Prescription prices..

[Mackey Mouse]

I just had to share this.. Has anyone noticed the prices of their prescriptions going up??? I take Actonel to help with bone loss.....I went to have it filled.... you take a pill a week..... so for 4 pills it was going to cost me $40.......I said no way.. I went to the health food store and will take Calcium/magnesium with vitamin D... enough is enough.. Who is getting all this money???I am assuming the drug companies... I will pay the $40 for Prilosec for reflux disease as the alternative is not pretty....but 4 pills for $40... I don't think so... I just wondered if anyone else was experiencing these increases... We have good medical coverage.. I do not get it..

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have a co-pay for prescriptions with our insurance, but they have increased the co-pay to $20. I think the drug company lobbiests definately have the ear and the pocket book of the legislators!

 

[Marla Hellwig]

My dad's last two prescriptions were 1,300.00 a month - these were 4 pills a night, and 1,800.00 - which was 4 shots a month - lucky they had the prescription insurance in their retirement program - their co pay was 25.00 for each prescription - but with his shots - the insurance company would ONLY PAY FOR 4 shots a month - so the months that has 5 weeks - he had to skip a week

 

[WillyJ]

I agree Marsha; $40 for 4 pills like that does sound waaay over the line. .

And Marla, that is just outrageous!!! I understand drug companies invest a lot of money in developing drugs but to price them so high that sick people have to go without is just wrong. .

I tend to agree with Diane; considering the same companies sell the same drugs cheaper in other countries, I have to believe someone is getting paid off some where. .

 

[Beanie]

Having a daughter on Prilosec, I can very well relate to this, not to mention all her Asthma meds as well...We have a co pay also that was $15 and just went up to $25!! I do agree with Willy and Diane though, someone, somewhere has a hand in it...

 

[minniecarousel]

This is exactly why I use mail-order to Canada for my mother's medications.

 

[Tiggeroo]

there was a report on our local news station about one major pharmacy chain, I can't remember the name, but would know it if I heard it, (not CVS or Eckerd), that was 50%less then all of the others. They were showing the enormous mark-up of the pharmacies.

 

[BethR]

You can shop around if you pay out of pocket. But if you have a prescription plan, you may have to use a particular chain.
And even if you can choose where you shop, your plan sets the price that you pay.
ie: If I buy my lysinoprol - it will be the same price whether I buy it at CVS, Rite Aid, Eckerd, or Wal-Mart. The only way that I can save is by going to mail-order for maintainence drugs.
Our plan pays 80% of the price that IT tells the drug store to charge. We pay 20% - IF the drug is in its formulary.

 

[Brisully]

Marsha - I also take Actonel. I get them through the 3 month program with my insurance, but the first time I had to get them through my pharmacy. It was $30 for 4 pills. When I asked the pharmacist how much it costs without insurance, she told me they were $75 EACH!!!

I'll gladly pay the $30 for a three month supply now.

 

[Patrick IL.]

We have a prescription co-pay currently of $5 on my policy and $10 on hers. We have to accept the generic option or it goes up to $15 co-pay. We have yet to run into something prescribed that was not covered but OMG some of the prices you folks are mentioning YIKES

 

[RitaZ.]

Our co-pay is $20 for national brands. DH went to pick up his asthma medication last week and was charged $40 for the inhaler. He figured it was the larger inhaler, but it wasn't. When he asked why it was so much, the pharmacist told him that the prescription his doctor called in was for the inhaler that is CFC-free. He always pays $20 for the regular one, if it's generic it costs less.

When I asked the pharmacist how much it costs without insurance, she told me they were $75 EACH!!!

That's absolutely insane!!!!

 

[glo]

I have the $5 co-pay here too, but if it is a brand name, then it can be upto $15 depending. It really stinks. Did you se that many of the chain drug stores will not be charging the new tax though. I guess that is a little better. I do not hink I would pay $40 for 4 pills either. I hope what you are taking does the trick though.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

Thanks for the info Brian... I will look into that.. but the Prilosec is the only thing that is working for me right now for the reflux disease... (maybe I should have the surgery and cost the insurance company more money)...and there is no generic according to the doctor.. but according to the pharmacist there is... and if we take the generic... who gets the extra money... is there a kickback to the pharmacy... I do not understand... Never mind is my doctor getting a kickback from the drug company for putting me on Actonel or Prilosec..

This is big business here...and unfortunately who is getting the screws put to them.. it is not the insurance companies and it is not the doctors... yup.. you got it, it is the patients who need that medication to live a normal life.. OK, well I am going to choke down two enormous calcium/magnesium tablets... It is matter of principle now..

 

[luvwinnie]

I wouldn't stop using that if you need it...calcium won't protect you as well, according to my dr. I take it because I'm on prednisone.