Outrageous Drug Costs

2/04/09

Today, drug cost are astronomical. One medicine I take, Abilify, cost $25.00+ a tablet and I take one daily. When the drug manager of the Part D plan I enrolled in changed, my co-pays went from $3.00 for brand name drugs to $75.00 per brand name drug. When I hit the doughnut hole I expect to have to pay more than $500.00 per month for all of my ten medications from April onwards.

I am frustrated and angry. I am on a fixed income and supplement my income with freelance writing to the tune of $700 per year, sometimes. Still, I cannot afford to pay for my medications. I am angry at having to take the medications and I am angry at big Pharma for charging so much for the medications. There is no generic for Abilify available in the States.



So, I have applied for the patient assistance program of Bristol-Myers-Squibb to obtain free Abilify. I realize that I may not be eligible, but I plan to appeal.



I am only one of millions of people who are unable to afford their medications and people who have to often choose between meds and food and rent.



In a country where many phsician surveyed said they watch House, MD, Scrubs, or E. R., it seems to me that at least one episode ought to address this clearly financial and ethical issue.



I seem to remember the Kings County Hospital slidng scale and reduced prescription costs. Let me see I am eligible for the sliding scale and reduced costs.



Of corse, I have to chuckle and wonder if buying stock in Bristol Myers Squibb would make any of this easier to bear, but then if I could afford to buy stock I'd probably be able to afford the meds, but then maybe not.