Crazy cost of drugs in USA

[Nugger]

Cost of Eliquis in USA for one months supply, that’s 370 pounds for my English friends, think I’ll stick with Natokinase

[jeanjeannie50]

That's a crazy price isn't it! My sister lives near Dallas Texas and tells me the same thing, but fortunately has good insurance. Drug companies these days have just become greedier and greedier. The more money they get, the more they want!

[Nugger in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hi Jean, just had a really nice conversation with a young cardiologist.Got up yesterday & went into afib, been ok since my last cardioversion 3 years ago this month, so I took 100mg flec,5 mg bisop & 5 mg eliquis at 9am

Then another 100mg flec at 10

Then another 100mg flec at 11

Then another 5 mg bisop at 12

Nothing happened until 10.30 pm & finally I went back into sinus, this is the first time I’ve had the drugs to be able to put myself back into sinus & am over the moon.

Saw the cardiologist this morning & he told me, next time take all the flecanide at one time lol

[Camille777]

I live in Dallas, Texas & I pay $9.20 for a 90 day supply of Eliquis. But I have insurance. However, I believe Eliquis has a program where they will help with the cost. Here's a website link. eliquis.bmscustomerconnect....

[Nugger in reply to Camille777]

Many thanks, I just got on the program, had to send in proof of income ect, sending me out my first 90 day supply tomorrow, free of charge!

[Camille777 in reply to Nugger]

Awesome!

[Nugger in reply to Camille777]

$511 x 3 Free thanks to you

Color photo

[Camille777 in reply to Nugger]

That's awesome & the retail price is crazy.

[Hidden]

That sounds a horrid episode of AF. And the cost of Apixaban is burdensome- I am on it lifelong and can’t imagine paying so much. Sounds like you are not able to get insurance? Will you be covered when you are elderly? Good luck!

[Nugger in reply to Hidden]

Actually just got my Medicare card last month, costs us over $300 a month to cover what Medicare doesn’t but doesn’t cover drugs, that’s another premium to pay & then there’s still a co pay, I’m British, so takes some swallowing lol

[djmnet in reply to Nugger]

You've been oversold on your coverage then. I have zero premium Medicare Advantage plan for 10 years (through United Healthcare) and my out pocket has never been more than $300 - $500 in any year. It also has a $3800 maximum out of pocket in any given year which is approximately equal to your $300/month premium. You may want to revisit your coverage next year.

[Nugger in reply to djmnet]

Will look into that, think wife said you can only see certain doctors that are in the plan ? You have to get permission who you go see ?

[djmnet in reply to Nugger]

Most doctors are in-network with United Healthcare and Blue Cross (both offer Medicare Advantage plans, along with other carriers such as Humana). I still have the same doctors I had before I became eligible for Medicare 10+ years ago; when I needed a cardiologist for my afib, my primary care doc referred me to someone in-network. Not a problem at all. And you can check to see if your current docs are in-network before you decide to make any changes.

[djmnet in reply to Nugger]

And a $3,800 maximum out of pocket annually is what sold me.

[Nugger in reply to djmnet]

Many thanks, will check it out

[Jjda in reply to Nugger]

I have United Healthcare for my Part D Medicare. I pay a premium of$46/mo and my Elsie is$125 for a90 day supply. Shop around, the costs are all over there place. It's a full time job to navigate the healthcare system

[etheral]

I have Medicare and supplementary insurance. Between Eliquis, Tikosyn, Entresto, and several other less expensive drugs, I still pay close to

$10,000 yearly.

[Colllie]

As a Brit who gets his meds & treatment for free from our National Health Service, I'm shocked to hear of the staggering costs in the US. ....Not that we can be smug about our good fortune because our appalling government is trying, by stealth, to move towards the US model of health provision. Sadly, too few Brits are aware of what is happening in this respect.

[Thomas45 in reply to Colllie]

No politics please. Let us make our own minds up about what our government is doing.

This is a Health discussion board, not a political discussion board.

[rosyG in reply to Thomas45]

True but this is relevant Thomas if we don’t want similarbills for our prescriptions

I’ve had several letters offering health check ups and scans to be paid for and our surgery has passed on our details. We do have to be watchful

[Thomas45 in reply to rosyG]

Not relevant at all. No politics on a health forum. I could reply but that would only perpetuate a political discussion on a health forum.

[Thomas45 in reply to rosyG]

I didn't mean to love your post

[rosyG in reply to Thomas45]

A strange way of ‘not replying’ Thomas. Good job I’m not sensitive!

[beach_bum]

I have many relatives in the USA. All have different drug plans depending on state and employer and income. It gets pretty confusing for us Canucks, but for them, it seems perfectly normal. The flaw becomes glaring upon retirement... according to them. EG...my sister was self employed her entire career. Now she is retired she can't afford the $1,250 monthly premium for her SVT and arthritis meds, so she has to pay out of pocket. Her husband is in the same boat. He has afib, and was on Eliquis, but now on warfarin. They explained how and why, but I can get my head around it..."pre existing, co-pays, multi tiered drug plans".... 😱

[belindalore in reply to beach_bum]

Yes. It's insane. Many people fall between the cracks here in the USA because they can't afford to pay for insurance or can't afford the best insurance. Medicare for the elderly is a joke. The healthcare system is not great. The insurance companies and big pharma rule over healthcare here. They are the ones who decide what the patient needs nowadays. Not the Drs. It's frustrating for the patients. Profit over patients. Disgusting.

[Thomas45 in reply to beach_bum]

I'd rather be on Warfarin, it's tried and tested and I have my own INR meter.

[beach_bum in reply to Thomas45]

All that counts is that you are happy with it 🙂

[Finvola]

That's scary Nugger - there must be massive profit gouging by drug companies in the US. I think the cost of a month's supply of Apixaban here in the UK is about £90 but by we are covered by our NHS for which I have nothing but praise.

I agree with Colllie that the danger of privatisation by stealth along the lines of the US model is something which should concern every UK citizen.

[Thomas45 in reply to Finvola]

Please no politics. If you want to discuss politics try Facebook or Twitter. This is a health forum.

[djmnet]

But our insurance (Medicare) pays the bulk of it. My co-pay is $47 a month.

[Nugger in reply to djmnet]

You must be paying for part D?

[djmnet in reply to Nugger]

Yes; due to late enrollment (I didn't sign up when first eligible), I pay $19 a month for Part D.

[Janith]

Yes but it’s well worth it!

[seasicksurf]

Nug, I too was prescribed Eliquis (in US) and was shocked at the price ($500 US per month). I did some checking around and was informed through my hospital admin department and then again through my cardiologist's office that they had "manufacturer discount cards" available. I was able to get a manufacturers introductory information brochure that included two discount cards. One for 90 days FREE, and the other for a copay of $10 per month. I presented the 90 days free card at my local pharmacy and there were no problems. Look around, ask your doctor--or even call up Eliquis customer connect (google it). These "promotional" offers are out there.

[Nugger in reply to seasicksurf]

Wow, will check, thanks

[Nugger in reply to seasicksurf]

Just applying for free Eliquis through there site, you have to send in you tax return, to be less than $52,000 for a couple & have your doctor fill out a form, we shall see what happens

[seasicksurf in reply to Nugger]

Ask your doctor for an Eliquis introductory pack with the discount cards while you wait. Like I mentioned, both the hospital and the cardiologist had them

[JSmith1]

US Federal employee with BCBS, and my copay for 90 day supply of Eliquis is $270. Better than $1500, but still ridiculously high. And because of my insurance, I am not eligible for manufacturer discount programs.