I do not understand this price difference

[ivinsfan]

My wife on Medicare and supplemental, still uses GoodRx coupon for drugs instead of her insurance as it is sometimes cheaper. I haven’t a clue how GoodRx works, but before she turned 65 and we had high deductible and I picked up her inhaler and paid $450. I came home and my wife made me return it (who knew you could return prescriptions) as someone told her about goodrx, which had a coupon for $51! So I returned for $450 and bought back for $51!

This is screwed up on so many levels. We got soaked for an extra 100 bucks for a fairly unusual medication my DH needed before he could be discharged from an 8 day hospital stay. Once we got home I was able to find a local pharmacy that took GoodRx and payed the discounted rate from then on.

 

[lewp56]

Drug Prices

I have a company drug plan with Sun Life. They pay 80% of purchase price less $5. Then I get to declare the 20% as a tax credit. For some drugs such as Advair Discus, it is outrageous. I have a buddy in Denver and his price with no plan is close to my 20%. Don't understand it.

Why not buy in Mexico Keith and bring it up North. Will that work? Say hi

 

[indiajust]

My ex is a pharmacist. She has no idea what anything will cost. There are no prices, for anything. The only way to find out how the interplay of regulations, co pays, subsidies, discounts, deductibles, and insurance interact is to ring it up.
If not too busy, she can void and ring it up multiple times with different combinations to see which one is cheaper for the patient.
Fundamental issue, patient is not the customer. Insurance is the customer. And insurance just adds another layer of admin costs during the cost shifting from premiums to payments.

 

[kcowan]

Why not buy in Mexico Keith and bring it up North. Will that work? Say hi

We are considering. My Megacorp drug plan is only available in Canada. Medical coverage that excludes US is hard to find. The cost for US coverage is outrageous. Hi tooW.

 

[imoldernu]

A major part of the problem is here... "donations"

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=H04++

As far as the profits from drug prices... where do think they go?

 

[Boose]

I've been paying much closer attention to drug prices as my employer-funded flex spending account will disappear upon my eventual retirement. Cigna demands a $15 copay/30 day supply for a longtime generic that I take. I asked my Dr. for a 90-day prescription and told Rite Aid to find the cheapest copay. They found Navitus Health Solutions at $24.76/90 day supply. I'll take it! But I would never have found out if I hadn't asked.