Insulin Prices Lawsuit

[Koolau]

I don't understand why DW's meds are less expensive through Cost Plus without insurance than through the pharmacy with her part D insurance.

Nor do I. The "theory" is that my benefits manager helps my overall drug costs to be lower based on what I pay for my insurance AND for individual drugs.

Question: Have you priced a Tier 1 or 2 drug with Cost Plus? I ask because I do not know the answer to which might be cheaper. We both take Eliquis and the prices are all over the place (doghnut hole or some such, I think) SHe might pay $240 and I might pay $820. Then it reverses later in the year. I can't figure it all out. When I've called and questioned, it turns out they are exactly following the "rules" I agreed to, so, yeah. It's a puzzlement.

My DW and I use different insurance companies and often buy the same drugs. One I get is $15 co-pay and she pays about $0.00 all in. And roughly the reverse is true for another drug that we both take (IIRC mine is 80 mg and hers is 20 mg and I get the better price.) GO FIGURE!

 

[RetMD21]

DW has a tier 2 drug that is much cheaper through Cost Plus but I have a tier 1 drug that's free with the PBM, insurance and retail pharmacy. It's hard to beat free

 

[Koolau]

DW has a tier 2 drug that is much cheaper through Cost Plus but I have a tier 1 drug that's free with the PBM, insurance and retail pharmacy. It's hard to beat free

Free IS very hard to beat. So glad you can take advantage of this.

I checked both of my (very) high priced drugs with Cost Plus and neither is in their formulary. The other drugs I take tend to be in the 0.00 to $15/3 months supply range with my other insurance so not at issue, cost wise. Oh, and shipping is "free" (well, included.)

Thanks for the info to the Forum.

 

[aja8888]

Nor do I. The "theory" is that my benefits manager helps my overall drug costs to be lower based on what I pay for my insurance AND for individual drugs.

Question: Have you priced a Tier 1 or 2 drug with Cost Plus? I ask because I do not know the answer to which might be cheaper. We both take Eliquis and the prices are all over the place (doghnut hole or some such, I think) SHe might pay $240 and I might pay $820. Then it reverses later in the year. I can't figure it all out. When I've called and questioned, it turns out they are exactly following the "rules" I agreed to, so, yeah. It's a puzzlement.

My DW and I use different insurance companies and often buy the same drugs. One I get is $15 co-pay and she pays about $0.00 all in. And roughly the reverse is true for another drug that we both take (IIRC mine is 80 mg and hers is 20 mg and I get the better price.) GO FIGURE!

If you read your benefit statement for the drugs you purchase under Part D, it should tell you if you are in the donut hole or not.

 

[ownyourfuture]

As a Eli Lilly shareholder since 2011-01-28, I do not support this lawsuit.
Just another money-grab by a greedy state attorney general.

Besides, it appears the problem has already been addressed.
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/eli-lilly-lowers-insulin-prices

 

[Koolau]

As a Eli Lilly shareholder since 2011-01-28, I do not support this lawsuit.
Just another money-grab by a greedy state attorney general.

Besides, it appears the problem has already been addressed.
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/eli-lilly-lowers-insulin-prices

I'm sure I've got some of the stock in my MFs as well - just like I assume I have some oil stock, etc. I just don't get why this is so different than any other "commodity" which happens to have price support - IOW, insulin is one of those products that's actually not all that easy to produce - it isn't aspirin. Not just any drug company says to itself "Hey, we ought to get into the Insulin business" or they would have already.

Who does NOT sell their product at as high a price as the market will bear? Again, not talking right or wrong or good or bad - just "is." (I am so glad I do not need insulin - for a lot of reasons - not the least of which is the cost of the insulin. SO I do have sympathy for insulin purchasers.) I take several "life-saving" drugs and even with Part D I pay thousands per year total for drugs. Heh, heh, I'm sure I have some of the stock in their companies as well!