My DH’s Journey

[GinnyPNW]

I am so grateful that my DH is a veteran. When we get the FYI bills for his surgeries, I shake my head. Scary! The bill will be $2,000, Approved might be $86...and our part is usually 0. Whew! And, the $2,000 will be just ONE part of any given "procedure". They will end up in the 10's of thousand...

 

[Cooking Goddess]

The cost of medical care is ridiculous.

Himself takes a couple of pricey medications. I'm grateful that we can afford our share of the cost and very thankful we don't have to pay for the entire amount.

 

[GinnyPNW]

View attachment 64053 The cost of medical care is ridiculous.

Himself takes a couple of pricey medications. I'm grateful that we can afford our share of the cost and very thankful we don't have to pay for the entire amount.

We had ACA insurance a few years back. When ONE of DH's meds went from $500+/month to over $3,000/month -- WITH the Good RX discount -- we made a visit to the VA. We are very grateful that he qualified.

 

[dragnlaw]

You know what really makes my blood boil?
Insurance companies will pay a huge amount to the drug company for their top of the line meds. But they won't pay anything at all for a generic one at less than half the price.

Who is in who's pocket?

 

[GinnyPNW]

I'm so sorry Dragn, and I get it! For a time, we got in on a "program" for one of DH's meds that made it $30/month, instead of the $500 and +...but then it ended............

 

[Cooking Goddess]

You know what really makes my blood boil?
Insurance companies will pay a huge amount to the drug company for their top of the line meds. But they won't pay anything at all for a generic one at less than half the price.

Who is in who's pocket?

I take two common maintenance meds, both of them generic. After the insurance part is covered, my co-pay is...zero. it has been that way for a couple of years now.

 

[dragnlaw]

Honestly it didn't cost ME more - but it didn't make sense and I do know it cost others more. What I guess I was implying was that insurance rates go up all the time, so in the end we are the ones still paying.

This next is sort of relevant and I haven't asked the doctor nor the lab what the test was for exactly but - when I went for a slew of blood tests everything was covered except one - which was going to cost me $50.00. I didn't even ask what it was for but I just refused it.
Edit: I guess if it was important the doc's would mention not getting the report.

 

[GinnyPNW]

Oh, poop! Sorry K-Girl....I feel like we totally hijacked your thread! Ooops...

 

[medtran49]

You know what really makes my blood boil?
Insurance companies will pay a huge amount to the drug company for their top of the line meds. But they won't pay anything at all for a generic one at less than half the price.

Who is in who's pocket?

Do you have Good Rx in Canada?

 

[taxlady]

Do you have Good Rx in Canada?

Generally, yes. In Québec and Ontario and probably some other provinces, we have provincial drug insurance. The premium is income dependent and paid with income tax. It's max $710 per year in Québec. If you have group insurance that covers drugs, you don't need to have the gov't plan. Everyone who is a permanent resident of Québec is required to have one or the other. Most of our Rx drugs cost less than the same drugs in the US.

 

[dragnlaw]

I think I posted this somewhere, but - further to taxy's explanation... to give you and example
I get 4 different prescriptions on a monthly basis - I pay $4.11 for each.
Once each year (for me it is in Aug, I think) I'm charged $100 along with the $4.11 per.
This is Ontario - in Quebec it was slightly different but probably worked out the same at the end of the year... although I believe it was a bit more there.