... this will probably spark off a hundred comments and I don't mean to get that going ... I just need to rant for a minute. We have an elderly female friend of the family - she's no relation ... when people ask us if she's related we just say, "she's our jean". Anyway, she has medicare (or medicaid ... the insurance for older people - whichever that is). She also has a supplemental policy that helps her cover any hospital stays but doesn't have any prescription coverage. Her medicare/medicaid (?) doesn't have Part D. It seems like the ONLY meds her doc will prescribe are the $$$ ones. I've gotten paperwork done and gotten her Lipitor covered but she's on several others that are pretty pricey. She has a reasonable income but the costs of her meds is more than all of her utilities combined. She's in the hospital now and this morning they gave her some new scripts. She had the nurse call and just ONE of them is $75/month. She called me and her doc walked in while I was on the phone. She put him on the phone and he told me that a generic for the script he gave her is $4 at Walmart. I checked the list while I had him on the phone and it wasn't there - the "real" drug or the generic! He said he just checked the list before going into her room (I doubt he did!) and it was on the list. I told him I had the online list in front of me and it wasn't on there. Then he said, "well I know simvastatin (sp?) is". I looked it up and a lovastatin or something like that was and but simvastatin was NOT. "Well it has to be!" he said. I totally admire docs for what they do and am, usually, amazed at the amount of knowledge they have but come on ... I CAN read and I had the list right in front of me. I wasn't trying to ruin his day I was just trying to help her be able to afford to actually take the meds they prescribe ... WHEW, I think I'm done. I feel much better! Thanks 
1|1|My mom has Part D, but there are months where she is (as she calls it) 'in the donut hole', like a spend-down, before they pay for her meds......she is also enrolled in a state program (here in IL it is called Circuit Breaker) that helps with any out of pocket costs for senior citizens' medications.....see if your state/county has a similar program for Jean :)|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|16:44:31|09/12/2011|
" You'll get what's coming to you ... Unless it was mailed."
2|1|When the doc orders something not on the $4 list, have the pharmacist call him to ask for a subtitute if possible.....they can take the order right from the doc over the phone (unless it's a Class 2 narcotic)....they can also 'help' the doc choose a suitable substitution :)|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|16:46:09|09/12/2011|
" You'll get what's coming to you ... Unless it was mailed."
3|2|depending on the company..u might be able to go thru that PPA or other programs to help her get it directly|couponsnsamples|cpsnsamples@aol.com|16:54:38|09/12/2011|
from the company.........it takes a bit of searching...but some drs..will automatically suggest..using patient assistance programs
i went thru this..with my dads eye drops..and several other meds..he got them totally free from the companys 4|2|I hated the hole when Mom was here at home I ould take her list of meds and do the research yourse;f finding which ones have generic and which one have meds that do the sae thing that have a generic |teener|teenerzacsneenee@yahoo.com|16:59:28|09/12/2011|
m not sure what state you are in but Kroger and Target also do the discount on generics and NJ used to have a program called PAAD not sure if they still do as we haven't been there in 5 years 5|1|Medicare is for seniors, an insurance program, medicaid is supplemental aid for low income people. |lv2qpon|jcummins1@rochester.rr.com|17:00:49|09/12/2011|
All are optional. Some seniors have an advantage health care plan on top of Medicare. That covers expenses not covered by Medicare. There are several plans, MVP, Blue Cross, United Health etc.
There are some drug companies that will cover their prescriptions for free. 6|1|Does her supplemental insurance have the option of medication coverage? If so, it might be worth it for her to add that to her policy.....she'd have to do a cost comparison.|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|17:32:10|09/12/2011|
" You'll get what's coming to you ... Unless it was mailed."
7|1|Just because it is or isn't on the WM list (M)|bluh2oeyes|bluh2oeyes@yahoo.com|17:38:37|09/12/2011|
Just because it is or isn't on the WM list doesn't mean it's not on another stores list. Every pharm has slightly different lists of what they call the "discount generics".
Seriously...an eye drop my mother uses is only on the Kroger list and not any other drug store around as a "generic" (not CVS, Walgreens, RA, WM, Target or other grocery or independent Pharm places).
So it can pay to check other pharm. lists in your area.
Jennifer in North Carolina...the Tar Heel State
8|1|Thanks ladies ~|flyvanguard|flyvanguard@yahoo.com|18:11:25|09/12/2011|
We did do the paperwork for her to get her Lipitor for free but it seems like every drug she's on is thru a different mfg and they all require different paperwork ;-( I'm not sure why she doesn't have Part D ... I think she didn't want the cost but this drug cost (and run around) is a little overwhelming sometime! Thanks again for letting me complain about it! S 9|2|You are a wonderful person to help out " our Jean", she is lucky to have you as family.|HONEY11|HONEY1@AMERITECH.NET|18:54:09|09/12/2011|
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o0..0o Linda
10|3|Your RANT was well worth it...|shellysmsmo|jpksms@sbcglobal.net|20:24:35|09/12/2011|
you do a great job helping out..and I'm glad you did!! 11|4|She or You could apply for her, through Major Drug Companies - Assistance in paying for her prescriptions. It never hurts to try. If you want to email mail on the prescriptions she takes, I can research them to see if she can get help from the drug companies.|Newman|BenjiBubbles@gmail.com|18:35:44|09/13/2011|
>Posted on Sep-12-11 at 08:24 PM (Eastern)
>by 76.199.236.219you do a great job
>helping out..and I'm glad you did!!
>