It just makes me crazy!

sisterpine · #1 04/19/05, 10:35 AM

I just called and ordered the medicine I take for migraine headaches. Med is called AMERGE. I get 36 tabs each 3 months. With my decent insurance my co-pay is 80.00. I looked up the cost of the med and the insurance company is paying 1455.00 each three months for this medicine- that is $40.00 per pill! In Canada (where my insurance does not work) I would pay 15.00 per pill! What frustrates me most and the part I just cannot understand is how in the heck do folks without insurance pay for medicine? I know social security does not cover meds what do those folks do. I am thinking they just suffer untill they die and that this country should be ashamed of itself as should the drug companies!

Jen H · #2 04/19/05, 11:04 AM

A friend of mine is currently debating whether to continue taking $500 out of her savings account monthly and go flat broke in 5 years, or stop taking the meds that control her bipolar and be able to scrape by on her retirement and social security.

Both choices are really grim.

Mudwoman · #3 04/19/05, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sisterpine

I just called and ordered the medicine I take for migraine headaches. Med is called AMERGE. I get 36 tabs each 3 months. With my decent insurance my co-pay is 80.00. I looked up the cost of the med and the insurance company is paying 1455.00 each three months for this medicine- that is $40.00 per pill! In Canada (where my insurance does not work) I would pay 15.00 per pill! What frustrates me most and the part I just cannot understand is how in the heck do folks without insurance pay for medicine? I know social security does not cover meds what do those folks do. I am thinking they just suffer untill they die and that this country should be ashamed of itself as should the drug companies!

What they do is rotate through the hospital system constantly. We call them frequent flyers. So, they stay in the hospital for 2-3 weeks, they get stable and get sent home with a list of meds they can't afford. They don't take the meds and end up coming back to the hospital in 2-3 weeks and this process continues until they die. Any charity hospital can't turn someone away that can't pay. They end up getting free care even if they owe thousands and thousands of dollars in hospital costs. People that have insurance and can pay----pay dearly. I recently gave an injection to a patient that gets this injection once a week. Our cost is just over $1000 and our charge to this patient is $9627. So, nearly $40K a month for this shot that helps her build red blood cells. I'm sure you have seen it advertised on TV. They just don't tell you the price. :no:

And people think medical savings accounts are going to replace insurance. :haha: :haha: :haha: The system is broken!

painterswife · #4 04/19/05, 12:53 PM

I am a transplanted Canadian who can not fathom the insurance costs here.

For just me 330.00 per month with a high deductable etc. In Canada it would be 112.00 per month full coverage( not prescriptions) for the family. I would not go broke if I had to be hosptalized and I would go to the doctor more often to be checked out.

I am in good health. Only one broken ankle and a few minor cuts and abrasions in my 45 years.

Jill

woodsrunner · #5 04/19/05, 01:18 PM

Phew!!
And I thought RELPAX was bad!

I too suffer from migraines. Have been on a roll since sunday afternoon with the current one. Maybe it's time to go back on those $22.00 apiece pills.

BamaSuzy · #6 04/19/05, 01:28 PM

We did not have insurance for about two years again and what we could not pay for we did without....there was a couple of times we desperately needed to go to the ER but we didn't because we could not have paid for it....

Also, even now with the insurance we have we avoid the ER at all costs because we have a high deductible insurance and it would cost us $500 out of pocket right off the bat to go to the ER.....

The only "charity" hospital anywhere near here is in Birmingham and you really wouldn't want to go there....

I don't think govt. control is the answer because that would just screw things up more. We're just trying to watch out for our own health as much as possible...

My 84 year old mama currently pays $700 per month for medicine because she draws just a little too much to qualify for any kind of health benefits....That's called penalizing folks because they tried to do well in their lives....

BamaSuzy · #7 04/19/05, 01:30 PM

Oh---and we do have serious health concerns...such as I have life-threatening allergies.....but we do the best we can...