Seniors on Medicare & Co Pays for RX

L

Lon

Well-known Member
Location
Central California
My Oncologist told me he would like to start me on a new wonderful performing but very expensive pill. It's not chemo, It's called a Kinase Inhibitor used very successfully with different types of Lymphoma. I have never had to pay more than $25 for any of my co-pays. These newly prescribed pills would be a $1,400.00 month co pay. YES You read right. $1,400.00. My Onc wants a copy of my 2016 tax return and a copy of all my RX drugs and co-pays to see if he can apply for a discount. I would not be taking this med for month after month but it's still pricy for how ever many months I would be taking it.
Am I shocked??? OH Yeah!!! My Part D under Medicare is with Aetna and I sent them a email enquiring about how they would treat this.
 

Lon, most (not sure all)have programs to help with the meds (either free or steeply discounted). Google the name of the drug company and do some digging and see if the offer a patient assistance program, more than likely the forms will be online too. Good luck!
 

I get so angry when I see the cost of some medications. Where I live in Philadelphia they have a program called PACE which helps people pay for medication if they qualify for the plan. I'm not sure what they check, probably income but I know a neighbor of mine had it and most of her medications didn't cost more than $3.00. Maybe your State has a program like this one.
 
Trade said:
Me too. It's nothing but plain old extortion.
Click to expand...

What pissed me off was when I had a couple of basic 'scripts filled when I didn't have drug coverage and discovered there was a conspiracy to increase the cost by a factor of x3 to x5 for cash customers at my local pharmacies. Generic drugs I had gotten for ~$20 without drug insurance a few years earlier were now $100+ at Kroger's and $60+ at Walmart. When I got part D and filled that same generic drug, Humana's paper work indicated they paid $18 for it. Something is bad wrong with that scenario.
 
I to am in the prescription delima. I take Humira Inj. Every 2 weeks, they cost 1600.00 a shot!, I receive assistance from Humira, my income has to meet there limit, otherwise my co-pay would be 4900.00 per calendar year. I want to still work but am forced to find cash jobs or not work because of this, this just is not right,there is no priscription ins. Worth shit. It's a trap that I am sure a lot of us are in. I'm only 67 , I have back trouble to , but can still work a part time job, didn't want to have to retire at 65 full time.
 
In Canada each of our provinces has its own policies for pharmaceuticals though it most ways we are all similar. They do have plans where low income seniors are covered, and individuals on social assistance get drugs either free or for a small fee. It is kind of a patched up plan because most of us pay more for drugs than other countries. For high cost medications we can apply to Trillium Drug Benefits, but you have to prove you need this medication. This can be a very frustrating, long drawn out process. Most Canadians used to think we had this great system, but most of us don't feel that way anymore. In Canada there just doesn't seem to be enough of a consistent approach.
 
Prescription drug prices are getting ridiculous...and driving the nations health care costs through the roof. Some of the more expensive compounds can run as high as $80,000 a month. The cost of these drugs is a primary reason why Medicare will face severe problems within the next decade.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/10/americas-10-most-expensive-prescription-drugs.html

IMO, the FIRST place to start when trying to reduce the price of drugs would be to BAN all TV advertising. These drug companies spend billions on their "Ask your Doctor" ads...the cost of which is added to the price a patient has to pay for their drugs. Only the US and New Zealand allow this Propaganda to be broadcasted.
 
Lon said:
My Oncologist told me he would like to start me on a new wonderful performing but very expensive pill. It's not chemo, It's called a Kinase Inhibitor used very successfully with different types of Lymphoma. I have never had to pay more than $25 for any of my co-pays. These newly prescribed pills would be a $1,400.00 month co pay. YES You read right. $1,400.00. My Onc wants a copy of my 2016 tax return and a copy of all my RX drugs and co-pays to see if he can apply for a discount. I would not be taking this med for month after month but it's still pricy for how ever many months I would be taking it.
Am I shocked??? OH Yeah!!! My Part D under Medicare is with Aetna and I sent them a email enquiring about how they would treat this.
Click to expand...

Maybe you should check with the V.A. and see what they can offer.


Also, I would not be handing over my tax information to anyone other than the IRS, for any reason.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top