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Post Info TOPIC: Generic Drug Rip-Off
ed11563


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Generic Drug Rip-Off
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The Generic-Drug Rip-Off

Generic_web.jpg

Using health insurance to fill a prescription for a generic drug could dramatically increase your out-of-pocket costs, particularly if you have not yet reached your policy’s annual deductible. That’s because people who use health insurance have to pay the price that the insurance company has set for the drug, and with generic drugs, these prices often are much higher than the prices you might pay when no insurance is used—sometimes hundreds of dollars higher for a 90-day supply.

Here’s what happens behind the scenes: Many generic drugs cost pharmacies 10 cents a pill or less. A value-oriented pharmacy, such as those at Costco, Walmart and Kroger, or a reputable online pharmacy, such as GoodRx.com and HealthWarehouse.com, might charge as little as $4 for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply—if you don’t use insurance. What’s more, even after you reach your deductible, many insurance policies require a co-pay that is higher than what these types of pharmacies charge for generic drugs.

 

 



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lilyofcourse


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There are so many ways to get your meds. A lot of companies have programs to help you get your meds.

I got name brand Plavix and 5 other medications, 90 day supply of each, for $10 a month.

It all came directly from the drug companies that made them.

I did that for a year.

Then I was able to get medicaid and I couldn't use that option any longer.

I went to paying $4 per prescription, per month. And I could only get a 30 day supply of each.

I would really like to know how much it cost to manufacture he meds. vs how much we are charged.

Thankfully, I have a different insurance now, and while it did go up again, my prescriptions are not as expensive as they once were.



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Charley Harper
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Lily do you just go on the companies website? I am about to tell the pharmacy to delete my insurance info, my creams are way over the top expensive.

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lilyofcourse


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You can start there.

There are questions about income.

I used a med bank.

They did all the paperwork for me.

But yes, go to the website, some where on there is a place asking if you need help with your meds.



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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.

Charley Harper
ed11563


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Neither Walmart nor Costco pharmacies know that I have insurance.

I always check their prices for prescriptions, they happily answer those questions over the phone.

Somethings from them are a lot less than the insurance copay. Some things are a little more, and since I HATE Express-Scripts, I fill them for cash at Costco anyway.

 

Actual costs to produce 100,000 pills, including packaging, is somewhere around 2 cents per pill. BUT continuously meeting the FDA quality standards can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Spread that cost over a lot of pills can be a couple more cents each, but for a low demand / low volume product would be a lot more per pill. 

 

Then there are "marketing" costs and "profit" to consider. 

 

 



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huskerbb


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Insurance is a scam--but you better have it.

That said, there was a short time between jobs when we didn't have it. My wife had some procedure or appointment. They turned it into our insurance--but it wasn't covered, of course, but they would have charged the insurance company only $46, and they billed us for $75.

I told them I would pay the same amount they would have charged the insurance company. They wouldn't take it.

I sent them the $46, but they turned it over to collections. I never did pay because no one is going to court over $75.

We continued to go to that same clinic and they never said another word--but they were out the $46.

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lilyofcourse


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huskerbb wrote:

Insurance is a scam--but you better have it.

That said, there was a short time between jobs when we didn't have it. My wife had some procedure or appointment. They turned it into our insurance--but it wasn't covered, of course, but they would have charged the insurance company only $46, and they billed us for $75.

I told them I would pay the same amount they would have charged the insurance company. They wouldn't take it.

I sent them the $46, but they turned it over to collections. I never did pay because no one is going to court over $75.

We continued to go to that same clinic and they never said another word--but they were out the $46.

 I had something similar happen.

Went to have labs drawn. Because I didn't have insurance, they sent it out of house for everything and I was charged nearly $100 for the same thing I found out they were doing in house for about $20.

I asked why mine couldn't be done in house, I was paying cash for all my appointments and testing.

The only answer they could give me was "that's what was on my papers".

I said I wanted the labs to stay in house.

They said it was already marked.

I said change it.

They said they couldn't and the only thing that could be done is if I waited an hour and they stuck me again.

I said fine, I'll be over there. 

I waited almost 2 hours but they took my blood again.

I paid upfront for the testing and left.

The next week I got a letter saying the doctor wold no longer see me.

 



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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.

Charley Harper
karl271


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Yes, Lily, sometimes we mere mortals forget that some (not all) Doctors are Gods and should not be questioned or trifled with.

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