Raise in cost of zytiga or just a misprint

[Cynthgob]

I looked up the price for zytiga on med D last week and it was 10,000$ and my co pay was 500$ . Today it says $20000!! Copay 1000$!!! Do you think they could possibly raise it that much or did someone screw up???

[Cynthgob]

And no donut hole?

[Hidden]

I would think Zytiga will be going down in price shortly to compete with the generics. Just a guess though and I just bought this months supply. It was the same 10,000 that I pay 504.00 on Medicare/blue cross 65 plan. Not sure who controls the cost blue crost or Medicare

[Cynthgob in reply to Hidden]

Sounds like my plan!

[Mkeman in reply to Hidden]

I get a refill next week. Will see. Under Medicare Part D the maximum out of pocket through all levels to get to catastrophic for next year is $5100. After that, all drugs have a 5% co-pay. I take this to mean the first refill of the year will cost me $5100...

[Hidden in reply to Mkeman]

Before you fill the script ask about the generic cost. With mine they wouldn’t price the generic because I’d filled the Zytiga. Said they can price it the 18 th of December. Just interested what it is they have in stock and the cost. They had it at that time.

[Mkeman in reply to Hidden]

If it is Yonsa the price I saw was $9000 a month. When generic for Crestor came out it was just slightly less costly. Pharmacist said it takes two or three generics to bring price down.

[Hidden in reply to Mkeman]

That’s not the name I was given but I was dealing with someone who takes the order and credit card number. Let me know if you find out before I do the 18 th. Better be a bunch less.

[Mkeman in reply to Hidden]

I’m going to med center next Monday and will ask what they know... According to Drugs.com two other companies have generics approved but they are worried that if Johnson and Johnson gets recent patent decision reversed they might have to pull their generics off of the market. Bernie Sanders said today that new House meets in January he will introduce drug price bills of some sort. We will see.

[charlesmeyers1964 in reply to Mkeman]

sorry guys but for zytiga there is no plan for generics for this plan. there was word thre was and i checked out. if u lived where the camels live yes but in the us none,nope.

[Hidden]

I’m also on tier 2 level of bluecross part d. Going to tier 3 in this open period because I don’t know what’s coming. 20 extra a month. Couple of cheeseburgers a month cost that might pay for itself. Another guess.

[Cynthgob in reply to Hidden]

Tier 3? I just feed in the drugs and it picks a rx d

[Hidden in reply to Cynthgob]

With blue cross there is three part d plans. Each has different drugs. Zytiga is the same price for either tier but it’s the drugs I don’t know about that’s coming that has me stepping up to tier 3. I’m just starting this lifestyle so without knowledge you cover your tail best you can. Many people on this site know more than the insurance company.

[Cynthgob in reply to Hidden]

All I do know is that last week it was 10000$ base price and now 20000$

[Hidden in reply to Cynthgob]

Ease your mind and call them direct. I doubt the price of the drug went up but copay is in the insurance company control if you are too young for medicare

[Cynthgob in reply to Hidden]

I did call the drug company and they don’t give out pricing

[Hidden in reply to Cynthgob]

I was talking about the actual pharmacy you buy it from.

[treetown]

I guess I'll hold off on retirement a little longer...$20.00 copay is hard to give up.

[Hidden in reply to treetown]

For sure

[Shooter1 in reply to treetown]

Had to work extra 18 mo. to keep low copay plan at work. Sucks but the system is rigged even when over 65. Retired at 68, and now have VA low copay as a disabled vet.

[Hidden in reply to Shooter1]

You earned the better rate. Hopefully the va will get you everything you need. No more extra years of work.

[Cynthgob]

I’m hoping it’s a misprint

[Mkeman]

On “Goodrx.com” it is showing that a generic version is now available at Walmart and a number of name pharmacies starting at $834 per 30 tablets. If true, this is about 1/3 the cost of brand name Zytiga.

[Kjmj in reply to Mkeman]

that's for 250 mg tabs-no option on goodrx for other dosage strength- been watching this since my Hubby is due to start in jan, but I think our MO said he will be on 1000mg- so x four that's still about $2500 - and our insurance in Jan 19 will be the same for the 1000mg

[Mkeman in reply to Kjmj]

4 tablets a day is normal dose. So if Goodrx is right that would be about $3300 a month. That is 1/3 the cost of brand name Zytiga. The maximum Part D out of pocket is $5100 in 2019. After that you would pay 5% or about $165 a month. When more generics come out the price should come down even more. This drug was developed 20 years ago in the UK and can’t be that costly to produce. It’s a another case of Big Pharma making big bucks on the backs of the sick and dying. Now Congress is considering giving insurers the right to dictate the drugs you will be able to take for six different disease categories including cancer. Call your Congressmen!

[Cynthgob in reply to Mkeman]

So max out of pocket is 5100$?

[charlesmeyers1964]

i've been lucky until this year i had never had any problems obtaining zytiga. this year in may the foundation ran out of options ,which meant i had no more zytiga for now. so i went without. oh i got the lupron shot which helps but to me its not the same. true lupron reduces ones testosterone and that helps to reduce ones psa but the zytiga also helps as will. luckily for me i got another another year but i won't find out until the first of jan 2019 when the largest amount of funding goes for the deductible. as for the cost, remember there are 2 places which controls the cost 1. pharmacies, and 2. the mfg, its to bad that all of us couldn't afford to go on strike and not take the zytiga for 6 months. guest the cost of stocks to the investors would drop that they would have to reduce the cost of it and make it affordable for all. sadly its all about the money not our lives.

charlie

[Godschild62]

Can you try and purchase in Canada? It's about $5500 CAD. Which means with the exchange rate it's probably about $3850 USD.

[Godschild62]

canadadrugsdirect.com/produ...

You can call them and see if they accept US prescriptions.

[Cynthgob in reply to Godschild62]

I called my pharmacy and the cost is 12000$ . I pay a percentage of the retail. I don’t know where the government site got 20000$

[DSEE]

You could possibly be in the Medicare gap or donut hole.

We have that happen also.

Call Medicare and ask.

Our copay was 500 until we went in the gap with Medicare where it increased to 2700.

Thankful we were taken off Zytiga.

[larry_dammit]

My dad is on social security and was just diagnosed at age 87. We researched Zytega and found out that they have a program for people that can’t pay for there drugs. We managed to get him his drugs for free. Lots of paper work but when the income is 20 % of the cost. It works for him 🙏🙏🙏

[j-o-h-n in reply to larry_dammit]

God Bless your DAD @ 87. I thought that watchful waiting was the norm for anyone who was over 75 when diagnosed. He was Born during the bid D.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 12/04/2018 5:52 PM EST

[Balinica]

My husband just started Zytiga and the out of pocket expense for us was $1,700.00. When the Pharmacist told me our share of the cost I was shocked. Without insurance the cost would have been $14,000.00. Since we won't be able to sustain this monthly out of pocket expense for long, we are going to ask our Oncologist today if the new generic for Zytiga would be as effective. We are also changing insurance companies.

[EZgoi]

We are on Kaiser / Medicare and for the last three years our copay in January was $2800 for Zytiga but for the rest of the year it was only $14.00 monthly. Went in and out of donut hole in one felt swoop as Kaiser gives you credit for their discounted price with mfr against your copay...good deal!! Just recently switched to Xtandi when Zytiga failed after 3 1/2 years so not sure about January 2019 copay but heard it is more like $3400 then back to $12 or $14 month. Will repost after January refill about cost. Also, no side effects on Zytiga...horrible side effects with Xtandi. Just an FYI.

[Shooter1 in reply to EZgoi]

Xtandi side effects made me an invalid until I cut way back on dosage. Now on 90 mg/day. Three pills one day then 2 pills for 3 days. Quality of life really does matter.

[EZgoi in reply to Shooter1]

Hubby has gone to 2 pills per day and doing MUCH better!!

[Shooter1 in reply to EZgoi]

Several of us here have had to cut back on dosage acct. excess toxicity. My last visit to my urologist when I explained what I had done, his answer was an honest " I didn't know it could do all that" Have to educate our drs. some times. .

[monte1111 in reply to EZgoi]

Be sure to look into Kaiser Medical Assistance Plan when you both retire. I have Kaiser Senior Advantage and since my only income is social security I qualify and I pay $0 for drugs and treatments, etc. Northern Californian plan doesn't care about assets - only income. Guess you may already know all this. I spent a thousand dollars I didn't need to before I applied. Took 2 weeks for approval. They make their money from the medicare part so if you got cancer you are in like flint.

[EZgoi in reply to monte1111]

Unfortunately, even though hubby and I only have SS, Kaiser indicated we are "over the income limit" to qualify for assistance...Bummer!!

[GoBucks]

For those NOT on Medicare you can go to the Janssen website for help. janssenprescriptionassistan...

If you have private insurance you can sign up for a card and your copay is $10. There are no questions asked about income.

[gusgold]

If you are willing to do the paperwork all the drug companies will pay the co-pay if you have drug insurance or part D....myself … I threw out all my drugs and just take BIRM aka Gator Blood like Nalakrats said to do...now my Doc says I have 3 months to live...thanks Dr. Nalakrats...I wish I would have seen the picture below of Dr. Nalakrats before I took this action

iroon.com/irtn/assets/anony...

[j-o-h-n in reply to gusgold]

Picture taken when he found out he had to learn how to swim when he joined the Coast Guard.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 12/04/2018 5:56 PM EST

[Daddyishealing in reply to gusgold]

Gus, dont gove up. Can you try studies? You have been one of the men I look up to on this site. Dont give up now. Doctors are not diets. Please dont give up now, my friend

[Dhenzkie]

There are Generic version of Zytiga in India only $200-300 but i dont know how effective it is.

[Drcrunch]

Take one tablet with low fat meal (cereal and skim milk.). Results will be the same. See video by dr mark ratain, m.d. expert on zytiga

[Daddyishealing in reply to Drcrunch]

The same as whY. Did I miss something on the thread?

[Drcrunch in reply to Daddyishealing]

Same as taken no four tablets

[Daddyishealing]

Does anyone know w as us to get grant or kidney towards copays because my dad just went on. It is 12000 in nj pharmacy.

[Mkeman in reply to Daddyishealing]

Call 877-720-4947.....that is Johnson and Johnson Patient Assistance number.

[Poscan4]

I take Zytiga. Last month my co- pay eas $500.00. I see my Oncologist the 6th of this month. That's when my prescription is filled. Will let you know when I get it filled.