I'm absolutely shocked by this and had to read the article out loud to my British husband, who is now just picking himself up from the floor. I developed severe asthma in 2018 (seven years after moving to England and never having any interaction with the medical world, aside from a root canal three months after I moved here); the inhaler I've eventually graduated to that has given me my life back is called Fostair and was initially prescribed to be two puffs, twice a day. I also have a blue (rescue) inhaler in my purse, just in case. When I first started getting these inhalers (with the NHS, of course), they cost £16 (about the equivalent of $20). Then, a couple years ago (two days after my 60th birthday), when my husband went to pick up my prescription, the gal behind the pharmacist's counter simply handed it to him and said, "Thank you!" He said, "Wait a minute, I haven't paid for it yet!" and she replied, "Oh, no, your wife is 60, there's no charge anymore." [insert wide-eyed shocked meme here]
I can't even imagine what I'd have done if this had happened to me while I still lived in the States. I was a single mom with a mortgage and $25/month child support (the ex was a rat bastard) and we only went to the doctor if we had a bone sticking out, there was a gash that couldn't be fixed with a Band-aid, or we honestly thought we were dying—there's NO WAY I'd have been able to afford inhalers. How have Americans done it!?
My last 2 inhalers were given to me by friends, but hooray for this, although $35 is still kinda high for something that people need in order to breathe, it is def some help!
I just paid $250 for my generic Symbicort. I have ACA insurance/Obamacare which is wonderful. I've had it the entire 10 years it's been in existence. I haven't met my $1600 deductible yet, thus I paid all of it. Last month I had to get my other inhaler, Spiriva for $150. I have COPD, use Symbicort 2x a day (4 puffs) and Spiriva once a day (2 puffs). I'm happy that both inhalers are made by the 2 companies who agreed to cap the cost at $35 a month. Effective June 1st, 2024 by which time I will have met my out of pkt max and pay $0.
As someone else said...only in America do we struggle with this BS and I am so thankful for those good Democratic Senators who are fighting the good fight for those of us that can't.
I have often given insurance companies credit for being at the forefront of addressing climate change, because they KNOW their bottom line will be affected by disastrous weather. Why can’t they do the same in the medical arena, and swing their big schlongs at the drug companies who are gouging them on costs?!?
I had to pay $25 for an inhaler once, and that was outrageous by our standards (it was a high dose specialised one tho) - y'all need to fix your medical sitch, stat!
Americans have long been subjected to what amount to monopolistic practices masquerading as the beneficial operations a "free market." The drug companies just charge whatever number sounds best to them at present (and for some reason -- who can say why? -- that's always a very high and even an obscene one), and the insurers pay it. Why? Because, as with the House in a gambling town, all the money is coming from their customers anyway, so they're not losing a dime. It really is remarkable the market-fundamentalist nonsense Americans will accept at face value. In many instances, it's literally killing them.
I love Bernie Sanders for reducing the price of Symbicort! Without it, I cannot breathe. Every January I have to fork over nearly $400 to cover my drug copay and deductible just to get a one-month inhaler. And don't get me started about the donut hole.
"Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) sent letters to Astrazeneca, Boehringer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Teva..." What do these senators have in common? They all seem to have a 'D' next to their name. Weird. Also odd that no GOP senators signed-on.
Also look into the fake Atenolol she marketed, made in Pakistani and Egyptian basement labs. Contained zero Atenolol but Daddy kept the FDA away from her business.
I live in Ireland. My heavily subsidised Trelegy costs me €2.00 pm. The non sbsidised cost would be approx €50.00pm. The EU doesn't play games with big Pharma.
I'm absolutely shocked by this and had to read the article out loud to my British husband, who is now just picking himself up from the floor. I developed severe asthma in 2018 (seven years after moving to England and never having any interaction with the medical world, aside from a root canal three months after I moved here); the inhaler I've eventually graduated to that has given me my life back is called Fostair and was initially prescribed to be two puffs, twice a day. I also have a blue (rescue) inhaler in my purse, just in case. When I first started getting these inhalers (with the NHS, of course), they cost £16 (about the equivalent of $20). Then, a couple years ago (two days after my 60th birthday), when my husband went to pick up my prescription, the gal behind the pharmacist's counter simply handed it to him and said, "Thank you!" He said, "Wait a minute, I haven't paid for it yet!" and she replied, "Oh, no, your wife is 60, there's no charge anymore." [insert wide-eyed shocked meme here]
I can't even imagine what I'd have done if this had happened to me while I still lived in the States. I was a single mom with a mortgage and $25/month child support (the ex was a rat bastard) and we only went to the doctor if we had a bone sticking out, there was a gash that couldn't be fixed with a Band-aid, or we honestly thought we were dying—there's NO WAY I'd have been able to afford inhalers. How have Americans done it!?
My last 2 inhalers were given to me by friends, but hooray for this, although $35 is still kinda high for something that people need in order to breathe, it is def some help!
I just paid $250 for my generic Symbicort. I have ACA insurance/Obamacare which is wonderful. I've had it the entire 10 years it's been in existence. I haven't met my $1600 deductible yet, thus I paid all of it. Last month I had to get my other inhaler, Spiriva for $150. I have COPD, use Symbicort 2x a day (4 puffs) and Spiriva once a day (2 puffs). I'm happy that both inhalers are made by the 2 companies who agreed to cap the cost at $35 a month. Effective June 1st, 2024 by which time I will have met my out of pkt max and pay $0.
As someone else said...only in America do we struggle with this BS and I am so thankful for those good Democratic Senators who are fighting the good fight for those of us that can't.
Yeah, I have one inhaler that is $ 742.00. Crazy.
Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies driven by profit? Incontheivable!
You keep using that word.......I don't think it means what you think it means......
Ta, Robyn. All the new drugs developed in this country are subsidized by us, the taxpayers. The pharmaceutical companies are shameless.
> and no one (aside from Duncan Sheik) should have to go through life barely breathing.
Well played! I haven't heard that one in probably a decade, but it was a favorite in HS.
I still will never forgive Sanders for sandbagging HRC. Never.
I do.
Oh, thank god SOMEONE said it. I was a little miffed at him, too, for taking the attention away from Biden during his inauguration.
yes
I have often given insurance companies credit for being at the forefront of addressing climate change, because they KNOW their bottom line will be affected by disastrous weather. Why can’t they do the same in the medical arena, and swing their big schlongs at the drug companies who are gouging them on costs?!?
I had to pay $25 for an inhaler once, and that was outrageous by our standards (it was a high dose specialised one tho) - y'all need to fix your medical sitch, stat!
My favorite kind of story: terrific news, brilliantly reported. Brava!
Americans have long been subjected to what amount to monopolistic practices masquerading as the beneficial operations a "free market." The drug companies just charge whatever number sounds best to them at present (and for some reason -- who can say why? -- that's always a very high and even an obscene one), and the insurers pay it. Why? Because, as with the House in a gambling town, all the money is coming from their customers anyway, so they're not losing a dime. It really is remarkable the market-fundamentalist nonsense Americans will accept at face value. In many instances, it's literally killing them.
I love Bernie Sanders for reducing the price of Symbicort! Without it, I cannot breathe. Every January I have to fork over nearly $400 to cover my drug copay and deductible just to get a one-month inhaler. And don't get me started about the donut hole.
That is...obscene. I can't imagine having to pay that much for a one-month inhaler.
"Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) sent letters to Astrazeneca, Boehringer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Teva..." What do these senators have in common? They all seem to have a 'D' next to their name. Weird. Also odd that no GOP senators signed-on.
Republicans' constituents don't hold breathing in high regard.
Next please, look into Manchin's daughter and price gouging on EpiPens.
Also look into the fake Atenolol she marketed, made in Pakistani and Egyptian basement labs. Contained zero Atenolol but Daddy kept the FDA away from her business.
According to my recent CVS receipt shows the “retail” price for my Trelegy (Glaxo product) inhaler nearly $800. How is this legal?
I live in Ireland. My heavily subsidised Trelegy costs me €2.00 pm. The non sbsidised cost would be approx €50.00pm. The EU doesn't play games with big Pharma.
Wow, just visited and I want to move to Galway!
'Merica!