Found out something I didn't know....

[njean]

I received a brochure in the mail from my insurance prescription drug program showing me the amount of money I'd save if I switched to "Jantoven" (generic equivalent of coumadin!)

Just wondering if others on VR had heard coumadin called this? I've always just known of warfarin......

Anyway, the savings would be quite substantial. Right now I pay $608.34/yr for 10mg coumadin & $608.34/yr for the 7.5mg! If I were to switch, I'd pay $81.12 for each of the prescriptions! (a savings of $1054.44/yr)

But, I've never felt comfortable taking the generic Rx however when I was in the hospital, I was given warfarin!

 

[Mike]

it's just warfarin...

it's just warfarin...

...according to al the websites Google found for me! I'm not sure why your insurance company has such a thing going for that manufacturer. Curious, ain't it?!?

Diana

 

[greg]

Like you, I've never heard of Jantoven. I take warfarin, and have for sevral years, without any problems. Warfarin costs $9.00 a month for 5mg's. The brand name would be $25 to $50 a month. Plenty big savings.

ps
I've enjoyed your pictures.

 

[geebee]

Yep - Janotven is just another generic coumadin. I believe Hank has been taking it for years.

 

[Bina]

I believe Jantovan is what they call Coumadin in Canada. It is just a different brand name. Personally, I have always taken warfarin. It is $4 a month or $10 per three months at WalMart, and most pharmacies will match the WalMart price if you ask them. Al Lodwick is a staunch believer that warfarin and coumadin are equivalent, and his opinion is good enough for me. I have taken both Barr brand and Taro brand warfarin and have also taken coumadin samples occasionally. I have never noticed any problems switching back and forth and have never noticed that my INR seems more stable or less stable on any given brand.

Jantoven is American......http://www.upsher-smith.com/products/cardiology.html

 

[dick0236]

njean, I finally convinced my docs to let me go on warfarin (from Coumadin) three years ago. I have taken both Barr Labs and Taro manufactured warfarin without change in INR and with no other side effects. If anything, my INR has been more stable under the Taro brand than either the Barr Lab or Coumadin brand.

I take 5mg/day and pay $10/qtr($40/year) for 5mg tablets at Walmart. That is their retail price without any form of insurance. I believe that other retailers such as Kroger now follow the Walmart pricing.

Coumadin pricing is MY PET PEEVE. You and I have been on this stuff a long time. There is no reason for Coumadin to be priced as high as it is. All of the R&D cost was recovered decades ago. It is my opinion that this drug is a "shining" example of a big pharma ripoff.

 

[Ross]

Hank takes Jantoven. I've had a couple trial packs of it. Same old drug, just lots cheaper then name brand.

www.drugstore.com

Jantoven - 5mg Tablets
Quantity Our Price
30 tablets $22.80

Coumadin - 5mg Tablets
Quantity Our Price
30 tablets $36.99

Warfarin Sodium - 5mg Tablets
Quantity Our Price
30 tablets $13.99 - save 30% ($6.00)

 

[njean]

As always, thank you all for your replies. I didn't realize that Jantoven was that widely known. I am going to ask my cardio my next visit & see how he feels about me switching.

Now that I'm on a "fixed" income, finding ways to save money without compromising my health, makes a lot of sense.

Thanks again!

 

[sue943]

I just take any old warfarin which the pharmacist has in stock that day, no problems. We can only get the generic, never seen it branded here.

 

[Ross]

I just take any old warfarin which the pharmacist has in stock that day, no problems. We can only get the generic, never seen it branded here.

Heck I've mixed brand, generic, you name it, it's all the same.

 

[geebee]

Like Dick pointed out - Walmart has warfarin on their $4 list. You can get 30 tablets for $4 and they recently expanded the list to include all dosages. I get mine filled at Kroger since they have the same program and it's easier but Kroger isn't in all areas.

 

[njean]

Like Dick pointed out - Walmart has warfarin on their $4 list. You can get 30 tablets for $4 and they recently expanded the list to include all dosages. I get mine filled at Kroger since they have the same program and it's easier but Kroger isn't in all areas.

So you do take Warfarin Gina? We don't have a Kroger but we do have a Walmart so I'll keep this in mind. Thanks!

 

[Guest]

More than 2 out of every 3 people in the US now take warfarin as opposed to the brand Coumadin. I'm sure of this because the people at Bristol Myers Squibb told me that when their market share fell below 30% they would stop supporting the brand. They stopped supporting it as of January 1, 2008.

It the Canadian province of Ontario less than 1 person in 10 takes the brand Coumadin.

Manufacturing technology has progressed to the point where there is no difference.

 

[Bina]

I've never been offered warfarin, maybe it's partly because I live in a small town.?
I would think that the huge cities of Toronto and Ottawa are the big sellers of generics.
My Coumadin pills for 60 days costs $23.19 and my insurance covers 80%....very reasonable.

 

[geebee]

So you do take Warfarin Gina? We don't have a Kroger but we do have a Walmart so I'll keep this in mind. Thanks!

Yep - I switched to warfarin about 4 years ago and have been just fine on it. They usually give me either Taro or Barr and either works great.

 

[catwoman]

Norma:

I've been using the generic for 4 years now. Saw no difference when I switched from Coumadin to warfarin.

My PCP writes my Rxes so I can get 90 tablets at a time in 3 strengths, 1, 2 and 10. Each bottle of 90 tablets is $10 at Wal-Mart or Kroger's (I've used both chains).
I halve the tablets. I've cut my warfarin spending down to $60/year.

A far cry from $20/3 months for each through Medco Health for warfarin ( think it was $20 last year when I was on United Healthcare).

I shudder to think what I'd be spending for Coumadin.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Crazy isn't it?!?!

I pay a whorehouse insurance premium every month to BCBS and they use Medco for drugs. My co-pay through my BCBS/Medco for a 3 month prescription is $20 and that's DOUBLE what I actually pay at my grocery store (HEB-Texas chain) drive in pharmacy window. Three months for only $9.99 for warfarin - BARR brand. That means my warfarin costs only $29.97 a year. {Correction = $39.96 a year} Far cry from your cost Norma...

I switched to warfarin about 5 years ago - no difference. Hmmmm, could it be that insurance companies and drug companies sleep together..

 

[njean]

Crazy isn't it?!?!

I pay a whorehouse insurance premium every month to BCBS and they use Medco for drugs. My co-pay through my BCBS/Medco for a 3 month prescription is $20 and that's DOUBLE what I actually pay at my grocery store (HEB) drive in pharmacy window. Three months for only $9.99 for warfarin - BARR brand. That means my warfarin costs only $29.97 a year. Far cry from your cost Norma...

I switched to warfarin about 5 years ago - no difference. Hmmmm, could it be that insurance companies and drug companies sleep together..

Yep, I agree. It's outrageous!

After reading you all's posts & realizing that the majority of you are on the generic without any complications, I feel more comfortable about switching to the generic too!

Muchas gracias all!

 

[JodyC]

I take Jantoven

I take Jantoven

I started out on in at UofM so I didn't know the difference. It only costs me a 5$ co-pay so that is really nice. Works for me!

 

[Roger Frank]

Kroger/Dillons in my area has the generic for 8 bucks per 90 day supply.