Do pharmacies ever give you attitude about the price of HAART?

[mecch]

I was surprised today. I went to fill my new prescription for Isentress/Truvada.  Well the doc wrote for 2 months and also told me he was going on holiday. And I might go on holiday. So I told the pharmacist to get the 2 months for me. 

This pharmacist has been a real doll about billing my insurance company directly for drugs. I pay all my deductible in Jan and February - 300 plus 10% up to 1000 max, so I pay 1000 in January. 

Just a little thing I did notice today, she said, when I asked for two months - "Do you know how much this costs?" and I said "no, how much?"

She said "its really expensive" and checked in her computer and replied 1400+ (about 1200-1300 USD). I said "Wow that is expensive. So I want the 2 months because I might go on holiday.  And how much was the Intellence?".  And she told me 700+.  And then there was no problem she just said "OK, tomorrow afternoon."

But why did she say that?`I am going to ask her tomorrow, when I pick it up.

The price has nothing to do with her, or me, actually, cause I paid my share already to insurance.  And nobody in Switzerland ever commented on the price of a drug before - this is a first. Its a big chain of pharmacies - not mom and pop.  Maybe its this - the pharmacy still has to get the money from my insurance company, so i guess that is a lot of money.  I'll ask...

Was just wondering if you have experienced any raised eyebrows about the cost of your drugs?

Pharmacies get a little cut on the price, don't they??

[skeebo1969]

  Ask her to throw in a free box of ju ju beans when you go back tomorrow.  I'm sure that will put a smile on her face.

[Miss Philicia]

I've always made a point of patronizing pharmacies that cater to pozzies, so no I've never encountered this.

[mecch]

She's spanish origins, so yeah she might laugh! Ask a "real" swiss for a freebie and you'll get a blank stare.

Matches are 30 centimes (cents).  Ketchup at McDo - 50.  Mayonnaise at the school canteen - 70!  If you send a letter missing postage, you get a bill for the missing postage in the mail.

Well its payback time. I get complete medical, including HIV treatment, for about 5000 CHF. Guess that's reasonable enough in the grand scheme of things.

Oh, and universities are practically free for students. Thats generous.

[mecch]

I've always made a point of patronizing pharmacies that cater to pozzies, so no I've never encountered this.

I made a point of going to the pharmacy opposite the shooting park where drunks and addicts hang out all day. Figured there'd be some HIV+.  The pharmacy usually has truvada but orders all the rest of the misc. drugs from central.  

Eek god, Isentress IS expensive!