The cost of specialty drugs

[JerryD]

In the latest issue of AARP magazine, there is an article about the cost of specialty drugs, one of which is Tecfidera. The article says that Tec costs $88.28 per pill. Double that number if you take the suggested daily dose. This information makes me glad that I have insurance and reasonable co-pays.

[malaholic]

It's just ridiculous

I went thru a snafu between the mail-order pharmacy and my insurance last year where the pharmacy was trying to bill me full price for my 28-day supply of Copaxone. When I saw the price tag I calculated out that it's about $400 per shot.

I know that it takes a ton of R&D money to manufacture the compounds and take them through trials. But still, the price tag blows my mind.

Ironically, now that I'm on the meds I will actually save on out-of-pocket costs compared to last year. Teva's Shared Solutions assistance program covers the out-of-pocket costs that I would otherwise be paying to meet my high deductible and coinsurance max. So I guess MS is saving me a few grand for the time being, but I'd far rather just not have the disease.

[rsinger]

cost of specialty drugs

Just read that in AARP JerryD. Pretty expensive medication. Also glad I have insurance and biogen's co pay assistance program. Never pay anything for my tecfidera.

[Lynnada]

I just started Plegridy which costs just over $62,000 annually, so that's approximately $2500 per injection. Thankfully I have insurance and with the assistance program I pay $0.

Previously, I was on Copaxone for almost 12 years and what surprised/bothered me, was that the cost actually went up over the years. Again, I had the $0 copay assistance, but I had asked about the cost a few years ago when I was concerned I might lose my health insurance. Of course, I knew what the cost was originally when I was first diagnosed and choosing between the medications my doctor recommended.