$257 at the pharmacy today for a fourteen day course

[Cleita]

of drugs for my husband, who just spent the last 48 hours in the hospital while they saved his life. After reading the front page article about the elderly couple who can't afford their drugs anymore I know what they are saying.

My husband, who is 78, has always had a drug discount that helps with his prescriptions. When the new prescription drug benefit came through Medicare, there wasn't a single benefit for him because his discount was bundled with the new benefit, but most of his drugs have doubled in price.

This latest assault on old people has to be from the pits of Hell. However, considering what these reptiles are doing in Iraq, I don't doubt that we will have to suffer as well.

On edit: I guess I wasn't clear. These drugs have doubled in price in the last year.

[salin]

1. what happens when gov't "largesse" is acted upon

as a tool for enriching corporate coffers. Any policy by this administration isn't just tilted towards corporate gain against public interest - it is intentionally authored that way. And who pays? Those least able to pay. I agree, I don't doubt that we will all have to suffer as well.

Am glad, though, that your husband received the treatment that he needed - and the drugs required, though if these are meds that are perpetually needed... yikes - 257 for two weeks is more than $500 a month... and $6,000 a year - with NO discounts available, that could force some into the "medicine or food/rent/heat/etc." dilemna

[Cleita]

3. The price was $280 for the drugs.

The pharmacy discount that he always had knocked it down to $257, which a year ago would have been half of this. This prescription drug benefit is such a piece of shit, I can't even begin to foam at the mouth about it. I myself do without helpful drugs because he needs medication more than I do, but doubling even tripling it is really supply side economics gone horribly wrong.

[salin]

5. Indeed it is...

and sadly you are not alone in making such trade-offs. What a joke "prescription drug benefit". 'Rip-off that enriches pharma while further indebting seniors' seems a more appropriate term.

[Somawas]

2. This post is an insult to reptiles.

eom

[Cleita]

4. I agree with you.

My garden reptiles are much nicer than the White House demons. I hope you don't mind the metaphor.

[Raster]

6. Bless your heart and your husband. Big pharma sees dollar signs

when they look at you. And the my fellow posters are right, no need to insult reptiles.

Because of the situation in Canada, we know that drug companies are overcharging Americans BIGTIME because our government is snugly in their pockets. Big pharma cries they need the profit margins to support their R&D efforts. BULLSHIT. What they don't tell you is that much, if not MOST of their R&D efforts are subsidized in one way or another by the government, meaning you and me. Big pharma is the NUMBER ONE contributor to the poisoned political system that slithers (sorry reptile reference) through Washington, D.C. The FDA is nothing but a mouthpiece of the pharmaceutical industry. And the killing blow is the laughable Medicare Drug Benefit, which does nothing but increase the profit margin for big pharma.

[faithnotgreed]

13. you got that so right raster

[chicagiana]

20. Pharma "hides" their profits in "oppotunity costs" ...

Big Pharma is the MOST PROFITABLE sector in the US. The reason is simple, if you don't take some of their meds, you'll die. They are also highly consolidated.

Big Pharma cries about their their "small profit". But it's just an accounting gimmick. They figure in "opportunity cost", or the money they would have made from investing in say .... gold or pork-bellies into their "bottom line".

[AP]

7. Wherever the money is, Republicans get their corporate hands on it.

I bet you there is a direct correlation between IRAs and drug costs. Drugs are priced to eat up the money you have. You have an IRA. Well, that money is on its way to a drug company.

It's like in the 80s when savings rates were higher and people had money in S&Ls: Republicans figured out a way to rob them blind.

Wherever the money is, Republicans steal it. That's the history of modern America.

[chicagiana]

21. Democrats are pro honest business !!!!

Republicans are pro-Crooks, Liars and Thieves. They believing in economic activity that "takes wealth" instead of CREATING it!!!!

THAT is the difference between Republican and Democratic economic policy!!!

[AP]

22. Democrats think that America is wealthier when you let wealth accumulate

in a large, wealthy middle class, and that middle class then is able to excercise great discretion over how to invest and spend that money, which then helps build up strong, competitive businesses fighting fairly for that discretionary wealth.

Republicans believe that the best business model is where someone is desperate and has no chocie but to spend money on some overpriced (by virtute of the monopoly the seller enjoys) good or service up till the point where the person has spent 120% of their income, and then has to work in some safe, low-paying crappy job for their rest of their lives, which makes the market stagnate and keeps wages down but profit margins up, which are then passed on to the super wealthy as dividends, flat-taxed at 15%. They also slike it when markets have no transparency and they can use the media to convince you to be overpriced tech stocks, or Enron, and then when enough insiders have taken every last penny they can take out of the corporation, they bust out the joint, leaving the little guy holding the bag.

[pattyg]

8. Some helpful info...

Some pharmaceutical companies offer assistance programs for free meds. Your doctor's nurses should have this info. It usually just involves calling an 800 number. You can also ask your doctor for samples that the reps leave in the office. Many doctors are just as outraged about the prices, and are more than willing to help.

[Cleita]

9. We were offered this from his primary care physician after

I had already ponied up the money at the pharmacy. I don't think I can do returns and frankly maybe someone more needy than us might benefit. However, they would have to be admitted into a hospital at 2:30 AM in the morning like we were. I immediately was greeted by a pleasant woman who wanted his insurance cards, signatures, etc., etc..

I think this is an awful thing to put anyone through. I don't think affordability should even enter into a situation where someone needs medical care.

On edit: I'm sorry I didn't notice that you were a new member. Welcome to DU.

[pattyg]

10. So sorry

for your troubles. I can imagine how annoying that situation must have been. I hope your husband is doing better.

[Cleita]

11. Don't be sorry for my troubles.

The point of my post was to alert everyone about this pharmaceutical robbery that is going on. Everyone should be aware.

[faithnotgreed]

15. this goes for me too cleita - we hope youre both doing ok

[OhioChick]

12. I hope

that your Husband is doing well. It's a sad state we're in.

[napi21]

14. Every senior who's been affected by this new law should send

a complaint to their Congressman and Senator, documenting the impact on them! I've already complained to mine, but I'm 61 and not yet affected. Remember, the seniors are a BIG voting group, and I know you aren't the only one experiencing this kind of an impact.

Please send the same info you posted here to your reps in Wash. and ask everyone else you hear about to do the same. They really do pay attention when they get enough complaints! The drug companies may provide the $$ for their campaigns, but they can't provide the votes!!!

Everyone should also consider sending a flood of experiences like this to SNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, NBC, & CBS. Again, they pay attention to a lot of mail on one subject!

[barb162]

16. are you going to check Canada?

PS I am very familiar with these ripoff artists masquerading as drug companies. I just got a $300 per month prescription. Which I will do without.

[yellowdogintexas]

17. I heard Tommy Thompson's "retirement speech" today on NPR

someone asked him if he would have done anything different.. and he said
"YES, I would have wanted to be able to negotiate prices with the drug companies for the Medicare patients"

He made it very clear that he was most unhappy that this was left out of the Medicare Reform ...apparantly he wanted to resign over a year ago and **asked him to stay until end of term...that would make him deciding to resign right after the Medicare reform was passed...without the drug
negotiation part that he wanted...


HMMMMM

[China_cat]

18. I don't suppose you could move to PA?

Their lottery makes prescriptions for the elderly affordable. I'm not sure what it might be now, but it isn't that long ago that it was only $10 out of your pocket for each script. It was $7.50 during the years that my grandfather needed the most medication and that, even at those days' lower prices, would have cost more per month than his total income.

[GingerSnaps]

19. Hugs goes out to you!

My Dad had two heart attacks in August and September and he had stints put into his arteries around his heart. He also has Alzheimer's and dementia and he has never been on medication. He is now very violent and I have to make sure that he takes his medicine to calm him down.

After he was released from the hospital they handed me around 11 prescriptions to be filled. I took them to Walgreen's and they asked me for close to a (don't get shocked) $980.00 bucks. I went into shock immediately because some of the medicine was for 20 days.

I filled them one time and then I started calling up senior citizens agencies. They told me if they put him in a home that his medicine would be covered. I don't know where to put him and I will be alone if he is gone.

My Dad is a Veteran and I called the VA. The VA fills all of his prescriptions for free.

Is your husband a Veteran?

[Cleita]

27. No. My husband immigrated from Ireland fifty years ago.

He didn't go into the miltary as he was past draft age at the time. It's good that the VA still does that. I wonder for how long though before the Bushistas cut drug benefits out of their budget along with the many other things they are robbing vets of.

[hickman1937]

29. When my Mom died

three tears ago, I had to stand at the sink in my sisters kitchen with the hospice nurse and put all her meds down the drain. Its the law. When we got to her ALS pills(don't remember the name) the nurse mentioned that they cost $300.00 EACH! She also mentioned that she worked with people who could not afford them, and it made her sick to put them down the drain. I recapped the vial and shoved them in the pocket of her smock. neither of us said a word, just went on pouring the rest of the meds down the sink. If you're wealthy, you can cut someones head off for annoying you, and get away with it. That nurse could go to jail for what we did.

[KlatooBNikto]

23. In another thread I started this morning, I have called for the expulsion

of the DLC from our Party.My anger at them is doubled by your post.They have been party to the betrayal of our seniors as they acquiesce in the fraudulent tax cuts for the wealthy that cuts the ground from our needy citizens like your husband. Their acquiescence in a fraudulent war is even more despicable.

I am truly sorry about your husband.I hope both of you are doing well.

[Cleita]

28. This is why I am joining the Green Party.

They stand for my values and what the Democratic Party used to stand for. If enough liberal Democrats join them, the Democratic Party will have the same number of members as the Libertarian or Reform Party has. Then they can call themselves the DLC party for sure.

[Ms_Mary]

24. I'm sorry. I kept trying to tell people but nobody listened. nt

[radwriter0555]

25. I know exactly what you mean.

I did the same thing.

I give up...

[George_S]

26. Kick for the bloggers