Holy puddles of poop Batman! Hows this for a prescription drug price?

[1-Old-Man]

My days of spending 3 days out of every 3 weeks in the hospital while being administered chemotherapy are now over, I've hit my lifetime limit on the magic juice they were putting in me. Now my Doctor is moving me to another medication, a tablet taken orally will be in my future.

So as the Doctor was telling me a bit about this new drug I said that some department of the hospital would be contacting my insurance carriers for the OK to use this stuff and to see how much of the cost they would be paying. It was pretty clear to me that the stuff cost as much as a moon-shot, and I asked the Doctor is that was the case. He affirmed that they were very expensive but that he didn't know the exact cost. We'd see.

So I looked it up on line, which is how they must be purchased anyway because pharmacies do not carry the things, I was told. The first set of prices I found were in pounds sterling and for dosages I did not understand, then I hit on a price for them from 2010. Back then they cost $54.96 each. I will have to take four of them per day, or 120 per month, for a monthly cost of $6,595. This is for one pill. Never mind the daily cost of the anti-nausia and pain medications, or any of the myriad of other drugs I take on an as needed basis, this is just one pill that will have to take for the rest of my life.

I've got very good insurance and I expect they will cover every dime of the cost, but how in all of hell is someone will lessor coverage and living on Social Security (as my wife and I do) could possibly do it? The cost of this one pill alone is roughly three times the combined monthly Social Security benefit that my wife and I receive.

[Cleita]

1. Just go look up the income statements on the financials

for Big Pharma companies and you will see why. Also, only Americans are getting fleeced. Other countries get the pills for far less. In other words it's big profits for Wall Street and our Congress and White House refuses to go in and clean house there. I haven't really looked at what the ACA is doing about it, but I hope there is provisions for reining in these runaway costs.

[RainDog]

2. People don't seek out the medical care they need

that's how they do it.

that's how the current system is killing Americans - and a lot of those are women.

that's how little this govt cares about the people who live here. Especially women.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Healthcare is a RIGHT! NOT a PRIVILEGE!

This fucking country is DISEASED when it come to that salient fact.

I'm one of those douchebags that HAS a good plan via my employment. BUT, I live next door to someone who is experiencing the opposite. He's in Stage 4 renal failure. On Medicaid. As he slips away, hospice might not be an option beause he's on Medicaid.

What have we (the USA) become?????

[Smilo]

4. I admit I have had to resort to going to Indian pharmacies

for some drugs - now though these pharmacies have cottoned on to what is happening and their prices have risen astronomically.

I wish you the best 1-Old-Man and hope that you do get your insurance to cover all your costs.

[Thinkingabout]

5. The same prescription purchased in the US is $60 and purchased in ither countries is $5.

The cost of US health care is $7800, we are twice as much as other countries. Don't think for a moment they have to stand in lines to get healthcare, that is what the opponents of AFA wants you to believe. International health insurance policies holders are being advised to get their healthcare in countries other than the USA. When money goes to pay big salaries of their executive officers it is not going towards paying for your healthcare.

[Suich]

6. Check this place out:

http://www.canadapharmacyonline.com/

I spend $1,000 a year there, compared to the $6,780 it would cost me here, for 2 different inhalers.

Insane.

[grilled onions]

7. I Wish You The Best

I also admire you to have concern for others even when you have enough on your own plate.
Sadly most have to ignore the new meds,ration doses or seek out any kind of substitute even if it's from less then reliable sources. Most are just struggling with the mundane side of life--rent or mortgage,food,utilities. They can't even grasp paying for doctor visits,meds, never the less more chronic health problems that require daily treatments for life. We should not have a country of people needing help but never getting it. You see those shiny buildings that house the pharma companies. It's obvious they never spare any expense to keep their image pristine.
They never see all those who struggle. That is the real sickness.

[William769]

8. Sorry you are going through this.

Yes prescriptions can get costly.

I have been living with AIDS since 2005 (once diagnosed with AIDS even though you eventually make it to just being HIV-positive, you are still considered as having AIDS).

for 2013 for prescriptions only the total bill was $36,000.00 my insurance paid $32,000.00 of that.

I do wish you the best of luck and am glad you are not having to take chemo anymore.

[Auntie Bush]

9. I'm so sorry 1-O-M

My husband took a drug like that...Sutent & Nexavar. It sometimes cost 6-8K per mo. Our prescription drug plan wouldn't pay. He went to the head state VA and did a lot of begging. They finally agreed to pay. He only took it a month and stopped. Couldn't take the side effects.
His cancer had spread so badly by the time he was able to obtain the Sutent (about 3 months) he was really beyond help and didn't want to ruin what time he had left. He passed over a couple months later. I think he made a good & courageous decision.

It's always a good idea to weigh the quality of life to the side effects...if you get the opportunity. I don't mean to be a downer...but those drugs need careful research.
I wish you the very best on what ever decision you take. Please keep us informed as to how you are doing. Bless you.