharma's charges to us, but some of what we pay for meds goes towards research. Think about it: those costs have to be covered somehow & we'd all be screaming bloody murder if our govt was footing the bill. Research is time-consuming & extremely expensive, but it's the only way to find some solutions to our health problems.

It's true that research costs money...but the Feds subsidize a LOT of research done by Big Pharma directly and indirectly (by refusing to allow Medicare to bargain for better prices).

[Cookie06]

It is so sad that low income and older citizens cannot afford to take the medications that they need to survive. They set the low income level so low to get help with the costs, that it leaves out middle Americans that are just barely making it as it is. The part D medication black hole is so ridiculous. Alot of people hit that by June of each year and their prescription costs go through the roof. Yes something needs to be done.

[terrier3]

On 2/6/2015 Cookie06 said:

It is so sad that low income and older citizens cannot afford to take the medications that they need to survive. They set the low income level so low to get help with the costs, that it leaves out middle Americans that are just barely making it as it is. The part D medication black hole is so ridiculous. Alot of people hit that by June of each year and their prescription costs go through the roof. Yes something needs to be done.

The donut hole is disappearing (part of ACA improvements).

[DoneTryin]

On 2/6/2015 terrier3 said:

On 2/6/2015 VCamp2748 said:

Yes, that's frustrating & infuriating. I think I'd start shopping around your area for better pricing, and/or check with her dr. to see if you can get an equivalent med from a different company at a better price.

Neither condoning nor criticizing pharma's charges to us, but some of what we pay for meds goes towards research. Think about it: those costs have to be covered somehow & we'd all be screaming bloody murder if our govt was footing the bill. Research is time-consuming & extremely expensive, but it's the only way to find some solutions to our health problems.

It's true that research costs money...but the Feds subsidize a LOT of research done by Big Pharma directly and indirectly (by refusing to allow Medicare to bargain for better prices).

Yup, & big pharma also has some financial need based programs to provide meds at low or no cost to those who qualify. That, too, is worth researching for anyone who's really feeling strapped by the costs of their meds. It's really scary these days that some people are either not taking their full dosages, or not taking their meds at all, because they can't afford them. As I'm now closer to age 70 than 60, I sometimes worry about what might happen if I have to decide between paying for meds or buying sufficient food to live on. Bottom line is that it all stinks. It's too late now to help people my age & older, but hopefully the younger generations will be able to come up with some solid solutions to the health care problems we have in this country today.

[Helen Bach]

this just happened to me too. I refused it, and stopped taking the meds on the spot. There was no generic option and I refuse to have to decide between food or medicine. Yes, "they" say don't stop taking meds. But between premiums, doctors, meds.....I decided to get off the whole merry-go-round. There's no way for me to make it work. I exercise/move as much as I can and eat clean and raw. When I die, it will just be sooner and that is how the USA medical system works now.

[CouponQueen]

I heard on the news the other Doxycycline and Albuterol both which were very cheap have jumped outrageous in price.

[CouponQueen]

On 2/6/2015 terrier3 said:

On 2/6/2015 lucylover64 said:

On 2/6/2015 depglass said:

Our entire health care industry needs to be overhauled.

Yes it does......it is indeed a huge train wreck. Gardenman--am so sorry your mother is experiencing this ridiculous situation. Thanks for posting on a very important issue.

If Part D legislation included the ability to negotiate prices...we wouldn't be in this situation.

This was PRIOR to ACA...it was baked into Part D - the benefit that came with NO funding source.

Terrier now you know nobody wants to hear that..they want to blame ACA..no matter WHAT!

[aprilskies]

On 2/6/2015 depglass said:

Our entire health care industry needs to be overhauled.

I totally agree. I think they forget there are real people at the end of that rope that need the medication and can't afford the outrageous costs. These pharmaceuticals make billions, they can alleviate the cost if they wanted to.