So, you only take aspirin?

[imoldernu]

Great! ... but don't celebrate too soon, as age has a way of getting revenge. Currently the highest cost single drug Soliris , is priced at $440,000.00 per year.

There have been several discussions about drug prices, but aside from the comments about individual brand name, generic, and alternate choices, not too much on the options having to do with:

Price, where to get the same drug outside the US, or on line.
The legality of buying drugs this way.
Drug price supplement plans.
Plan D medicare plans.
Drug subsidies.. tier 1,2,3, and the changes to these prices.

There are a number of websites that offer suggestions of how to buy from Canada or other countries, that cover the rules and legalities, as well as the current government attitudes and efforts regarding enforcement.

My current interest in this is directly related to just one relatively high cost drug, Xarelto, that without the Plan D healthcare subsidies, would cost $5280/yr. but with the plan costs $432/yr. That said, two of my other prescriptions also have risen dramatically.
Epipen... from $28, to $600... though a recent generic is half that price.
Colchicine... which went from $.014/pill to $5.80/pill

Since I am in the grizzled, older generation, I get to talk with others, my age, and older. Some are paying more than $10,000./yr. for prescriptions, and much, much more for treatment of chronic conditions. There are limits to subsidies such as Medicaid, and when those limits are reached there are no more choices.

This is not intended as a rant against the pharmaceutical industry. There's enough of that online and in the news. Instead, just to open the door for discussion of how we deal with the rising prices, and perhaps some thoughts on other aspects such as recommended "use by" dates, substituting non-recommended, but useful drugs, splitting tablet dosages, purchasing online, buying in three month quantities.. etc, etc.

In any case, if you answered the title... "yes". Congratulations, and best wishes for your continued good health. For all others, perhaps you could share your own experience and plan for dealing with the cost of prescription drugs.

 

[exnavynuke]

When it was no longer cost effective for me to be on the PPO plan, I switched to the HDHP with HSA. At that point, my prescriptions were going to cost me my deductible ($2,600) in the first couple months of every year so I said screw that and decided to just go get my healthcare through the VA (everything free, private insurance still billed). If I didn't have this option then I'd be maxing out my deductible every year with my prescriptions and then have the rest of all covered medical free (my deductible = my out of pocket max currently).

Without VA medical my retirement budget would need serious changes, so I'm quite thankful that I have it (even though I'd be much happier to be healthy and not need it instead).

 

[Big_Hitter]

I'm on xarelto and pay $20 a month for it. I think it's about 10 bux a pill otherwise.

Any news on whether they have a coagulating agent out yet?

 

[bingybear]

nope.. not only aspirin. I got a beta blocker, ace inhibitor and a statin. About $168 - $170 a year. right now the drugs are scaring me... yet. The pacemaker replacement could be a lot more financially scary.

 

[Marita40]

Just aspirin or Tylenol when I feel migraine-y. No other medicines. I feel lucky for that at age 60.

I do have a retinal eye condition that requires checkups every 3-4 months, and each one is about $375. If I need the shot in the eye it is more like $675. So I mostly figure I'll likely use the HSA $2600 OOP every year and make sure to save for it.

 

[braumeister]

I've often heard it said that if aspirin were invented today, there is no way you could get it without a prescription. Powerful stuff.

BY coincidence, I bought a bottle of regular strength aspirin just last week. Something less than a penny a pill, as I recall.

 

[Music Lover]

So far so good, but I'm only 54. The only drug I need (on occasion) is some form of naproxen for gout. I used to pay $20 for a prescription of 50, but found a generic non-prescription version at Costco...$8 or $9 for a bottle of 250. The dosage is about half, but it still works out to 20% of the cost once you adjust for dosage.

 

[Lakedog]

I have also been lucky so far with no meds required, but I'm still a youngster (only 60). It has been several years since I have even had aspirin/tylenol/advil/etc.

 

[Ronstar]

61 and take nothing except an occasional vitamin.

 

[Dawg52]

Been on Lovastatin for 10 years. The last few years acid reflux has been increasing and it's looking like Prilosec will be a regular on the team. I take an Ibuprofen here and there but not regularly. That's it for now.

 

[H2ODude]

Recently went from zip to three; at 65 doc said take a baby aspirin (which they wrote a prescription for and it was $1.20 on plan D. Huh.). Also BP was up to 140/85 in spite of regular exercise. NOT happy bout that, started beta blocker, not enough, added another, lopressor. Still was getting some high numbers occasionally. The first two were a couple of bucks a month, the last one he prescribed was about $120. Nope. I can afford it but that just said no to me.

Instead I'm intent on dropping well below the overweight BMI that I hover at. I've already lost ~15# and dropping by monitoring calories. BP seems very stable and I intend to wean off the 2nd pill next month. I'd really like to get to nothing but aspirin but if BP calls for meds so be it.

 

[Just_Steve]

Overseas pharmacies are the answer for a lot of this.
Maybe I'm rolling the dice but have not had an issue as of yet.

 

[DatumPoint5]

I know quite a few people who use this website https://www.goodrx.com/ and get great reductions on their meds with the coupons. No sign-up, no personal info.

One person I know took a coupon from this website (Effexor 100mg), presented it to the Pharmacy and was informed "we can do better than that" and signed her up for some kind of special at Rite Aid. Her 300 dollar pills suddenly dropped to 23 dollars.

Strange world........

 

[misanman]

No meds at 70.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I take 4 meds. On a HMO now so pay very little for them. In July I am switching to the PPO so will need to pay 20% of the cost. However, all are generic. After a year if this was not a good move then will go back. My premiums raised to 11.5k/year so for half the price we will see what happens.

 

[braumeister]

BP was up to 140/85 in spite of regular exercise. NOT happy bout that, started beta blocker, not enough, added another, lopressor.

I was surprised to see that the AMA now recommends treatment for those over 60 only when BP is over 150/90. By all means you should follow your doc's advice, though.

 

[NYEXPAT]

63, occasionally take a centrum silver.

 

[sengsational]

You can order from outside the country and get your Rx filled. Nobody's busted-down my door yet and seized my Rx, or stopped it at the border.

Xarelto $1.84 ea
Epipen 0.15mg $72
Colchicine $0.29 ea

 

[W2R]

I still don't take aspirin. I took no prescriptions either, through my 50's and into my early 60's IIRC. But now that I am older, I take 5 prescription medications and my health insurance pays part of the cost. My share adds up to roughly $2,000/year.

For all others, perhaps you could share your own experience and plan for dealing with the cost of prescription drugs.

I am content with annual spending that is a little less than I can afford to spend, so in other words I have some wiggle room in the budget. So far I am doing OK and can afford my prescriptions, although years ago I never would have guessed that they would cost so much. As for the future - - - well, we never know what will happen I suppose. Some things go up in price, but a few things go down in price too. I'll just do what I can, and continue to enjoy retirement.

 

[Big_Hitter]

dang man that's cheep for xarelto

heck I may be able to FIRE now

 

[harley]

I was surprised to see that the AMA now recommends treatment for those over 60 only when BP is over 150/90. By all means you should follow your doc's advice, though.

-1 on taking your doc's advice. Maybe a second opinion? Or at least another discussion with your doc. After you spend some time researching it on your own so you'll be knowledgeable when you discuss it. A lot of doctors aren't very liable to change when new information comes along. But with the power and side effects of a lot of these drugs, avoiding them whenever feasible is not a bad idea.

 

[NW-Bound]

I am taking an 82-mg aspirin, a multi-vitamin, and a fish-oil capsule a day. Am I throwing money away?

PS. I had my share of expensive medicine 3 years ago. One shot was $3K, and they gave me about 4. Thank goodness it was for an acute condition, not chronic.

 

[braumeister]

now that I am older, I take 5 prescription medications

General suggestion, not just for you but for anyone with multiple prescriptions:
Even if they all came from the same doctor, if you were given those prescriptions at different times you might want to take a fresh look at possible interactions.

You could ask your doc, or a trusted pharmacist, or even just a website.

Drug Interactions Checker

Interaction Checker

Drug Interactions Checker - Check Your Brand and Generic Drugs - RxList

 

[imoldernu]

Remember pinworm, or ringworm? Usually a kid problem like "cooties".
Check out this article that tells how the cost went from $3 /pill, to $600/pill.

Pinworm prescription jumps from $3 to up to $600 a pill

That means "curing" what was a common childhood infection now costs $1800.

 

[harley]

Pinworm is a parasitic infection, while ringworm is a fungal infection. Totally different, but either can be cured with inexpensive OTC meds. That was a very alarmist and misleading article.