POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: J.R.E. on September 14, 2006, 07:59:01 am
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Well,
Viramune remained the same price. $471.99 ( without insurance for one month)
Epzicom remained the same price $845.99 ( without insurance for one month)
Viread : WHY DID VIREAD GO UP IN PRICE? ???
Was $526.99 ( one month supply.... Now its 559.99
These are all Walgreens prices. My co-pay $75.00
I am so grateful I have insurance.whewww....... But I can't help but worry about the future :-[
Ray
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Now those ARE scary numbers, Ray.
It's good that you have access to what you need.
What do we have to do to make sure everyone who needs them will have that same access!
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I suppose the name of the game is to survive and retain sensitivity to the drugs until the patents run out. ;)
I totally agree that the prices are ridiculous and scary, especially when the US govt is running such high deficits.
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Is this because the pharma companies raise the price? I remember seeing protests at Abbott in South Pasadena a couple years ago cuz they raised HIV med prices.
Drew
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I did a search, but couldn't find anything about Gildead raising prices. Though this price increase is small compared to what Abbott did (400% as oppose to this one which is less than 10%). My guess is it's Gilead just pushing through annual increases to maintain profit margins in the wake of rising costs. I guess it could also be Walgreens raisining their prices, but it would seem odd that their price increase would only impact one of the drugs.
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Hi Ray
I sure agree. With everything there is to worry or think about, being able to still get meds in the long term future is more worry on my mind than side effects, resistance possibilities or any illness popping up.
We are at the mercy of the drug makers as to what they charge. Government has pulled the rug from under any protections against high costs.
I also worry about employer's being able to even offer good medical insurance in the near future. They will either stop offering insurance, or charge so much for it many will not be able to afford it (like Walmart) , or the co pays will go thru the roof.
Thats why I often think I should try for taking advantage of my companies long term disability insurance I carry now, then onto SS disability. If that could work out, that might be a safer long term solution instead of this wondering year by year what is going to happen with company insurance.
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Hello Ray,
It is a good thing that you are covered. The government needs to step in and make some sort of regulation on the Pharma's.
Have the BEST Day!
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There walks the free market eh? Wouldn't (couldn't) happen in England ... just saying, like
- matt
Now playing: er, my phone's ringing
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Now those ARE scary numbers, Ray.
What do we have to do to make sure everyone who needs them will have that same access!
Hello Andy, ( Just some early morning thoughts...Been up for the last 14 hours...
Well, Thats the million dollar question...Or should I say the multi-million dollar question, because unfortunately the dollar will always be the focus point. Every year an international aids conference is held, and these exact questions comes up annually at these conferences."How do we get the meds distributed, how do we fund that distribution of meds, and make sure that the meds gets to those in need. How do we know the "numbers" of people in need. How do we prevent people from needing meds in the first place." How do we educate and inform?
No doubt it takes cooperation amongst the private sector,insurance industry the government, and the pharmaceutical industry.
For starters, my own thoughts are that we need to know how many people are in need of medication globally.We need more solid numbers.
People shouldn't have to wait until they hit the "emergency rooms" to determine, that these same people are not only HIV positive, but already have advanced HIV/ AIDS. This is happenning right here today in this grand ole USA !
If someone would have asked me in 1985, what I had thought about mandatory HIV testing, I would have said "absolutely not". I remember very well how I felt, and the stigma/shame I went through back in 1985, when I tested "anonymously" at the county health department.
Today though, that is a totally different story. But trying to push that program still raises many eyebrows for some. You read the article from the Bradenton Herald that I posted the other other day, regarding HIV/aids in the state of Florida. In fact unless the statistics have changed, I believe that Miami-dade/Broward counties have the highest rates of HIV infection occurring within the country today. Someone can correct me if I am wrong .
So just to be brief, and for starters, no doubt we need mandatory HIV testing program. We need more exact numbers of those that are walking around, unaware of their HIV infection. I think if people were more aware, of the total numbers of people infected, it would most likely be a wake up call, and an unfortunate one at that, as the numbers of those being infected increase daily !! Of course, it should have been a wake up call years ago... It's also not just an issue of reporting numbers, but putting faces to those numbers, and making it personal.
I look at the price of these medications that my "company" have basically been paying for these past three years, And my mind is completely messed up thinking about it. I am also very grateful( everyday) that I have this insurance that allows me, at this time to get on with life, But I know this is not going to last forever. I am not certain how much longer, I am going to be capable of working and keeping this insurance.I am old enough and wise enough to understand things could change at any time. I have mentioned this before, that my biggest fear, is loosing my job.I am afraid, of what state of mind this could possibly put me in. It can be overwhelming at times.
I guess ultimately, we all need to be a voice.... As Cowandale just stated "Big steps ahead...political will, funds, a level of understanding, knowledge and caring like never before...dealing with government, share holders and big pharma....harsh reality...."
But it's a reality that WE ALL need to deal with. We can not take anything for advantage,including having insurance, or having a well paying job. It's going to take a lot of effort and willpower and drive. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have taken a more positive role years ago.
Just my thoughts------------Ray