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$783.18!!!

post #1 of 15
10/13/11 at 5:18pm
Thread Starter 
I ran out of my prescriptions at the same time, and faxed in the prescriptions to the pharmacy on Tuesday. I went and picked them up today. Colour me gobsmacked to find the total was $783.18! That's half of my pay cheque! The other half went to catching up on my telephone/cable, the final payment of my nursing license for next year and a few groceries that I hope will last me until the 27th when I get paid again!

I have Blue Cross which covers 80% of my medications up to a total of $500.00 for the whole year. I maxed that out back in early February!

I sure won't be eating a proper diabetic diet over the next 2 weeks! And I had to cancel my outting with my friend tomorrow because I just can't afford to go out

However, the important thing is that I managed to get enough cat litter, dry cat food and wet cat food to last the kids until next payday! I always make sure they are taken care of, even if it means that I go without sometimes.

Things will be more sane at the end of the month. I'll be able to get completely caught up on my phone bill, pay my rent, hydro and transportation cost, and be able to do a better shopping more in tune with the foods I need to be eating.
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post #2 of 15
10/13/11 at 8:04pm
That is a lot of money. I am so happy there isn't a limit on my prescription coverage.
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post #3 of 15
10/13/11 at 8:13pm
Wow! So sorry to hear about that. Hope you can figure out a way to be able to eat properly for your health. But my thoughts are with you.
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post #4 of 15
10/13/11 at 8:19pm
Thread Starter 
No kidding! I knew it was going to be expensive, but I never dreamed it was this much. I figured about 1/2 that.

Each prescription you fill has a pharmacy fee tacked on. So I fill each script for 3 months so that I can save on 2 months of pharmacy fee for each script. So the $783.18 is for 3 months of medications (11 prescriptions).

If I bought month to month it would be way more than that. I think the pharmacy fee is something like $7.00 per prescription. So $7.00 pharmacy fee for one medication vs $21.00 over 3 months. Based on that, $77.00 was pharmacy fee. By filling 3 months, I saved $154 in pharmacy fees. However, while I am saving money, the outlay for 3 months of all of my prescriptions is a very obvious nightmare!

This is the first time I've run out of everything at the same time. I don't know how that happened. *confused*

I think what I'm going to do towards the end of November while I still have a month of medications left, is fill 1/2 of them for another 3 months, and then a month later fill the other 1/2. This way I'll stagger the cost.
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post #5 of 15
10/13/11 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SillyJilly View Post
Wow! So sorry to hear about that. Hope you can figure out a way to be able to eat properly for your health. But my thoughts are with you.
Thanks It's just a temporary set back caused by the fact that I was off work for 5 months and all but 6 weeks were unpaid. So I was living off of my savings. I've just recently returned to work and have only had a 1/2 pay cheque and now a full pay cheque. By next payday things will be much better.

I still have food in the deep freezer so I'm not going to starve. But my meals won't be as balanced as they should be for a diabetic. Not so good, but I've likely beein diabetic for awhile and just found out a month ago, so 2 more weeks isn't going to hurt anything.

My rent is paid. My utilities are still connected. I have my transportation paid for until the end of the month. I'm stocked up on medications and my cats needs are taken care of. So despite what I consider a bit of a hardship, there are others who are in much worse shape than I am.

Speaking of cats, does anyone else go without necessities in order to make sure their cats have what they need? To me it's just logical for me to make sure they have even if I don't. I know some will think I'm crazy for putting my cats needs above my own, but I consider my cats my kids and I think any parent would put their kids ahead of themselves.
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post #6 of 15
10/13/11 at 10:14pm
I know the feeling to well from my moms meds and also my friend. I got going on the websites for the name brand and got her some reductions. Even if you take a generic now.

I take a daily and get it from india-no other choice as dr wants to do bw. to you
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post #7 of 15
10/14/11 at 5:23am
Just wow! My thoughts are with you.

My youngest was on Accutane for 8 months due to severe acne. We have health insurance- but it's a PPO, so we get $2000 or so a year for prescriptions/ dr visits etc. Then we have to pay until we hit $3500, then an HMO kicks in that pays 80%.

It's the least expensive of the plan- and we don't normally max out.

Well- when dd's prescription was over $300 a month- we maxed out fast. I almost died the first time we filled a prescription, had to pay it, and I was told that amount!

But it was a "wonder" drug. Cleared her skin up within a few months, and she only gets an occasional pimple now.
Cheryl
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post #8 of 15
10/14/11 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca View Post
Speaking of cats, does anyone else go without necessities in order to make sure their cats have what they need? To me it's just logical for me to make sure they have even if I don't. I know some will think I'm crazy for putting my cats needs above my own, but I consider my cats my kids and I think any parent would put their kids ahead of themselves.
hehe.... oh yeah.... When I was unemployed the kids had health insurance.... I didn't! Their food cost way way more then mine.... I was eating ramen noodles and canned soup, while one of their prescription cans cost $2.50
I remember when the three of them got sick together.... I ran an auction online, sold everything I had, asked for $$$ for my family.... I just sat and cried.... But Thank goodness these things don't last forever... I am still broke from it - Bugsy, my million dollar kitty IS So expensive to maintain.... In between him and Kelly (my petsitter)...... yep - my salary is theirs - they might as well have signed checks and the password for my checking account
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post #9 of 15
10/14/11 at 1:11pm
Wow! You poor thing, that's crazy! And yes I know what you mean about putting the kitties first
I hope things get easier for you.
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post #10 of 15
10/14/11 at 2:18pm
Dear lord, I would have a heart attack. One of my prescription meds cost me $4. The other one is $20. If the clerk told me to pay the amount you paid, that clerk would be picking me up off the floor.

I hope you're OK for the month.
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post #11 of 15
10/14/11 at 4:04pm
I totally understand. My insurance doesn't have a co-pay, I pay everything until I get to the deductible - which is huge. I haven't met that deductible this year, and I've been taking one of my meds every other day to stretch it out. There's no reason why medication has to be so darn expensive!
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post #12 of 15
10/15/11 at 6:12am
Boy do I know that feeling.

My monthly rx total $514.82 and I'm screwed once my (ex)husband takes me off his benefit plan. Unfortunately, my income is about the same as what a person gets on social assistance, so they won't help me, but I'm looking into another program for drug benefits as my meds are over half of my MONTHLY income :o


I'm glad things will be better for next pay day for you
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post #13 of 15
10/15/11 at 6:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Misty8723 View Post
There's no reason why medication has to be so darn expensive!
I agree. Zyban is a drug to help stop smoking. Its $120 a month. Wellbuterin is a drug for depression $30 a month. Its the exact SAME DRUG! Price adjusted for different purpose. So when I was trying to stop smoking I asked the Dr to give me the depression version, which she did.
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post #14 of 15
10/15/11 at 9:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by binkyhoo View Post
I agree. Zyban is a drug to help stop smoking. Its $120 a month. Wellbuterin is a drug for depression $30 a month. Its the exact SAME DRUG! Price adjusted for different purpose. So when I was trying to stop smoking I asked the Dr to give me the depression version, which she did.
Where do you find Wellbutrin for $30 a month? At my mail order pharmacy it is $547.23 for a 90 days supply. That's $182.41 a month, or $6.08 a pill! And they are supposed to be cheaper than retail.
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post #15 of 15
10/16/11 at 11:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca View Post
Speaking of cats, does anyone else go without necessities in order to make sure their cats have what they need? To me it's just logical for me to make sure they have even if I don't. I know some will think I'm crazy for putting my cats needs above my own, but I consider my cats my kids and I think any parent would put their kids ahead of themselves.
Yup. Been there, done that.
When DH first switched carers we were living entirely off my pay. We had cereal for dinner for an entire week, but the kitties had their regular food and litter.

That sucks about the prescription cost, but I know what you mean. DH has meds for his depression that we used to go hungry to cover to cost of before I had a job with medical benefits. When we were first together, I thought I was going to have a heart attack the first time he filled a prescription and it cost us nearly $200 out of the grocery budget of $250 a month....I got very good at cooking on the cheap.
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