Drugstore IV: Drugstore in Space

[substitute]

Because I am in the coils of COBRA, and this has not yet started up, my medical coverage is in a very high-rent limbo. In order to get my prescriptions refilled this month I have to pay cash. I take four head pills long-term. Can you guess what the total bill per month is for these four, cash over the counter, no insurance?

Six hundred forty-four dollars.

Since I have a week's worth of three of them, I decided to fill only the one now and see if things have got better in a week in the nest of the COBRA. "Hold those other three," I said, "and I'll be back at 8 pm to get the Adderall."

I returned and picked up the one scrip, paid my $140, and went to to my car. Funny, I thought, that is lower than I thought it would be for this one. Should be around $200! I opened the package and boing! It wasn't Adderall. In fact, it was a drug I'd never heard of, and the pills were a color and shape unfamiliar to me.

I marched back into the pharmacy and said "I need to see the pharmacist. I was given the wrong drug."

Fifteen confused minutes later I learned that they'd given me the generic for one of the drugs I do take. So not only was it not Adderall, but it was a new number and a new appearance. Not something I shouldn't take, but something I didn't want to refill. Plus, if I'd found myself 400 miles away the next day with the wrong pills, it would have been "great" trying to straighten that up. I'd probably have had a subpar vacation with a lot of ADD symptoms, and I'd be out $140 that I didn't need to spend.

To sum up: my formerly reliable pharmacy is spinning out of control, we have no medical plan in any sense in my country, and my brain sorta sucks.

Fortunately, a week in San Francisco awaits, and I ain't never had nothin' but a good time there.

Comments

[anaisdjuna.livejournal.com]

Gosh that's icktastic. Good luck on all of that. This country really needs some healthcare... NOW.

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

I was ten dollars off.

[substitute.livejournal.com]

You're the closest yet! You beat out sooz who guessed $672.

[miss-geek.livejournal.com]

4 pills no insurance i would guess around 700 dollars a month.

[besskeloid.livejournal.com]

That figure's frightening.

[monochromatism.livejournal.com]

Judging from my last CVS visit, I'd say $600.

[monochromatism.livejournal.com]

It blows my mind that your generic costs that much, btw. WTF is the point of generics if they're not affordable either?

[planetdracula.livejournal.com]

my guess was 30/day tid x30 days and I guessed three dollars-plus per pill = 900 dollars. I did not come closest without going over and I'm out of the showcase showdown.

[srl.livejournal.com]

Such pricing handily explains the street trade in ADD drugs; legal issues aside, I could totally see it being attractive for someone to sell their Adderall to pay for the other meds. Ugh.

I hate to say it but

[berg74.livejournal.com]

You should try either walmart or its big box store cosco I was sent something in the e-mail a while back that said you can use their pharmacy and still get you medication cheep. You should look into it.

[sp0rk0.livejournal.com]

Fuck that shit, jesus.

[slutbunwalla.livejournal.com]

They'll give you a generic of a drug if it's available. It's cheaper usually, and it's the same stuff, just not brand name. Check out the specs, look for the actual pharmaceutical names of the contents of the pill and it will should be the same.
It's the same as if you get waldryl instead of benadryl, still 25 milligrams of diphenhydramine. Exact same stuff, just not paying for the fancy brand name.

[jakeinhartsel.livejournal.com]

Yes, but think of it in a positive way. You are helping pay the drug companies' CEOs bonuses. Maybe if you are lucky they will hire you to clean their pools.

Or you could contact Limburger, he probably has some pills laying around.

Jake

[kasheri.livejournal.com]

I love S.F. It is my favorite city. Have a wonderful time. Oh, and I like your brain.

[stimps.livejournal.com]

The last time I sat down and figured out the price of my meds, I got something around 700 bucks, but that was a few years ago. Wark wark! I hope you readjusted your pharmacist (tightened his screws/attached a few prongs/bats up the ass).

[lyn23.livejournal.com]

Jeebus. $644!!??!
That's *insane*.

[feisty-robot.livejournal.com]

we have no medical plan in any sense in my country

Why do you want to destroy America with socialism, you horrible little liberal? Don't you know there's a war on?!?

[pbd.livejournal.com]

For that kind of money, you and Bob should take a trip to Mexico and stock up.