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OT medicine costs killing me



 
 
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  #11  
Old March 27th 04, 03:47 PM
Julia Altshuler
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Cathy wrote:
Also, you have to get the script written by a Canadian doctor - an
office visit is about $40 CDN.



Another view: When visiting in Alberta last summer, I needed a doctor.
This wasn't an ambulance-emergency-room emergency; it was a
very-uncomfortable-need-a-prescription-today emergency. I couldn't shop
around, looked in the phone book for a walk-in clinic, waited in line,
saw a doctor, got my prescription. Paid: $80.00 Cd. I'm highly
satisfied with the treatment.


For the original poster: Yes, you can save money by buying prescription
meds in Canada, but the logistics can be difficult. Doing it by mail
isn't that safe. You don't know whom you're dealing with. Taking a
quick trip is the way to go if you're near the border. There's also
asking one person to take the trip for several people, but that's
difficult too.


--Lia

Ads
  #12  
Old March 27th 04, 05:19 PM
Taria
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Don't hesitate to ask your dr. for meds that are less expensive if
there is an option. The new stuff is always really expensive.
Folks go to Mexico here. Antibiotics were cheaper there than a dr.
and prescription copay some years ago.

BTW,for those in national heath care things aren't free. You are
taxed to pay for the stuff. So if you are healthy you pay for
the guy who isn't and you all give up choices. I wouldn't go for
that option and hope I never have too.
Taria

Polly Esther wrote:

I am so reluctant to ask this since I know you are getting blasted with spam
from drug dealers - but - our prescription bills are just overwhelming. Have
any of you dared to order your medicines from Canada? We almost needed to go
get a tire tool to unlock my jaws when I wrote a check for the drugstore
today.
I mentioned to my precious pharmacist that maybe I needed to go to
Canada. His answer was a surprise. He said, "You could go a long way for
that kind of money."
So. Do any of you in the USA get your prescriptions supplied from Canada
and are you comfortable with what you're getting and is the $s really any
better? Please share your thoughts or experience with me. Polly



  #13  
Old March 27th 04, 05:48 PM
Kate Dicey
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Johanna Gibson wrote:

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 08:23:28 -0000, "Marie Lewis"
wrote:

I know that our Health Service in the UK comes under a lot of criticism (I
am heartily grateful for the NHS) but at least drug bills are never so high.
I am really sorry for you and wish we could help.

Only about 30% of people pay for drugs at all (children, young people in
full time education, people with some chronic illnesses and everyone over 60
get all drugs completely free.)

Those who pay, pay a maximum of about $11 per item and if the drug cost less
than that anyway, can pay the actual cost.

Of course we pay through taxes: but the sense of security is, IMHO, well
worth it. I cannot imagine anyone watning to go back to the old, pre NHS,
days.

Marie


Guess what? I'm in full-time education, and have been for about 3
years in the UK, and I pay for my prescriptions. I always have, since
I came over nearly 9 years ago. Someone in the Home Office said that
I could be deported if I every made a claim for any benefit. Is it
true? Who wants to find out?
So I keep paying my £6.30 every month for each of my two
prescriptions. Yes, that is 1/10th of what it would cost for the one
medication in the US. But it annoys me when folks make blanket
statements. I am a permanent British resident, in full-time education
in the UK, and I pay for my medications, and I always have.

-- Jo in Scotland


The full time education thing is also age related: you have to be in
full time education AND under 19 or something. That was how it was when
I was a student.

You can get a card or certificate for a year that gives you cheaper
prescription charges: it's worth asking the doc and making enquiries
about what you are entitled to. CAB will be able to help you with
finding out what you can and cannot claim. It costs nowt to ask, and
you cannot lose. You might save quite a bit.
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
  #14  
Old March 27th 04, 05:48 PM
Kate Dicey
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AliceW wrote:

This was one of the biggest issues my sister and I had to deal with our mom.
She lives on less than 800 per month but is on 7 medications. One costs $120
per month and one costs $110 per month. The other 5 probably cost around
$100 for all of them per month. Needless to say, that doesn't leave much
left over for anything else like electricity, phone and food. When mom was
handling her meds, she would either not refill the script, take it every
other day or cut the pills in half to save money. She does get $165 per
month towards her medications which helps. We now have a caretaker for her
who handles her meds and gets them refilled when needed. She is also good
at getting a months worth of samples of the most expensive ones from the
doctor and every and again. Other than that, my sister and I pick up the
excess so mom gets what she needs. We just tell her the insurance pays for
it. We actually set up an account that the caretaker can access with a
check card when she gets the meds refilled. I am in charge of mom's
finances and I have access to all the accounts so I can keep track of what
is being spent where. With mom being 1000 miles away, this system works
really well for us.


I remember you having loads of problems with her! You seem to have most
things sorted out now: well done! Is she doing better now she has all
this sorted?

--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
  #15  
Old March 27th 04, 06:09 PM
Julia in MN
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Taria wrote:
BTW,for those in national heath care things aren't free. You are
taxed to pay for the stuff. So if you are healthy you pay for
the guy who isn't and you all give up choices. I wouldn't go for
that option and hope I never have too.

That is the whole concept behind insurance of any kind, whether it is
health insurance, homeowner's insurance, or car insurance. Those who
have few or no claims pay for those who do. Those who buy insurance are
simply pooling their resources.

Those of us who have our health insurance paid for by an employer often
don't have a lot of choices, either. For instance, in order to get
prescription drug coverage, I have to mail order all prescription drugs
that I take regularly from a specified mail-order pharmacy.

Julia in MN

--
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus

http://mail.chartermi.net/~jaccola/



  #16  
Old March 27th 04, 06:19 PM
nana2b
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I feel very fortunate. My DH's insurance has a mail order pharmacy plan
for meds that you take for long-term prescriptions. We initially mail away
the scrip and get 3 months of the meds for $5. That is a tremendous savings
for us. DH who is healthy takes 5 different perscriptions daily and I take
2. We can refill on-line and it arrives in about a week. Linda



  #17  
Old March 27th 04, 06:27 PM
AliceW
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Yes, Kate, thanks for asking. We have found a wonderful lady that takes
care of dispensing mom's meds and getting the necessary refills from the
doctor. Mom's memory is getting worse with each month, but we deal with it
as best we can. She is still able to tell me tales about my grandmother and
great-grandmother, but her short term memory is affected. Even though I
call her every other day, she often forgets we just spoke. But, medically
she is maintaining, thank goodness. As long as she takes her meds and
follows doctors orders, she is doing ok and just celebrated her 84th
birthday.

--
Alice in NJ, Royal Cybrarian
www.ourcyberfamily.us
"Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all at
once. Lately it doesn't seem to be working."
Anonymous




"Kate Dicey" wrote in message
...
:
:
: AliceW wrote:
:
: This was one of the biggest issues my sister and I had to deal with our
mom.
: She lives on less than 800 per month but is on 7 medications. One costs
$120
: per month and one costs $110 per month. The other 5 probably cost
around
: $100 for all of them per month. Needless to say, that doesn't leave
much
: left over for anything else like electricity, phone and food. When mom
was
: handling her meds, she would either not refill the script, take it every
: other day or cut the pills in half to save money. She does get $165 per
: month towards her medications which helps. We now have a caretaker for
her
: who handles her meds and gets them refilled when needed. She is also
good
: at getting a months worth of samples of the most expensive ones from the
: doctor and every and again. Other than that, my sister and I pick up
the
: excess so mom gets what she needs. We just tell her the insurance pays
for
: it. We actually set up an account that the caretaker can access with a
: check card when she gets the meds refilled. I am in charge of mom's
: finances and I have access to all the accounts so I can keep track of
what
: is being spent where. With mom being 1000 miles away, this system works
: really well for us.
:
: I remember you having loads of problems with her! You seem to have most
: things sorted out now: well done! Is she doing better now she has all
: this sorted?
:
: --
: Kate XXXXXX
: Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
: http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
: Click on Kate's Pages and explore!


  #18  
Old March 27th 04, 06:52 PM
Dr. Quilter
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Default

hope all you guys in the US remember this thread come November...

how health care works was one of the biggest cultural shocks when I
moved to this country (the other big one was how big the influence of
religion was in everyday life in a country that I thought was pretty
liberal - I guess you cannot make an accurate impression based on
Hollywood exports only! )

I was used to a broke but paternalistic state: you pay your taxes, you
get taken care of when you need to (health, education, retirement) - of
course if your economy is ruined by an 11 year military dictatorship all
that kind of goes down the drain... (

Marissa

stirring the pot a little bit since she cannot vote!!!

Julia Altshuler wrote:
Cathy wrote:

Also, you have to get the script written by a Canadian doctor - an
office visit is about $40 CDN.




Another view: When visiting in Alberta last summer, I needed a doctor.
This wasn't an ambulance-emergency-room emergency; it was a
very-uncomfortable-need-a-prescription-today emergency. I couldn't shop
around, looked in the phone book for a walk-in clinic, waited in line,
saw a doctor, got my prescription. Paid: $80.00 Cd. I'm highly
satisfied with the treatment.


For the original poster: Yes, you can save money by buying prescription
meds in Canada, but the logistics can be difficult. Doing it by mail
isn't that safe. You don't know whom you're dealing with. Taking a
quick trip is the way to go if you're near the border. There's also
asking one person to take the trip for several people, but that's
difficult too.


--Lia


--
Dr. Quilter
Ambassador of Extraordinary Aliens
http://community.webshots.com/user/mvignali
(take the dog out before replying)

  #19  
Old March 27th 04, 07:08 PM
Shirley Ward
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I order my prescription drugs from British Columbia and have been doing so for several years. I pay for those prescriptions on my own. Should you be interested in further info, please email me privately.

Shirley
  #20  
Old March 27th 04, 10:12 PM
Kathy
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This is a VERY delicate subject with me -- Read on.

I am on Social Security Disability - My monthly income is well
less than $___ well... lets just say it's a monthly joke !!!
EVERY medicine that I ever need I have to pay for (cash) unless I can
get samples. Now.. I am not big on meds or chemicals in my body due to
the MCS,
but sometimes they are necessary since I have chronic Pancreatitis and
Spinal Neuropathy amongst other chronic problems... anyway... imagine
the look on my face when the ONLY nausea med. that would keep me from
vomiting from a Pancreatitis spell cost over $900. and that was only
for maybe 2 weeks worth as well as only one of the necessary meds that
I NEEDED.

My Migraine meds (only thing that works) are also VERY expensive...
can be hundredsof dollars per month! I seek samples if and when I can.
The mere thought of this can give me a migraine !!!

So no... it is not easy being caught between a rock and a hard place
like this with chronic health problems and needing meds.

Shall we discuss dental costs next ???

Kathy (in Alaska)



"Polly Esther" wrote in message ink.net...
I am so reluctant to ask this since I know you are getting blasted with spam
from drug dealers - but - our prescription bills are just overwhelming. Have
any of you dared to order your medicines from Canada? We almost needed to go
get a tire tool to unlock my jaws when I wrote a check for the drugstore
today.
I mentioned to my precious pharmacist that maybe I needed to go to
Canada. His answer was a surprise. He said, "You could go a long way for
that kind of money."
So. Do any of you in the USA get your prescriptions supplied from Canada
and are you comfortable with what you're getting and is the $s really any
better? Please share your thoughts or experience with me. Polly

 




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