Prescription Issue

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

The Free Market strikes again and fucks the people.  There is no valid reason for medicine costs to be that high.

Boru

My wife needs an injection every three months for an autoimmune illness - each injection is almost $25,000 - and because of it's non-formulary status it's covered under co-insurance up to our maximum out of pocket rather than a copay.  There are no effective less expensive alternatives.

This year, because we were forced to change insurance mid-year, we get to pay that huge out of pocket expense twice.  We already met it once, we'll meet it again.  Our out of pocket expenses this year are easily going to to 15K not even accounting for premiums.

Here, virtually all prescriptions are a $5 fill (a little over $3US, I think).  Once you pay for 20 prescriptions in a year, you don't pay again until 1 February of the following year (meds for kids aren't subject to the $5, but don't count toward the 20/year). The very few meds not covered under this scheme are heavily subsidized, generally to about 99% of the market price.

So, your  $15 000 out of pocket for the year would be either $20 (four injections at $5 each) or $1000 (four co-pays of $250 each).

Boru