My melanoma nightmare update.

[fightforfreedom]

5 treatments left to go. Last treatment will be in early May. I had to take the treatments for a year, once every 3 weeks. The first six months went by quickly. Now it it is really starting to drag out. I am so ready to be done with them. The side effects are getting old, tired of dealing with them.

So far everything looks good, no sign of any melanoma.

On a surprising note, during my last visit with my oncologist I learned he did not know how much my treatments cost. I had to tell him each treatment costs $25,000. If you wonder why our premiums are so high, now you know. Drug companies do amazing things, but they hammer us with their prices.

[murielm99]

1. I am glad you are doing well,

despite the costs and side effects. I hope this continues for you.

[ratchiweenie]

2. 6 months of every 3 weeks is a long regimen. Hang in there. And yes, the cost is

outrageous the you're worth it.

[MLAA]

3. So glad the end is in sight for you!

[CentralMass]

4. Sorry that you have to deal with this but glad to hear that the

treatments are going well. The cost of rhe treatment is staggering. I hope that it becomes a thing in past for you.

[mvd]

5. Glad to hear the good update

Hope you continue cancer free and that the treatments go quickly. I know how bad the costs can get with cancer treatments. Definitely a flawed system we have.

[Elessar Zappa]

6. Not too far to go.

Glad you’re doing well and hang in there!

[niyad]

7. So glad that treatment is going well. Holding you in light and love.

[Rebl2]

8. Yes I feel

a lot of doctors don’t know the price of drugs unless you tell them. I do know one of my doctors knows about Medicare advantage and told me not to get that if at all possible. She said it would not pay for some of my more expensive drugs.

[DownriverDem]

9. I have BCBS of Michigan Medicare Advantage PPO

and it does pay for drugs including an expensive one.

[area51]

10. I wish you continued good health.

Regarding the high cost of meds: US Tax Dollars Funded Every New Pharmaceutical in the Last Decade

[tiredtoo]

11. Drug companies do not create cures, they create customers. EOM

[mountain grammy]

12. Hoping for continued progress.. so glad you're doing well.

[pandr32]

13. You are on the last legs of the treatment.

You've got this!
Don't feel guilty about the cost of treatment, either, but never forget, and hopefully one day all of us will change our prescription costs and our healthcare.

[Scrivener7]

14. Good to hear there are no signs of melanoma. May will be here soon!

Hang in there.

[Ms. Toad]

15. Yay for positive updates!

And no, unless the doctor or the family member has been through treatment with the miracle drugs they are oblivious to prices.

Another fun note: Insurance companies are "best" at giving you discounts for your drug treatments. If you have a decent insurance plan, you probably don't pay more than a couple hundred for each treatment - a fraction of what the drug companies (and hospitals, assuming an infusion) charge.

In contrast - you probably pay 75% - 90% of the negotiated cost for most standard drugs.

I didn't realize this until we entered the Medicare range and I ran a price comparison out past the donut hole.

The cheapest drugs are actually more expensive beyond the donut hole. The most expensive drugs (list price) are actually far cheaper beyon the donut hole (and occasionally in it).

We typically buy about 2/3 of our prescription meds through Costco at member price, without insurance. Insurance has typically negotiated a higher price for the low to mid-price drugs and barely discounts them. The Costco member price is often less expensive. For example, my spouse just had cataract surgery. The Medicare Part D price through Aetna SilverScript was $35+; the Costco member price was $28. For other drugs the difference is even more stark. The price for Potassium Citrate through Medicare Part D ranges from about $144 to about $1407 for a 3 month supply. The Costco member price is $245. My spouse's plan price is $434, so we buy it through Costco for $245 (her plan is overall cheaper - it would be nice to be able to pick from all Medicare plans a la carte).

I wish I'd done checking earlier - we save about $1000 a year by buying a large portion of our meds through Costco - and I'm sure the same would have been true under my employee plan as well. (GoodRx and a few others have prices similar to Costco - but I'm willing to lose a few dollars to stick with two pharmacies. It's hard enough telling doctors which pharmacy to use, and even more complex when we get a new prescription and have to tell doctors we don't know where we will be buying it until we price check. Good Rx would get us the cheapest price, but checking every single prescription every time we buy meds is more hassle than it's worth from my perspective.