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just too expensive
Posted Thursday, October 4, 2007, at 6:25 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link
I went to a pharmacy today....a place that i visit quite frequently because i have irreversible lung damage sustained from a job i worked for many years. I was in a outside line already ticked off because i was going to have shell out over $100.00 to pick up some medicine that amounts to a 15 day supply....over in the next line i heard a lady scream out $285.00!!! I really felt bad for her because she had to drive off....she just couldn't afford the medicine. How can medicines cost so much? I mean medicines for my lungs i thought were ridiculously high..but man if i had to pay that much.... it better be a life long cure...after i take that bottle i'm cured for life!! I know its not like that. Does anybody know how these pharmaceutical companies arrive at these prices for there drugs. Even with insurance some of the medications if they are not generic are super high. I think its rather odd that some of these same medications over in Canada are bought at half of the price they are being sold for in the United States.
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Hot topics new things to do(111 ~ 12:18 AM, Nov 14)
just too expensive
exploitation of workers
never thought i would see the day
just apologize
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Yeah, I kinda know what you mean. My mom's RX's would run over $300/month, IF she could afford them. She has a progressive neuroligical disorder, and yet is repeatedly denied disability. She was denied state healthcare when TNcare was cut back. No employer will hire her because of her disorder (Multiple Sclerosis) because she cannot stand for 8 hours at a time.
My only thoughts as to "why" RX's are so expensive? Either they try to make the cost so high to try to keep them off the streets (and that's not working very well, is it?) or it's just good old-fashioned American greed, lol!
The Canadian dollar is now equivalent to the American dollar, so why aren't prices of products from each country equivalent as well? It boggles the mind, hmm?
Medicine is extremely high.. we have found some drug stores are actually more expensive than others. My daughter has high blood pressure and the meds she was taking was costing her almost $100.00 a month. I did a little on line shopping and found out at CostCo she could get the same meds for a third of the price. Problem was the nearest CostCo was in Brentwood. The doctor wrote her a 3 month prescription and now she pays about the same price for a 3 month supply as she did one month at a local store.
here is the link for costco you can search the name of your meds and it will tell you the cost at CostCo
It worth a try away..and you do not have to be a member of Costco to use their pharmacy just tell them at the door you are going to the pharmacy.
You get the same discount for drugs as members do
http://www.costco.com/Pharmacy/frameset....
Thanks for the link, Diana. I was looking for the RX's my mom needs, just to get prices... and I don't get it. Only one of her RX's is in their database. I wonder if other pharmacies keep her RX's in stock, or if they have to order it elsewhere.
Every med they have may not be on their on line list they won't ship all meds give them a call and ask about the meds you need they are very nice people down there
one more thing craftin_mom have you tried to get her on CoverTN since it came into effect. It seems more people are actually able to get on that insurance than TnCare. If she has no income she would probably get it free.
I don't know if they've applied for CoverTN or not. My dad is employed, but no insurance is offered. I'll check into CoverTN, and see if they're eligible if they're not already covered. Thanks for the tips!
Everyday ailments that can be treated with an older drug aren't that expensive.
Their medicines are in the public domain.
The rarer and harder-to-fix problems might require 'orphan drugs' that pharmeceutical companies have less incentive to create in the first place.
The years spent developing and getting approval for these meds give their creators a short time to be the exclusive source for these treatments.
After that,the tiny population helped by the drugs is divided up between the originators and all the other companies willing to sell the drugs AFTER someone else has done the work and taken the lion's share of the risks.
Insurers aren't as interested in supporting rare,high end prescriptions so that cuts into profits further.
Doctors have to really push to get permission for patients to get the right drugs rather than a cheaper,less effective medicine.
All that keeps prescription prices high.
Other countries might underwrite these costs more than we do here.
Other nations can also be exploited by unscrupulous criminals who sell adulterated,counterfeit or out-of-date drugs at cut-rate prices.
There needs to be a better solution because the people fighting a number of chronic,severe maladies are the very people least likely to have the funds to support the treatment they need to survive.
What happens when the patients don't get what they need to hold a job,care for their families,function independently or even keep on living?
The costs of hospitalization,institutionalization and preventable deaths are even higher than the price paid to have some relief from pain and disability.
Socialized medicine has been touted as the cure for this problem but no fix will work unless it is implemented with compassion,efficiency,intelligence and responsibility.
thanks also Dianatn i will definitely call that number in the morning, betweem me and my wife we spend on average $300.00 a month on medicines. If i can get any kind of reduction in that cost it would be a blessing!! you know the bad thing is medicines are increasing in price yearly. the same medicines i bought last year have jumped in price.
I don't know where you worked but if the work environment or conditions at your job caused your disabilty, then you should not be paying for the medicine to treat it, the employer should. Of course, I do not know your whole story and it could be that you are in that process already. Did you file for worker's compensation on this issue in a timely manner?
Check with Human Services (Vocational Rehabilitation,etc.).
There are programs around just to help people hold jobs or just plain exist better with their physical problems.
People need to demand their rights -even if it means playing one 'opponent' off another.
If one bunch claims an individual is 'unemployable' or 'uninsurable',let them tell that to the government agencies.
If the government says that a person is able-bodied and doesn't need therapy, assistance devices,medical equipment,prescriptions,support personnel,training,monies or other help, let them demonstrate how the person is going to manage without that help.
Most people have too much pride to take more than they deserve.
They would welcome a little aid in maximising their health and being able to lead a somewhat normal life.
When there doesn't seem to be anyone ready to meet them halfway,then they become more crippled by lost hope than by poor health.
Maybe people could get put in touch with government agencies,businesses or other folks who could help them out.
A law,product or service doesn't do much good if people aren't informed about it.
A bit of 'orientation' could help people learn about accommodation in the workplace,caregiver relief,support groups,omsbudspersons,prescription med programs run by the makers of those drugs and any other programs that could make their lives more comfortable.
Knowledge and the sense that they aren't helpless and alone can be the best medicine people can have.
appreciate the sir concern Rebel but at this time i better not talk to much about the particulars.....i will say that there were good people at this company....alot of these people in management positions i was quite fond of...but at the end of the day some of them in my opinion put there integrity aside and sided with the company. I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to diagnosis the fact that if you work in and around chlorine for many years, that it would in the worst case scenario exacerbate any situation.
I understand. Good luck. It is way too often that companies get away with affecting the long term health of employees because they have more resources to fight with than the affected person. Stay with it. It will be a long fight, but worth the struggle if you can prove them accountable.
welllll... was Costco able to save any of you guys any money on your meds?
HAHA, thank god I don't take meds...
hello dianatn...Costco did actually save me money on 2 of my breathing medications and their was a bonus it will save me money on 2 of my wife's medications as well...i'm eternally grateful...i probably would have never learned of this pharmacy....i don't think i will be able to argue with you in these blogs anymore, because you have put money back in my pocket ...thank you!!
I am so glad it helped you eugene? Wish I knew of some magic cure for you now, I would surely pass that along as well..
I never really saw us as arguing it was mostly a difference of opinions. I never had hard feelings toward you I sure hope you never had any towards me either.
What are boring world this would be if we all had the same thoughts and looked alike..
i totally agree dianatn...again thank you very much