DAW penalty

[badatmath]

So my medication (Synthroid), doctor writes it for DAW no substitutes. So last pickup at pharmacy I get a $9.99 copay and a $99 DAW1 penalty.

So I call benefits site and they say have the doctor allow substitutes but send it thru the mail instead we will automatically give you brand for $9.99.

So I google DAW penalty and find there is a DAW2 so I call back and say are you sure this is what I should do? They said no no have them write it DAW1 and it will be $9.99 either way retail or mail. And oh by the way this changes every 3 months.

Does everyone go through this?

My dose is never right on this - never has been if we are looking for "perfect" lab tests.

 

[badatmath]

Does anyone know if it is a problem on Medicare drug plans too? I assume so I guess.

 

[ratface]

I can not speak to the Dispense as written order but have been on generic Synthroid for over a decade and it took about three years to get my dosage correct. I started at the lowest dosage and they kept adjusting until I felt better and the lab work was in range. Your lab work can come back within range and you can still feel crappy, tired or cold, you will know when it's too high if you feel jittery and anxious all the time. In my case we settled on 112mcg with a double dose on Sundays to tweak it just right. This is a medication you should advocate and complain about dosage levels until you feel right with it. You can cut pills in half or double up on them to get you to the sweet spot. It takes some fine tuning.

 

[badatmath]

Thanks. I have been on it many years. I do not think it does much TBH. My TSH is never in range anyway but T3/4 are okay.

But it always used to be on my insurance that the brand was "preferred" so the penalty is new. I have more blood tests coming up and may get a new script so I was just trying to figure it out in advance.

 

[Octogirl]

Dispense As Written (DAW) penalty applies to the cost of your med if your provider requests the brand name when a generic alternative is available.
Has your Pharm management company changed ?
Do you need to get a pre-auth for DAW ?
Call the doc office manager - who may be hearing from others with problem and ask for help
I do this for my mom's meds sometimes.

The DAW penalty is the cost of the copay plus the difference in cost between the brand name and generic alternative medication.
Also, if you have symptoms, have your Free T 4 checked. (Free = unattached to protein)
Good Luck

 

[badatmath]

No it is not on the list for pre-auth, it actually appears to be the preferred brand! and same pharm manager.

I quit complaining of symptoms some 20 years ago because the doctor said this is what you take. Get used to it. So I take it. But I liked it better at $9.99!

 

[Koolau]

I can not speak to the Dispense as written order but have been on generic Synthroid for over a decade and it took about three years to get my dosage correct. I started at the lowest dosage and they kept adjusting until I felt better and the lab work was in range. Your lab work can come back within range and you can still feel crappy, tired or cold, you will know when it's too high if you feel jittery and anxious all the time. In my case we settled on 112mcg with a double dose on Sundays to tweak it just right. This is a medication you should advocate and complain about dosage levels until you feel right with it. You can cut pills in half or double up on them to get you to the sweet spot. It takes some fine tuning.

My endo doc only required 2 tries to get my Synthroid (generic) right. Of course, it's probably easier when you have no thyroid trying to make its own hormone and messing things up. Curious why a doc would require brand name for Synthroid - but what do I know?

 

[badatmath]

Synthroid has what they call a "narrow theraputic index" which means some doctors prefer it. Also I have been on it since before a generic was approved for it so they reluctant to change and its not been any more $ for me in the past. They have never got my TSH in range as i am between doses but they get the T3/T4 RIGHT. IDK not sure I have good doctors.