Prescription - Drug Company Rant

My doctor prescribed me albuterol because of a slight weezing I had at my doctor's appointment yesterday. I looked up the cost on my prescription insurance website and the medication was less than $5.. When I went to get the prescription filled I was told it would be $74+!!!!!! Then they told me that the drug company "discontinued" the generic albuterol and that I had to get one of the more expensive ones... I checked on the website again and it should have been $30! Why are drug companies so money hungry! I went to 2 drug stores and was told the same thing.

I have sent a message to Medco, my insurance as to what I can do.

Well, they discontinued it due to HCF. You can get Ventilin (sp??) for around $10.00 at wal-mart. That is what I use as my fast acting inhaler.

From what I gather, they all are Albuterol just a different propellant.

I use Ventolin. But in Canada it's majorly expensive! I pay around $75.00 for one inhaler.

The assistant in my doctor's office told me that drug reps bring lunch to their office almost every day. She said she rarely had to buy her own lunch. This is all well and good for the people working at doctors' offices (I've worked in a few offices and it happens everywhere), but what about the people paying $3.00 a pill for their medicine? I'm on Albuterol, but lucky I only have to use it once in a blue moon.

I pay $40.00/month for my Advair. If I don't take it I have to use so much Albuterol it raises my blood pressure then I have to be on those meds.

As I said, Wal-Mart has ReliOn Ventolin for $4.00 for 60 metered doses. I get 200 metered doses for $10.00 so that is the better deal for me.

Did they try to get you to buy Pro-Air? That stuff stinks, didn't work worth crap.

When a patent is about to expire, or even before, the drug companies make a slight change so that they can charge more. A vicious cycle.

Originally Posted by butzie

When a patent is about to expire, or even before, the drug companies make a slight change so that they can charge more. A vicious cycle.

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No, this was actually an environmental decision due to the propellant used in the old inhalers. Asthmatics are ruining the ozone with their inhalers.