The EpiPen that cost $75 in 2001 costs over $300 today

[Pea-n-Me]

Not to mention the exorbitant price hikes of other drugs...

While the maker's CEO has enjoyed a 700 percent salary increase since 2007!

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/con...o-hiked-prices-slew-other-medications-n636981

How long can this go on?

 

[Hikergirl]

The epi-pen now costs $600+ for many of us. They are a package of 2.

 

[Bethislucy]

and they expire quickly :/

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The epi-pen now costs $600+ for many of us

Even worse!

Is that for one, or for a package of two? (The article makes it sound like the package of two is $600.)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I saw that news report on TV today. They also raised prices of other drugs.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/23/how-...ther-products-besides-life-saving-epipen.html

 

[Hikergirl]

Even worse!

Is that for one, or for a package of two? (The article makes it sound like the package of two is $600.)

Yes, its for the package of 2 so every time you get it filled you get 2 epi-pens and have to pay the $600 price. Families need multiples packages for school, home, babysitters etc. I don't know how some families can do it.

 

[King Schultz]

I saw that on the news too.

And they cost like a $1 to produce.


Just disgusting.

 

[kuhltiffany]

If you can get to Canada, you can buy them without a prescription for $125 CAD. So not fair how the drug companies hold you hostage in the US!

 

[NCDisneyMom]

$650 here for a 2-pack. I notice a huge price increase just since the Auvi Q got recalled. They've got the corner on the market again, and they're taking advantage of it.

 

[Hikergirl]

We have been discussing it over at the budget board too
http://www.disboards.com/threads/th...to-my-disney-budget-epi-pen-increase.3538883/

 

[mom2rtk]

This is what happens when so much in health care is paid for with "other people's money".

All of our prescriptions are fully subject to the deductible, so I'm really happy my son no longer needs his epi pens.

 

[bcla]

Teva Pharmaceuticals is working on a generic equivalent, but it's not approved yet.

http://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/industrynews/2016/tevas-generic-epipen-will-be-delayed-by-fda/

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We've been fortunate, we only had to purchase two once (for home and school), after DD had a scary experience eating strawberries, but after allergy testing it was determined she wasn't allergic to them after all.

DS had a friend growing up who had to have one on hand at all times. He was recently re-tested and still has to have one on hand at all times, even now at college.

Note that even though some people may have to pay little to nothing out of pocket, insurance companies still have to pay the elevated costs, which they then turn around and pass on to all of us.

 

[tcufrog]

I am dreading this. My sons are going to have allergy testing next week and then have allergy shots once a week afterwards. The allergist requires you to bring an Epipen to the shot appointments.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

If you can get to Canada, you can buy them without a prescription for $125 CAD. So not fair how the drug companies hold you hostage in the US!

This is interesting! The manufacturer is apparently based in the Netherlands.

Anyone know exactly how this works?

 

[mom2rtk]

Note that even though some people may have to pay little to nothing out of pocket, insurance companies still have to pay the elevated costs, which they then turn around and pass on to all of us.

No doubt about it. But the further people are removed from the price, the less they will connect it to that big increase at renewal time.

 

[Hikergirl]

My ds was re-tested last year and still needs to carry his. We are so fortunate that he has never needed to use it, but that somehow makes the price we pay for it even worse. We pay all this money and then after the expiration date we throw it away then have to replace it at the tune of $600.
I'm not saying I hope he is in a situation where he needs it, it just that it makes the cost hard to swallow when you have to replace it because its just sat there unused.

 

[trip]

Pure greed!

I'm back to add to my statement. The company should be allowed to make money and accumulate money for further drug development but this amount is just wrong. I hope the generic drug gets approval quickly!

 

[Hikergirl]

No doubt about it. But the further people are removed from the price, the less they will connect it to that big increase at renewal time.

Very true. When we had HMO insurance I just paid the co-pay for ds's epi-pens, I think it was $40 but can't remember. I really never gave the actual cost any thought. Then 3 years ago when we had to switch to the HDHP and I went to refill it was a bit of sticker shock. Now its even worse!

 

[katie01]

I saw this the other day. It's disgusting. As if it's not bad enough knowing your loved one could die just from ingesting an otherwise harmless food, now they have to rake people over the coals to pay for something that supposedly only costs $1 each to make. DH has food allergies and has to have an EpiPen, thankfully the reactions he's had in the past didn't reach life-threatening proportions (just hives and difficulty swallowing), but you never know when the next reaction could be worse so it's important to have on hand.