I am on Medicare now with disability and looking into a new prescription plan as I will have the new one dropped the end of December 2016. My Depakote will cost $350 a month for one prescription and that is just one medication. I don't want to change to a generic medication as I have seizures that just come on with no warning and have had many seizures. Wondering what other people are doing? Thanks, Jeanne
High cost of medications!!
- Thread starter Jeanbean
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Hi Jean bean,
When I started down the seizure medicine road I also could not afford the medications, even some of the newer generics were hundreds of dollars per month.
From a cost point of view I was lucky that none of the medications helped me so I do not have to pay for useless medication.
I have no idea how people without good insurance can afford their meds.
When I started down the seizure medicine road I also could not afford the medications, even some of the newer generics were hundreds of dollars per month.
From a cost point of view I was lucky that none of the medications helped me so I do not have to pay for useless medication.
I have no idea how people without good insurance can afford their meds.
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My insurance charges a whole lot more for the brand (Lamictal), than for the generic (lamotrigine), so I'm on the generic. In my case, the generic is just as effective in controlling my seizures. But some folks have definitely found the generics to be problematic. Have you tried the generic Depakote w. no luck?
You may find some helpful advice in this CWE thread:
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f45/when-you-cant-afford-medication-1452/
You may find some helpful advice in this CWE thread:
http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f45/when-you-cant-afford-medication-1452/
Ask Pharmacetical Companies For Help!
I found out that if I contacted the makers of my medications and told them how I couldn't afford to pay for their medications I was surprised when I got a package delivered to my house. I didn't know what it was, so I was really surprised to find six bottles of name-brand Keppra 500mg tablets, 250/bottle. This medication had been costing me $600/mth up until then! They also put a letter in with the bottles that said I should contact them again if I ever needed help with paying for my Kepprs prscription again.
Because of this I contacted the other two companies that made my other two medications. I got help from them too!
This may be something for you to try if the cost of the medications is too high for your budget! :twocents:
acshuman
I found out that if I contacted the makers of my medications and told them how I couldn't afford to pay for their medications I was surprised when I got a package delivered to my house. I didn't know what it was, so I was really surprised to find six bottles of name-brand Keppra 500mg tablets, 250/bottle. This medication had been costing me $600/mth up until then! They also put a letter in with the bottles that said I should contact them again if I ever needed help with paying for my Kepprs prscription again.
Because of this I contacted the other two companies that made my other two medications. I got help from them too!
This may be something for you to try if the cost of the medications is too high for your budget! :twocents:
acshuman
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When I was on my husband's insurance it was great, I paid $8 for any med no matter what it was. He lost his job a few years ago and went on Medicare, I know exactly what you are talking about. I think I pay more for meds a month than I do for rent!
I've always been on generic meds, it's even what my neuro writes on the prescription for me. I've never had any problems with them. I know if I'd be paying for name brand I probably wouldn't be able to pay for the electricity or heat in my house either.
Someone I know told me about this and it worked for him. I never tried but I'm going to now that I've heard from two people that it works.
Sometimes you can ask your dr if he has any samples he can give you, this helps me if he is able to.
I've always been on generic meds, it's even what my neuro writes on the prescription for me. I've never had any problems with them. I know if I'd be paying for name brand I probably wouldn't be able to pay for the electricity or heat in my house either.
Someone I know told me about this and it worked for him. I never tried but I'm going to now that I've heard from two people that it works.
Sometimes you can ask your dr if he has any samples he can give you, this helps me if he is able to.
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How did you contact the makers of your meds acshuman? Phone, email or some other way? Who did you ask to speak with or send the email to? In a way what did you say? I don't want to call them and say "I'm having trouble paying for your medicine, can you send me free ones." I think that the person I know who did this had to get a prescription from my neuro, did you need to do this? Thanks again for the info.
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Contact Customer Service!
valeried,
I simply got the address of the manufacturer of the medication from the bottle they came in. I then made sure that my letter was sent to the Customer Service Depatment of the company. I'm sure that the manufacturers today put their email address on the bottle! The Customer Service department is supposed to handle any complaints that a customer may have about a product that is made by their company, so they are the ones to talk to about any problem you are having with a product that is produced by that company!
They want people to continue to use their product so they are going to try and keep customers happy even if it costs them something. The amount the Customer Service department may give to customers is figured into their Costs of Operation.
acshuman
valeried,
I simply got the address of the manufacturer of the medication from the bottle they came in. I then made sure that my letter was sent to the Customer Service Depatment of the company. I'm sure that the manufacturers today put their email address on the bottle! The Customer Service department is supposed to handle any complaints that a customer may have about a product that is made by their company, so they are the ones to talk to about any problem you are having with a product that is produced by that company!
They want people to continue to use their product so they are going to try and keep customers happy even if it costs them something. The amount the Customer Service department may give to customers is figured into their Costs of Operation.
acshuman
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Put the letters in the mail but some of my meds were put in pharmacy bottles, not the ones from the company they came from. Any advice on how to get those addresses? I just looked on the web site for one of the meds, not sure if its the one that my pharmacy gets them from, and sent them an email. Don't know if that will work or not.
Thanks again acshuman!
Thanks again acshuman!
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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! How ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
The name of the medication is written on a pharmacy bottle. There also should be a name posted on the bottle as to the manufacturer. In my case the manufacturer is listed just below the name of the medication as well as the official name. When you find the name of the manufacturer, just Google the name and you should get a description of the company and the company's address in the listing.
If you are unable to do this, simply call your pharmacist and ask them who makes the medication that you are receiving.
acshuman
The name of the medication is written on a pharmacy bottle. There also should be a name posted on the bottle as to the manufacturer. In my case the manufacturer is listed just below the name of the medication as well as the official name. When you find the name of the manufacturer, just Google the name and you should get a description of the company and the company's address in the listing.
If you are unable to do this, simply call your pharmacist and ask them who makes the medication that you are receiving.
acshuman