Prescription drugs cost (1 Viewer)

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I found out today from a friend that "suffers" from the condition that a 30 day prescription for Adderall XR, a drug used to treat people with Attention Deficit Disorder, costs $500. $6 grand a year! This for a drug that treats a problem that is extremely easy to fake, people abuse all the time, and can get for a $5 copay. Apparently the generics cost just about the same. Is there any reasonable explanation for this?
 
I found out today from a friend that "suffers" from the condition that a 30 day prescription for Adderall XR, a drug used to treat people with Attention Deficit Disorder, costs $500. $6 grand a year! This for a drug that treats a problem that is extremely easy to fake, people abuse all the time, and can get for a $5 copay. Apparently the generics cost just about the same. Is there any reasonable explanation for this?

I dont know what shady pharmacist he gets his Adderral from but my little brother has ADHD and $500 for 30 pills is about 4-5 times what he pays.
 
Those damn street (or dorm) pharmacists do like to mark prices up, don't they? :shrug:
 
CVS y'all. Apparently its less for the non-XR, but XR (time release) is what they're giving away more these days
 
For what it's worth, out of curiosity, I tried to see how much Adderall XR costs without insurance and the ranges I saw (mind you, not a comprehensive search) topped off at about 200 for a thirty day supply. And Wal Mart (allegedly) has it cheaper.

As for why such a discrepancy? Insurers squeeze the manufacturers for lower prices so the manufacturers try to make up the difference off of people with either no insurance or plans with higher co pays. The insurance also probably picks up at least some of the difference between co pay and actual price.
 
$437.97 from the insurance company, $5 from the copay. 30 days, 3 generic 10 mg XR's a day.
 
For what it's worth, out of curiosity, I tried to see how much Adderall XR costs without insurance and the ranges I saw (mind you, not a comprehensive search) topped off at about 200 for a thirty day supply. And Wal Mart (allegedly) has it cheaper.

As for why such a discrepancy? Insurers squeeze the manufacturers for lower prices so the manufacturers try to make up the difference off of people with either no insurance or plans with higher co pays. The insurance also probably picks up at least some of the difference between co pay and actual price.

My little, little, brother has to get his supply out of pocket til they meet their deductibles (2,500 perscription - 2,500 doctor care) and his cost around $145 for 30mg and 30 days.
 
$437.97 from the insurance company, $5 from the copay. 30 days, 3 generic 10 mg XR's a day.

I guess that could make sense seeing as he is taking 90xr pills a month. Probably around 120-160 for each set of thirty. Yet that still seems a little high.
 
Definitely call around for pricing and even though you wouldn't think so, check with mom and pop type pharmacies if you have any around.

We used to deal exclusively with CVS for my wife's perscriptions. She was on a particular med that had no generic and we were paying like $180/month. The generic came out and when I picked up my wife's scrip, it was like $10 more and I asked why and they told me they don't know but it was a different name...come to find out the new generic that just came out.

I always thought the generic was supposed to be way cheaper, but in this case, CVS was way more.

I called around and the first mom and pop place I called, I spoke directly with the owner/pharmacist. He said he could do that same generic for $33. I told him I'd be in with all her perscriptions that afternoon. We ended up saving about $300/mo with him over CVS with her 4-5 different scrips.

So definitely shop around.
 

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