Carbadopa price increase? .33 cents to $8 a pill?

[backtowork]

just received my 90 day supply of carb/ levo 25/100 and questioned $2500+ for the script last batch was $99 was told by my pharmacy it is a price increase anybody else have a price increase?

[MBAnderson]

Using a GoodRx coupon at Walmart 90 pills, 25/100 pills are $9

[MBAnderson]

From $400/year to $10,000/year X 60,000 PWP = lots $$. Enough to make any big Pharma exec proud.

[sharoncrayn in reply to MBAnderson]

9.00 for 90 pills(25/100s) = 10 cents a pill (Walmart retail)

assuming 3 pills/day = 30 day supply

12 months x 9.00 = $108 USD annual cost

6 pills a day = $216 annual cost

4th grade math

[MBAnderson in reply to sharoncrayn]

Assumptions, assumptions.

You could have assumed 5 pills a day and had me in 3rd grade, (which, by the way, I was in the top half of my 3rd grade class,) but if we increase his dose to 3 and cut the price increase by the same proportion, my point stands, doesn't it -- but it was worth it for me to hear from you again.

[sharoncrayn in reply to MBAnderson]

My CTs are back on track. I just don't have the time anymore or the inclination. I did a quick scan of HU yesterday for the 1st time in some time.

Your point doesn't stand. 10 cents a pill Walmart retail is not robbery. It is a bargain. Where price quotes by Renee Arnold in her 2017 study of $80,000 for C/L over 5 years came from is beyond me. Same goes for your estimates of annual prices of $10,000. No such costs for annual C/L drug therapy. None.

Hope your FUS experiment is working out.

Sharon

[MBAnderson in reply to sharoncrayn]

What are CTs?

[Hidden in reply to MBAnderson]

Clinical Trials are Sharon's day job

[sharoncrayn in reply to Hidden]

thanks. LOL

[MBAnderson in reply to sharoncrayn]

Sharon,

I'm glad to see you back, so I hate to raise the same concern I raised before re one of your critiques, but did you read backtowork's original statement?

If so, and I know you're busy, but please answer the following 2 questions.

Back to work said he/she got a bill for $2500 for 90 day supply, didn't he/she? (I am just responding to what he/she said.) If he/she is paying $2500 for 90 day supply, isn't that $10,000 per year??

He/she then goes on to say the previous batch which refers to the previous 90 day supply was $99 and isn't that $400/year??

Is 4 times $2500 = $10,000 and is 4 times $99 pretty close to $400?

marc

[sharoncrayn in reply to MBAnderson]

Your problem in believing his egregious mistake (which he later retracted). I am doing my best to be diplomatic . It's tough, but I am trying. I don't practice much, (patience is not a virtue of mine) so forgive me.

Sharon

[MBAnderson in reply to sharoncrayn]

I forgive you.

[backtowork in reply to sharoncrayn]

that is why I am questioning almost $2500 for my last script, when they have been charging my insurance co $100 for the last 10 yrs

[sharoncrayn in reply to backtowork]

Clerical errors are common. People in those clerical jobs are human. Ask for a review. If you are on Medicaid or Medicare, it is quite easy to do this. Private insurance should be similar. Per pill, C/L should cost you pennies. NO more than a dime per pill. They are a bargain.

Your situation reminds of a NYC physician who wrote an op-ed letter in the NY Times about his $14,367 charge for a RT-PCR covid test. All he had to do was call the hospital billing office to correct it. It was obviously an error. Most covid-19 tests in the US are free to anyone or a maximum of $100 at urgent care centers or private, for profit hospitals.

Mistakes happen.

Sharon

[ParlePark]

Mine has not. If in us try GoodRx. Very reasonable just as Marc said. I g have local pharmacies even cheaper but not by much.

[Nitro53]

My copay is $5.00 for 270 pills. Not bragging just grateful for my insurance 🙏

[LAJ12345]

its free here

[Cleo16 in reply to LAJ12345]

No it's not there is a$5

charge and then the 2 x repeats are free. There is a fee for the doctor to write the script as well.

[LAJ12345 in reply to Cleo16]

Oh true, well almost free

[JohnPepper]

When a company has a monopoly, it can charge anything they like. Take it or leave it!

Isn't there some form of investigation about this?

[WinnieThePoo in reply to JohnPepper]

Nobody has a monopoly on generic C/L

[Hidden in reply to WinnieThePoo]

Efficiently investigated

[backtowork in reply to JohnPepper]

I am in the process now would rather have the difference ($2400} in my pocket

[Parkie-]

Hello backtowork,

In what country are you located?

[backtowork in reply to Parkie-]

USA

[MarionP]

Sounds like a typical corporate approach to automatic billing and accounts. the approach involves the following philosophy: "We value your money more than you value your own money. We want to have your money more than you want to have your own money. Therefore, we are entitled to take it from you, and thus challenge you to prove that you actually do value your money, i.e., challenge you to prove that we are wrong we are wrong to believe that we are entitled to take your money, and as much money as we can possibly squeeze from you.

See, we here at XYZ know that money is valuable, therefor3 it is quite important to be in the proper hands. It is subject therefore to efforts by people who would compete for it, and that effort is what determines true ownership, not nominal ownership of "your" money or "my" money, but "THE" money. You compete for it by prevailing against us and and keeping us from succeeding in taking it from your pocket. If we can caused this to happen automatically, we will also compete for your money by stealing it from you, or convincing you to hand it over because we just asked, or because you let us take it out of your money account or credit account...as much as we feel we can get away with ( which depends on you) and thereby discover by proof whether you were bothered to notice or care. If you do actually value your money, you will then prove how you feel about your money by actions.

We do this with a thousand people and usually only 150 protest... Which makes such a gambit highly profitable. We have thus earned the difference, and have learned exactly how much money we can make off of this person, when we use this approach to take somebody's money, because some of those persons won't mind or care, or even know, and therefore it's legitimately ours to take from them. If that consumer doesn't try to get it back, and if they don't try to prevent us from doing that again, then we were right and the customer agrees with us that it's really our money to take from that customer . Thus, it's okay and fair with that customer and they are getting a good deal, because they are giving us something that they don't even value that much, for something in exchange that they do value that much. Thus, satisfaction is mutual and maximised. Everybody wins that way. That's only fair."

I would call that"usual and customary" for a company to do. For instance, Best Buy just tried to automatically do that to my card today, for something I had already purchased and paid for, by charging the debit card account number that they had on file.. Sounds like the way things actually are with some companies.

Were you saying you had a problem with that or were you just asking out of general curiosity?

[backtowork in reply to MarionP]

I am one of the victims what if this is happening to 1000 or 10000 or more? that is a lot extra $

[jujulini]

Congresswoman Katie Porter interogates CEO of drug company on price gouging, was on CNN today. Here is a link from youtube that is slightly longer.

youtube.com/watch?v=arduwbw...(Not working as expected?)

[MarionP in reply to jujulini]

For that kind of return, I could manage to suffer through a few minutes of questions too. In fact might even be some of the easiest few minutes I might spend all day. Chance to practice and brush up on my acting and brushing-off skills as well.

Afterwards, in the congresswoman's office:

Alles: So I assume that took care of getting you covered with your home voters, right?

Porter: Yes, thanks very much for that.

Alles: Sure. So now here's that check for your campaign and a few other tokens. By the way, with the broadcast, the share price came down to where you can get a really nice price before they go back up next week.

Porter: Thanks, excellent. I'll be sure to dump the puts and pick up some call options before trading ends. Oh, and we're still planning that "fact finding" trip to Barbados next month, right?"

Alles: Oh, you bet. You have a bungalow is for you and a companion.

Porter: Ahem. Please. "Staff assistant."

Alles: Oh, sorry, "assistant." How would I know anyway? It's business, so assuming your assistant of course, of course. See you next month.

[backtowork in reply to jujulini]

More needed like Katie..she is a hero to me

[camper1]

Anyone can use good RX, it’s a free plan, google it, put in your location and the medication you need, they will tell you which pharmacy in your location is the cheapest. You can print out the coupon and bring it to the pharmacy with your prescription. Good Rx will send you a card to show the pharmacy if that’s easier. Some of my meds are much cheaper with good Rx than with my insurance.

[skinnibean]

Good Grief, having to pay for meds is outrageous, in my country they are free of charge. Glad I dont live in the USA.

[MarionP in reply to skinnibean]

What is your country?

Can we all move there and maybe have a good living off saving the price of our meds? Or maybe see if our doctor can import yours? Possibly good money in becoming a "medication tourist" to your vacation spots and "muling" meds back home for discreet customers? Customs dogs would probably not even look for them.

Or perhaps you'd like to do the same, just come see our lovely vacation spots and drop some off with a few of us to finance your vacation trips? You might even make enough to buy a nice vacation home here.

[backtowork in reply to skinnibean]

I am proud to be in the USA..but there are a few kinks to work out in our administration

[pdpatient]

Hi backtowork, please check if your pill.bottle says "Sinemet" or if it says "Carbidopa/Levodopa". That would explain the massive difference. Further, did you have a change in financial circumstances or lose your insurance? As far as recent memory goes, EpiPen was the only culprit that I know of that had a huge increase overnight. Do you know the pharmacist well? Which State are you in? Most States have protection against patients being given a medication swap as in substitution of the generic version with the brand name version which can be significant. That appears to be the case in your situation.

Please read the reasons below I am assuming that you are not referring to the relatively new Carbidopa Levodopa brand : Rytary which is still under patent.

Sinemet is the brand name of the original holder of the patent for Carbidopa/Levodopa. After the patent expired, manufacturers of generic versions of Carbidopa/Levodopa were Allo to manufacture the pharmacological equivalent of Sinemet aka Carbidopa/Levodopa Generic versions vary up to 20% from the potency levels of the original patented medicine as allowed by the FDA.

The above being said, it might be useful to know that unless there is an extreme reason to prescribe the brand name of that drug, no insurance company in a USA will pay for the brand name drug if the generic version is available. Pharmacies in the USA automatically know to fill only the generic version of the drug if available. Even if the doctor writes down the brand name. It just does not matter. Through legislation and insurance contracts, the system has guaranteed that a person on insurance will never see even a sample of the branded drug😄

That having been said, the same restrictions do need apply to a customer paying with cash. Not is the pharmacist obligated to disclose that the cheaper, pharmacological equivalent exists, if it does. There's no obligation on the part of the pharmacist to disclose the existence of manufacturer rebates or coupons. I have personally experienced this double standard.

So, that is my diatribe for a day 😇

[backtowork in reply to pdpatient]

they are both generics but are different pills I am currently on Rytary as my main med just use the others as boosters when needed..was just given Inbrija to try in down moments

[backtowork]

Thanks to all..my head is spinning with all suggestions ..doesn't look like anybody noticed a hike in price..my concern is in future meds costing this much..a few facts about me.I am in the USA in the SW desert area .have had PD for over 10 years..started with carb/levo 25/100 IR with ER and requip as needed..worked fine until lately..started Rytary 36/95 played around with dosage found 2 pills every 3 hours worked fine but needed a boost every once in a while 1 carb/levo 25/100 IR maybe 2/3 times a day..I realize Rytary is $$$ but my other meds carb/levo 25/100 ER and IR were cheap..I have excellent insurance medicare and supplement BC/BS also we have an excellent angel program for meds..when I mentioned the high cost to my pharmacy they just said that was who they picked at the time to fill orders and that I didn't have to pay so don't worry...these are all generic meds (except Rytary).. have not talked to BC/BS yet but will try tomorrow just don't want this to be the norm..the toxic enviroment in the States as of lately and the future of medical insurance has me worried .. once again thanks to all

[pdpatient in reply to backtowork]

Thanks F clarifying that you have Medicare as well as the supplemental. That explains a whole lot and the complexities of pricing makes it very difficult to comprehend and analysis of the mechanics of a price increase for a simple medication like this above my pay grade😇

I get you and like you I feel for the country, but there's not much you or I can do, can we? The pharmacist also doesn't care and most others don't care. That is by definition the best beginning of the slide down to mediocrity.

[backtowork]

follow up.. I am aware of GoodRX thanks for heads up I have helped many here with them

MarionP that was my first thought

jujulini Katie Porter is A Hero!