Yesterday I took a trip to my local Wal-Mart to pick up my anxiety medication. Now I only pay $4 for my meds though their discount program, but for me to do that I had to lower the dose I was taking. I decided today to ask them how much I would have to pay to bring the dose back up and I have to say I was a bit surprised and so was the pharmacist. My meds at the dose I was suppose to have would cost me just under $70 a month.
I know that’s not that bad when you look at the cost of other medications like insulin, something I’m suppose to be on by the way, but can’t afford as it’s hundreds of dollars a month as do many other medications.
My question is why does prescription medication cost so much? Really, something that has been out as long as some of these insulin’s should not cost hundreds of dollars. It’s a life saving drug! I’m very lucky to be a type II diabetic as my pills are $4 at Wal-Mart or free at another local pharmacy that I’m considering changing to because it’s free and I’m there more then I am at Wal-mart.
It’s just very sad that people who need these drugs have to pay so much for them. Some who have insurance still have to pay $100’s a month for their prescription medications after the insurance covers some. It’s just crazy that these companies are getting rich because people have diseases that they can’t help having.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe something should be done to lower the cost of these medications.
I completely agree with you! For those of us without insurance, and even those with, the cost of medicine is ridiculous! i know some companies will help, but not all do, and even those discount cards don’t help much. I have never understood why they make things that people need, not want, but need, so expensive. It is sad.
Healthcare is a tricky business – and it’s hard to discuss it politely on the internet if I’m honest. At the end of the day, the pharmaceutical companies can charge whatever they want and people have to pay because the only caps instituted are for people on Medicare/Medicaid – the rest of us have to pay the asking price (minus whatever insurance covers). Costs are the primary reason healthcare is so messed up in the US. If you look at France, a lot of US and French policies are similar, yet they have the #1 healthcare system in the world and the US is #37 … obviously they’re doing something better than we are.
I also posted a blog post about this – let me know what you think. http://drseussworld.blogspot.com/2013/09/healthcare-in-us-vs-other-nations-brief.html
The cost of medicine is getting ridiculous! I am on Adipex (I am overweight) and when I first started taking it 4 months ago it was only $18. In 4 months it has gone up to $35 and with my husband being the only one working we simply don’t have the extra money to be spending like that. Something needs to be done, but sadly I think it will only get worse before it will start getting better.
I have a friend who also takes that and she said it’s gone up alot since she started it. I know diabetic meds are not the only ones that are crazy. I really wish something would change with the high cost.