Author Topic: South Dakota Jayhawk primitive glad 0bamacare has done such a fine job  (Read 764 times)

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Offline franksolich

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/114212543

Oh my.

Too bad.

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JayhawkSD (1,264 posts)    Sat May 31, 2014, 12:14 PM

Drug costs skyrocketed this year.

We have bee covered under United Healthcare provided by my wife's employer for about twelve years now. After a 45% increase in premium at the end of 2010, a 30% increase at the end of 2011 and a 40% increase at the end of 2012, we were cheerfully told that there would be no premium increase at the end of 2013, but that our copays and deductibles would be increased. Indeed they were, such that our out-of-pocket costs will increase from $3000 for 2013 to $4800 for 2014, assuming the same costs for medications.
 
Well, that just went out the window when I reordered a 90-day supply of medications which I take for Parkinson's Disease. The copay which was $30 three months ago is now $150. (The benefit is stated in the policy as "Copay from $30 to $150 for 90-day supply.") It is not a generic drug.
 
So I checked the medication which I take to prevent strokes; it went from $20 to $150, even though it is a generic drug. Generic Lipitor went from $20 to $150.
 
So, given all of the meds that my wife and I take, that increase adds over $3000 per year and means that our out-of-pocket actually went from $3000 last year to $7800 projected for this year.
 
I am so glad that Obamacare has done such a fine job of redcucing the cost of health care.

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Warpy (77,501 posts)    Sat May 31, 2014, 03:17 PM

1. Check out the cheap drug lists at Wal Mart, Target and Costco

I have my docs trained, they know the formulary is whatever is on the cheap drug lists. I didn't bother with Part D because all my drugs are cheaper than dirt, and if I need one that isn't, I can now afford it.
 
The Part D copay might not be necessary for some generic drugs. Just don't mention you have it.
 
The other thing you can do is order from Canada, something I did for years before WalMart initiated its cheap drugs list (yes, mean old Wally's was first). You will need to have copies of your prescriptions to mail them and you will need to fill out a complete health history online. The pharmacies have a doc that reviews everything and re prescribes the drugs in Canada. Then they mail them out.
 
I also used to pop down to Mexico on occasion to get things. Since meth labs have moved south over the border, this is no longer a good idea.
 
Checking prices everywhere will give you the best bet for every drug. Also, that 3 month copay will save you gas money when you don't have to go back every month for a refill.
 
Also question that $150 copay for 3 months. It should be $90. You can also request monthly refills to drop it back to $30 a month.

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JayhawkSD (1,264 posts)    Sun Jun 1, 2014, 01:24 AM

2. Not all health plans are the same

United Healthcare offers literally millions of different plans to different employers. What the employees get is whatever the employers are willing to pay for.
 
"Also question that $150 copay for 3 months. It should be $90."

Maybe for your plan it's $90. Unfortunately, for mine it's $150. The Parkinson's medication at Rite Aid is $275 for a one month supply. Walmart doesn't carry it.

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Warpy (77,501 posts)    Sun Jun 1, 2014, 04:01 AM

3. Your monthly copay was $30

If they've raised it to $50, that would be a bit different.

I have Medicare and I haven't signed up for Part D.

Wow.

Ms. Hindenberg's old enough to collect social security retirement and medicare?

<<<knew she was getting there, but thought she had a least a couple more years.

<<<obviously underspeculated the defrocked warped primitive's age.

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JayhawkSD (1,264 posts)    Sun Jun 1, 2014, 10:59 AM

4. I'm not on Medicare

I'm on United Healthcare, and I can't buy anywhere I want. I have to buy from their mail order service.
 
My copay was $30 for a three month supply and they raised it to $150 for a three month supply. That's why the title of my original post was "Drug costs skyrocketed..."

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goldent (912 posts)    Mon Jun 2, 2014, 06:52 PM

5. Something isn't right, at least with the Lipitor generic

They should not charge you more than the cost of the drug, and I'm sure that Lipitor generic will be much less than $150 for 3 months. Places like Express Script "claim" they will not charge you more than the true cost, even if it is below the copay.
 
I would check some discount pharmacies (Grocery stores, Walmart) and ask for the cash price (no insurance).
 
There are some drugs I buy outright because it is just as cheap or cheaper than the insurance mail order places.

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JayhawkSD (1,264 posts)    Tue Jun 3, 2014, 01:48 AM

6. Yes, I am chacking cash prices on several drugs.

I already buy one medication at Rite Aid on a cash basis because it's cheaper than the United Healthcare copay. After this last increase I'm looking at a couple of the generics. The only $150 copay I've paid so far was the Parkinson's medication because it's not generic. I checked Rite Aid on it and a one month supply is $275, so $150 for three months is not a bad deal.
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historian (2,360 posts)    Fri Jul 18, 2014, 01:26 AM

9. thats nothing

IUm taking meds for hepatitis c and they cost 1000$ a pill! Beat that.

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JayhawkSD (1,264 posts)    Fri Jul 18, 2014, 01:43 AM

10. I wasn't aware we were running a contest.

If so, I don't mind losing. I'm not the competetive type. Have fun with your victory.
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murphyj87 (648 posts)    Fri Jun 6, 2014, 04:33 AM

7. At Walgreen's in the US.....

my prescriptions would cost $825 a month. (I checked)

Here in Canada, the same prescriptions cost $109 per month, of which the province pays $87.20 (80%) and I pay $21.80 (20%).

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historian (2,360 posts)    Fri Jul 18, 2014, 01:25 AM

8. hold on

I have hepatitis C and was put on medication which costs 1000$ per pill! A 3 month treatment is 84000. After a lot of hassle, the insurance co agreed to pay for it, but isn't that scandalous? Good news is that it works - ive hepc for 20 years and this med eredicated it in 3 wks!

^^^another one of those primitives who, instead of feeling "special" for accomplishing things, feels "special" for how much it costs the rest of us.
apres moi, le deluge

Milo Yiannopoulos "It has been obvious since 2016 that Trump carries an anointing of some kind. My American friends, are you so blind to reason, and deaf to Heaven? Can he do all this, and cannot get a crown? This man is your King. Coronate him, and watch every devil shriek, and every demon howl."

Offline Carl

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How do like that $2500.00 savings Oidiot promised you?
Assholes  :bird:

Offline JohnnyReb

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Obama said health insurance would go down 3,000%....I guess if you lived in Australia where down is up, it might work.

Hey, if you were dumb enough to believe anything Obama said, then my explanation is as good as any.
“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of ‘liberalism’, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.” - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948

"America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within."  Stalin