Price-fixing ring on UK Warfarin - Charges brought

[ClickerTicker]

Seems a bunch of companies have been stoking up the price of the rat-poison over here . This sort of stuff hits my pocket (indirectly) as I have to get an annual drug prescription season ticket to get my medication - that's about 150 bucks a year. Now such a devious thing could never happen in the good old USofA could it...?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4878346.stm

 

[RandyL]

It must of already hit here. I have to pay $502 a year not $150 like you.

 

[Ross]

It must of already hit here. I have to pay $502 a year not $150 like you.

For just Coumadin/Warfarin? How much are you taking?

Hmm, guess so for brand name, but Warfarin would be around $282 for the year.

 

[Blanche]

We pay about $64. per year for Coumadin, and another $2,300. in copayments for all of the other prescriptions we take. Even with insurance, drugs take a big bite out of our income. If Al took Warfarin, he would save about $31.00 per year. Since all four of his doctors are adamant about the brand name, he just goes along to get along.
Blanche

 

[RandyL]

For just Coumadin/Warfarin? How much are you taking?

Hmm, guess so for brand name, but Warfarin would be around $282 for the year.

Unfortunately because of my complications(see signature) my Cardio prescribed Coumadin only and Cigna will not cover Coumadin only the generic Jantoven which then would be $15 co pay and only $180 per year. After reading so many posts I think I will have him change it to the generic after this month's pills are gone.

 

[sue943]

I pay the equivalent of $3.70 for 28 5mg, 28 3mg and 56 1mg tablets of warfarin, I just cross off what I don't need, the price is the same for one tablet or 112, it makes no difference. I pay $3.70 (£2.10) for each drug that I need, I take 6 different drugs each day. We cannot get a season ticket, unlike the UK but our prescription costs are about a third of the cost, but we have to pay to see a doctor unlike them.

 

[Ross]

We in the U.S. are screwed when it comes to drug pricing. Plain and simple.

 

[MikeHeim]

We pay about $64. per year for Coumadin, and another $2,300. in copayments for all of the other prescriptions we take. Even with insurance, drugs take a big bite out of our income. If Al took Warfarin, he would save about $31.00 per year. Since all four of his doctors are adamant about the brand name, he just goes along to get along.
Blanche

I work in the medical device manufacturing industry (dental products), and I have also worked with the pharmaceutical division of our company as well. I am shocked when I hear that people who are supposed to be so smart (doctors) have such ridiculous mindsets about generic drugs. THE GENERIC DRUGS ARE THE SAME AS THE BRAND NAMES! I don't know how much more plainly I could put it. If my doctor wasn't intelligent enough to realize that, I would seriously consider finding a new doctor. Who knows what other crazy ideas he has?

Sorry, I'm passionate about this subject.

 

[sue943]

A few years back I went to Atlanta for ten days holiday (and loved it) but when I was there I realised that I hadn't brought with me the antiviral ointment I use when I get a cold sore, and naturally I got one. I went to a pharmacy and asked for the ointment which is made by GlaxoSmithKline. This is an OTC medication and costs less than $9 here, it was $25.

 

[ClickerTicker]

Wow, certainly looks like you US folks have some pretty hefty drugs bills. Perhaps I'll make you even more envious by clarifying that our annual season ticket covers all medication, not just warfarin. My CoaguChek strips are covered - they would certainly be a significant cost otherwise. I'd forgotten it had gone up recently and it actually sits at 167 dollars a year.
Our health-care is supposed to be "free at the point of need" (who writes this stuff), and it more or less is for the major stuff. Free is more spin that reality though, the whole thing is funded from our taxes. There's also quite a few hidden charges, which are a sort of stealth tax on the sick...
- unless you have a season ticket you pay a fixed charge (about 12 dollars) for each prescription of each drug outside of hospital.
- hospital car parking is prohibitively expensive - up to 20 or 30 bucks a day, and that's if you can find a space.
- hefty charges are placed on "luxuries" whilst in hospital, things like incoming and outgoing phone calls (no mobiles), TV etc.

Ross - we're is straying a fair bit away from AntiCoag - feel free to move this thread as appropriate.

 

[Ross]

Nope, it's where it should be even if it's a little off topic. Not a big deal at all.

 

[Guest]

It never ceases to amaze me that governments can take money from people and then give them a little of it back and still manage to convince the citizens that the resulting product/service is free.

Sort of like life insurance. You are betting that you will die and the company is betting that you will live and you are hoping that the company loses.

 

[RandyL]

Sort of like life insurance. You are betting that you will die and the company is betting that you will live and you are hoping that the company loses.

I am hoping that the company wins

 

[Granbonny]

I am not wanting to start anything. But, I only pay $18.39 a month for my life-saving drug of Warfarin.. ..$0.61 cents a day.(which our insurance reinburses me)( I wait until my and Hubby's meds reaches $200.00)then I file and get a check a few weeks later.Full coverage....but, back to the cost of Warfarin..( B/T/W..just one B/P (Hyzaar..) cost hubby $91.39)a month....Now back to Warfarin.. ..I spend that on 1 can of dog/cat food a day.$0.61 cents.......Before I get flamed..I know members with pets know what I am saying. ......so..what I'm trying to say..Warfarin is one of the cheapest life=saving drugs on the market. ..I just bought O/T/C Claritin..for my watery eyes at $1.00 a pill...Any member who thinks that warfarin is going to put them in the poor-house..think about what else you spend $0.62 cents on a day? Now, yall can flame me.. Bonnie

 

[Georgia]

Bonnie - you ought to try to get generic Claritin - it's much cheaper, particularly if you buy it in bottles of 100. At Walgreen's I can get it on sale for @$30/100 tabs.

 

[Ross]

I am not wanting to start anything. But, I only pay $18.39 a month for my life-saving drug of Warfarin.. ..$0.61 cents a day.(which our insurance reinburses me)( I wait until my and Hubby's meds reaches $200.00)then I file and get a check a few weeks later.Full coverage....but, back to the cost of Warfarin..( B/T/W..just one B/P (Hyzaar..) cost hubby $91.39)a month....Now back to Warfarin.. ..I spend that on 1 can of dog/cat food a day.$0.61 cents.......Before I get flamed..I know members with pets know what I am saying. ......so..what I'm trying to say..Warfarin is one of the cheapest life=saving drugs on the market. ..I just bought O/T/C Claritin..for my watery eyes at $1.00 a pill...Any member who thinks that warfarin is going to put them in the poor-house..think about what else you spend $0.62 cents on a day? Now, yall can flame me.. Bonnie

O.k. then, you asked for it!