At pharmacy to pick up a refill on a prescription from my dermatologist. Using it for about ten years on as-needed basis. (Usually it lasts 12-18 months on one refill.)
Presto, the price is $645 because suddenly it is non-formulary for insurance. But also how is a common steroid cream that expensive?
U.S. healthcare system with insurance and pharma playing chicken with our money and health is beyond absurd.
It isn't a life or death drug for me, but these games piss me off.
@S_r_stone Get it filled at a Canadian pharmacy. Much less expensive for the same drugs. PharmStore.com is a good place to start.
@ediefr That is much better but still too expensive for what it is.
$43 at Pharmstore
$22 at Cost Plus Drugs (Mark Cuban's)
But I am not shopping as much as complaining about how dysfunctional our healthcare system is.
If Mark Cuban can sell the same thing for $22 then why is the pharmacy company trying to stick insurance with a $600 bill?
Crying for regulation.
You might also check the prices on GoodRX. I've found some drugs discounted over 90% through them.
@BenA Nope
I even signed up for "health savings club" because it is often cheaper than insurance prices.
This just went off the charts for everyone. I am sure the drug company pressed their luck too far.
I'll get something else prescribed I am sure.
Pharma jacks up prices on common drugs to cash in on insurance. Insurance pulls it off formulary list finally. Who gets hurt? Patients
Forget free market when it comes to healthcare. It just drives up prices without improving services because we can't just "shop" with every health decision.
And I have pretty good insurance in comparison to most.
Need at least a public option and take big pharma off the gravy train.