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338416 tn?1420045702

Whoo-hoo! Drugs for free!

Took my Copaxone today, for the first time in six months.  I've been off it because I couldn't afford it.  Well, after my leg started acting wonky again, I went to the neuro and told him I was ready to get back on Copaxone.  (This was when I still thought the copay was $75, like last time.)  

Then we started the process of financial assistance....  Shared Solutions was great about getting me set up immediately with a pack of Copaxone, and I was able to get a conditional acceptance over the phone for my financial assistance.  100%!  Yee-haw, as we say in Texas.  

Well, I'll tell you, you'd think Aetna wouldn't care where the money was coming from, as long as they got the $3098.  But they were more of a hassle than SS was.  I had to keep calling them with information, and after a certain point, I started wondering why I had to relay the information - why didn't they call SS themselves?  Sheesh.

The guy on the phone yesterday gave me the impression that they wouldn't have Copaxone for me until Tuesday, as I was late in calling them back (grrrrrrrr...)  And what do I find on the doorstep this morning?  Copaxone!  So here we go.  I'm back to injecting myself every day.

So that's good news.  The other good news is that I've been getting my $4 prescriptions from Walmart, and my work has been doing this bonus gift where I get a $20 Walmart card every month.  (If we meet our goals.)  So that means that I'll be getting Baclofen for free, too.
8 Responses
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667078 tn?1316000935
Glad SS got there copay assistance program running better. It took me months last year to get approval and then in November I had to give them all the same information for the new year and it took months again for approval. Then the pharmacy I was forced to use because of my insurance kept charging me copays anyway even with the debit card from SS. I spent so much time on the phone every refill it just was not worth it.

Luckily for me the DMDs were not working.

Alex
Helpful - 0
1045086 tn?1332126422
Pharmaceutical companies in the USA operate the same way any other business does in the USA, except they are under more government scrutiny than many other businesses.  If you think any sector of healthcare is in it for the pure good of their fellow human beings, you are stuck in an ancient paradigm that most likely hasn't existed since the native medicine man went endangered.

Management of these companies has seldom seen, let alone met, treated or understood an actual person who needs their products.  They don't care to either.  I don't work for them.  I'm not defending them or claiming it's right.  It just is.  They sell to consumers, not patients.

Pharmaceutical companies charge what the market will bear.  For that reason, the same drug is manufactured for all consumers but sold at a variety of prices to those living in various countries.  Many drugs developed here are cheaper to buy in other countries.  Citizens of those countries sometimes think that happens because their system of health care is better.  It is more often because the lower price is what their economy can bear to provide the product.  The drug company will sell cheaper rather than not supply the need.  Sound like any other industry you know?

Not to worry though.  Our economy soon won't bear these outrageously high prices either.  At that point there are three possibilities.  Price will drop.  Some manufacturers will close or cease production of non-profitable drugs.  People will finally have to face the reality that there is no inherent right for every person alive to live healthy forever or even to receive the best health care available at any cost.  A variety of outcome combinations are possible.  We are already seeing it happen.

I'm still happy for Jen and apologize to her for marring her happy topic by inserting a comment that I should have known was too inflammatory to pass without comment.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Does 'retail price' really have any meaning? Who pays it?

Virtually no one can afford several thousand a month for one medication, so if they are not insured, they go without (in the US).

If they do have insurance, the cost of the med is negotiated betw. the insurer and the drug manufacturer. The consumer is not party to this info. It would be interesting to know, wouldn't it?

We often think of our copays as the price we pay for the script, forgetting to add in the cost of insurance premiums. At least I do.

But no matter who pays, the prices of the DMDs are obscene. I know all the drill about research costs, the percentage of drugs that never make it to market, and so on, but still, the profits these outfits continue to make, for decades *after* costs have been recouped, are outrageous. Especially when so many are excluded because of this.

I'm not saying anything here that hasn't been said a hundred times over, but still, I get angry when hit in the face with such evidence of greed.

ess
Helpful - 0
1045086 tn?1332126422
I'm so glad you are able to return to treatment!  Who though self-injecting would mean this much to anyone besides a junkie.

It's hard to figure a system where a drug can cost $30,000+ per year, the manufacturer treats thousands of people each year to free meals and education on a regular basis and the same liquid gold medication is available at no cost to people who otherwise can't afford it (It's not just Copaxone, btw.)  

So is our health care really broken or just grossly disfigured?  Don't answer that anyone!!!  Just enjoy the good news from Jen.

Shoot 'em up cowgirl.
Mary
Helpful - 0
1382889 tn?1505071193
Oh happy day!!!  Congrats to you.  Your happiness is ozing from the screen. You go girl!

Julie
Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
So SS will pick up the cost of your co-pay and Aetna will pay the bulk of this, correct?

Yes Ess, it's like shooting gold into our systems - it better be working!

I'm loving the $10 for 90 day rx's we have been getting around here.   And I'm also taking full advantage of those name brand drugs that have the rebates/pay the cost of the copay.  Lipitor and Lunesta both offer these.  

Still trying to find a way for SS to pay for my monthy copaxone, but haven't got that one, yet.

Remember - you have worked have for that incentive gift.  Enjoy the benefits of your hard work.

congrats!
Lulu
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
That's what the stuff costs retail.  If I had to pay for it, it'd be $90... still way too rich for my blood.

Yeah, for some things Walmart kicks butt.  I hate standing in line at the pharmacy - for several reasons!  But I'm willing to do it for $4 prescriptions.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yee-haw to you, Jen!

How many doses of Copax does $3098 cover? Please tell me that's not just one month's-worth!!

It's great to hear that you will be getting Baclofen free too. Worst-case scenario, though, that will cost only $4 per month? Wow.

Go buy a lottery ticket today!

ess
Helpful - 0
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