I am so happy to have insurance because today when I picked up my Rayos (Lodotra) a timed release form of prednisone available here in the US, my pharmacist said, do you know how much this costs? I was shocked to find out my cost is zero, but they are charging my insurance company $9,000 a month for 3 mg Rayos a night)! That is unbelievable and very upsetting. No wonder our insurance costs are going up like crazy every year. I'm considering waking up at 2am and just taking pred which in comparison costs like $12 a month. This is outrageous.
something not quite right? The online pharmacies seem to be considerably less.
I agree that is insane. How in the neck can the pharmaceutical companies get away with that kind of robbery. I'd love to know how much it cost to produce it.
I am sure that insurance company does not pay that much... They have negotiated prices which are different from what you would pay if did not have insurance, It is ironic that in US people who do not have insurance pay "list" price and everyone else pays less.
I remember reading that in Europe, the price is $100-150 for one month supply, regardless if it is 1mg or 5mg pills. I think I read that in US price is about 10X higher, but what you were quoted is outrages.
Next election support candidate who will bring single payer to stop ourtages rip-offs for drug or medical cost.
artfingers, it is outrageous and crazy! Okay what can we do, currently I am taking larger doses, 17 1/2 am and 7 1/2 at bedtime. When the bedtime dose get very small I think of putting the Predinisone in a, time release capsule, hoping that will work. I am planning on giving it a try.
But I am with you OUTRAGEOUS!
That is outrageous - check with other pharmasists or go online.
You could stay with Pred and put them in time release capsules. Much cheaper!
It is a new form of pred with a special coating and still under patent - like all new drugs, they are recouping development costs. It will be cheaper later.
However - it is only in the USA that it costs so much. Here in Europe it costs about 27 euros ($30) for 30 tablets whatever the dose so your 3mg (which requires 2 tablets, 2+1) would cost $60 per month here, $90 if you needed 3 tablets per dose which takes you up to 15mg. All due to being negotiated by very large fundholders - socialised medicine.
The time release capsules you can buy are not the same. Rayos/Lodotra is released all at once after 4 hours - time release capsules allow the drug to release slowly over several hours which isn't useful for PMR and even less use for GCA. The best result is achieved when the dose is taken all at once and absorbed within a short time period.
See my response to Constance.
Not quite: $30 for 30 pills, whatever dose - so a dose needing 2 pills to make it up would be $60, 3 would be $90.
Hang on, Artfingers. Is it the pharmacy which is charging the insurance company that much? Or the manufacturer charging the pharmacy? Either way it's outrageous. It makes actemra look like a steal!
I understand what you are saying, but if I am still splitting my at less than 10 mg I am going to have a conversation with my pharmacist. And see what he says. So far the split dose seems to be working for the PMR, but raising hell with the Diabetes. Oh well you can not win them all. Thanks once again for your expertise! 😊
Which is no doubt why they are happy to use it already in the US.
You misunderstood - it was the bit about timed release capsules. They do not do the same as Rayos, even when split, the pred needs to be all in one dose, not drip-fed.
Well I guess I will just reduce both a little as possible, then eliminate the evening dose. Walked 7.59 miles yesterday, 2 already today feeling great. Glad you got me off my back side! 😉
Many people here in the states are buying drugs in Canada. Our daughter buys some meds for the dogs in Canada. Drug companies are ripping the US customers off terribly. Sad!
It can only be due to some major flaw in the system. The same drug companies don't charge that much in Europe - because our systems say "NO!" and won't buy it if it doesn't pass the value-for money tests.
There are companies that try it - the company that produces hydrocortisone 20mg tablets in the UK was bought out last year by (I think) an Indian company and they immediately raised the cost by 12,000%. It has caused an absolute furore that a generic drug, long out of patent, should be traded thus especially when it is life-or-death drug for patients with adrenal failure. Not sure what is happening about it though.
Scary how many British companies/ organisations are being swallowed up by foreign investors. The Britain we left was a very different country.
You can say that again!!!!!!
Can you imagine how we would fit in? I have my doubts.😏