Prescriptions!

My Blue Cross kicked back in at the beginning of the new year, so instead of refilling my scripts one month at a time, I filled each for 3 months, plus got one each of 3 inhalers that I use.

5 pill prescriptions for 3 months.
3 inhalers (1 month)

Grand total of almost $650.00!!! I nearly passed out at the pharmacy counter. I thought that was my bill after Blue Cross deduction! Turns out that my portion was $189.00. Which is good news!

The bad news is that my Blue Cross is now almost maxed out again! Less than $100.00 available for use for the year before I have to start shouldering the entire cost myself again!

I work so hard at my job, and they keep taking things away! When I first started nursing our medication coverage was $1,000.00 per year. It's since been decreased to $500.00 per year, which is really next to nothing especially when you are on asthma inhalers, some of which are almost $200.00 each per month!

These drug companies make a mint off of us less than healthy people!!

...and a lot of people from the U.S. order meds from Canada, because it's cheaper to do it than pay for them here!

When you've got asthma, $1000 wasn't a lot - $500 is next to nothing.

I agree, they are ridiculous. My BCBS insurance is through PAI and supposedly covers prescriptions as well. The only prescription I have is for my BC pills (which I no longer need, but have 2 months left on my old script so I may keep them around as backup in case) but I watched the cost rise while insurance paid less and less Luckily they put me on a generic that only cost $15/mo instead of $60/mo ... but only did that in the last 5 months or so, and I've been getting the prescription for nearly 4 years.

I cant imagine the cost of having multiple prescriptions required for day to day life!!

Through my husbands work, insurance pays 80% with no limit. Without insurance there is no way I could afford my prescriptions, let alone for 2 daughters that also have asthma. $500 is a very small amount.

I used to pay out of pocket for my birth control. Drove me nuts; but that's an elective medication. Of course after we started trying to conceive DH's insurance decided they would cover it.... Ya can't win sometimes!

Originally Posted by LDG

...and a lot of people from the U.S. order meds from Canada, because it's cheaper to do it than pay for them here!

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I can't see how it's cheaper. From what I've heard from patient's, our medications are outrageously expensive! I've looked at some of those online Canadian Pharmacies thinking it might be cheaper for me to order them online even though I live in Canada. I couldn't believe that some of the medications offered were nearly triple the price that I pay by going to the pharmacy and picking them up myself. Triple!!!

I got out of hospital right before Christmas, went went to Wal-Mart to get my meds. The first 2 were under $15 for both, but the 3rd one was $532. I didn't get it filled.

I've spent thousands on medicine in the past year alone...and I have do have insurance. (On the subject of health insurance though, mine will be going out in a few months since it's Cobra and temporary...so yet another issue since no other company will cover my pre-existing conditions). American insurance companies are horrid as well. It's sad that people's health have to suffer as a result of selfish fools who are just wanting to line their pocketbooks. I'm all for healthcare research and allowing people to make reasonable profits so that there is an incentive there to develop new drugs and
cures. I'm not however a fan of price gouging at the cost of people's lives, reguardless of the country. It's very frustrating...and expensive in the terms of lives and money.

Originally Posted by mbjerkness

Through my husbands work, insurance pays 80% with no limit. Without insurance there is no way I could afford my prescriptions, let alone for 2 daughters that also have asthma. $500 is a very small amount.

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My insurance also pays 80% and on TOP of that we have a yearly health spending account of $565 that we can put the other 20% through if we need to. Thank goodness for good coverage...

Linda, I'm sorry that you have to deal with that. I don't get it. My Mom is also a nurse and my coverage is FAR better than her's. You would think working in the medical profession that you would get top of the line coverage, but it isn't so.

Linda, that is horrible news. You might look at some overseas pharmacies. I've done that and have had good luck. PM me if you want a link to the best one I've found.

Prescriptions are a BIG deal at my house as well. One of my drugs is around $5K a month. I pay $3K a year to have that one sent. My other main one used to be $900 a month before insurance but I'd pay $50. Luckily it went to generic and still works for me and I only pay $10 a month now.

My daughter has ADHD and other issues and requires FOUR scripts a day to keep her balanced and functioning. They are all expensive. I really worry about her when she gets older as she will have to get a job with good insurance, it won't be an option. I don't see her ever "outgrowing" these issues. Sigh...

Dh has blood pressure meds to buy. Of course they are "top tier."

We pay $1200 a month for our health insurance! That is one reason I decided to do the immune system reboot. I figured our benefits may start to be cut and I'd already met my deductible for 2010, so I'd better go for it. Interestingly enough, I've only been out about $400 out of pocket for that whole process, which was over $48K for the chemo and the hospitalization for complications. I was in hopes I could do without the expensive drug with the $3K copay but it doesn't seem to be the case this year. Maybe next year.

It's scary to be unwell. Society looks at you as a "problem" to be disposed of rather than a person. And I fear it will only get worse.

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I've spent thousands on medicine in the past year alone...and I have do have insurance. (On the subject of health insurance though, mine will be going out in a few months since it's Cobra and temporary...so yet another issue since no other company will cover my pre-existing conditions). American insurance companies are horrid as well. It's sad that people's health have to suffer as a result of selfish fools who are just wanting to line their pocketbooks. I'm all for healthcare research and allowing people to make reasonable profits so that there is an incentive there to develop new drugs and
cures. I'm not however a fan of price gouging at the cost of people's lives, reguardless of the country. It's very frustrating...and expensive in the terms of lives and money.

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http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2...n-it-works.htm
One of the big reasons I was all for health care reform is this! I had major heart surgery at a week old, but because of that insurance companies tend to not cover anything for me... They claim everything can be caused by that so I havent had insurance in a long time. I'm currently looking into some though and hoping I can find something that works out!

Wow, that's awful... I have no limit on my insurance plan for prescription... Some of them have a higher level of co-pay, such as maxalt 10 for example, which I pay $55 for 8 pills (migraine meds, 8 pills is the monthly av. usage.) - for my generic ones, I pay anywhere from $4 (Target/Walmart) to $25 max. Brand is usually $35. The highest level is $55.
My plan is Humana.

While I agree it sucks to pay for prescriptions, I am personally thankful to have them as the alternative (death in the worst cases) is a much more miserable reality than being broke....

Originally Posted by Februa

While I agree it sucks to pay for prescriptions, I am personally thankful to have them as the alternative (death in the worst cases) is a much more miserable reality than being broke....

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Originally Posted by Februa

While I agree it sucks to pay for prescriptions, I am personally thankful to have them as the alternative (death in the worst cases) is a much more miserable reality than being broke....

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The silver lining!!!

I had a lovely surprise today. My Advair went from a $40.00 copay to $20.00 and with my coupon only cost me 10 bucks!!

Originally Posted by CatMom2Wires

You might look at some overseas pharmacies. I've done that and have had good luck. PM me if you want a link to the best one I've found.

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I sent you a PM