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Thread: How is this possible?

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    Senior Member Imogene's Avatar
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    Dizzy How is this possible?

    I just had my scrip for Xanax (alprazolam) renewed for the 1st time since no longer having health insurance. How is it possible that without insurance it is only $8 BUT when I was insured it was $31!!!! WTF!!!! Our healthcare system is so screwed up.

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    God/dess Paris's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    The only thing I can think of is that the extra $23 is for processing the insurance claim (labor hours) through the pharmacy. And yes, we have the worst possible health care business model possible.

    There are just some things that the private sector businesses just seems to consistently screw up. It appears that health care is one of those things.

    Policing is another. Blackwater (XE) is a perfect example of that giant clusterf*ck.


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    Veteran Member BlueJeanBaby's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    your copay is what it is.

    Sometimes that might mean your copay is higher than if you were just paying without insurance. Other times it will save you money.

    Personally, a $30-something dollar copay for alprazolam is really high. You were getting alprazolam before and not the brand name xanax right? I could see where it'd be 30-some odd dollars if it were brand xanax, but for generic? That's high.

    Depending on the insurance plan, some insurances will ask for higher copays for behavioral medications, which xanax would fall under. This is because behavioral meds are sometimes considered "elective".

    I haven't seen a copay that high for generic xanax though...

    But yes I have to explain this situation on a daily basis to the patients we fill scripts for.
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    God/dess Gia2608's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    I concur that our health care system is f'd. Maybe you now have generic.?
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    i've had that happen. it sounds like you have a generic now. also, if you have insurance, they'll normally charge you your copay or the price, whichever is less. maybe last time you had the name brand stuff?

    this is why i'm glad i'm on prescription assistance. the pharmaceutical companies pay for my meds, which makes me happy.... I paid for too many scripts for full price, now I feel like I'm getting something back!

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    Senior Member Imogene's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    The entire time that I have had this medication it has always been filled with the generic. I guess I had a combo of shitty insurance and pharmacy for not telling me it would have been cheaper to not use insurance.

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    Veteran Member luckischalk's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    I should check to see if any of my prescriptions are cheaper if I don't use ny insurance. I pay $60 a mth for generic allegra. Yuck!

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    Veteran Member BlueJeanBaby's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    ^^^
    hmm how much fexofenadine are you getting a month? I doubt it's cheaper, but it might be. I can't remember what our cash price is.
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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    medical cost 'transfers' i.e. overcharging insured patients to help cover actual costs for non-insured patients is a basic tenet of the current US health care system.

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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    Quote Originally Posted by Imogene View Post
    I just had my scrip for Xanax (alprazolam) renewed for the 1st time since no longer having health insurance. How is it possible that without insurance it is only $8 BUT when I was insured it was $31!!!! WTF!!!! Our healthcare system is so screwed up.
    Copay was higher because you probably have a deductible. I used to work in a pharmacy. Also $31 being an odd number, makes it very very likely that it is a deductible. SO ya.
    Last edited by femmefatale88; 08-20-2009 at 10:36 AM.

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    God/dess Mr Hyde's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    Quote Originally Posted by Imogene View Post
    I just had my scrip for Xanax (alprazolam) renewed for the 1st time since no longer having health insurance. How is it possible that without insurance it is only $8 BUT when I was insured it was $31!!!! WTF!!!! Our healthcare system is so screwed up.
    Here is why...

    That script only costs you 8 w/out health insurance, but 31 with it. I'm guessing all co-pays for scripts w/ insurance are 31, right? So maybe one in 20 drugs will be cheaper than the co-pay, but the other 19 that are more expensive are covered, so you come out ahead in the end.

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    Member little_leila's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    could you try one of those pharmacies that offers the cheap generic prescriptions? I used to get generic zoloft for $8 at rite aid i think. i would look into something like that cuz usually a copay is like $10 not $30.

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    God/dess princessjas's Avatar
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    Default Re: How is this possible?

    Jeez if our prescriptions are less than our copay then we just pay the lower price! That REALLY sucks!
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