[insideout]

I'm hungry. I had to buy medication because if I don't take any, I can't work. And if I buy medication, I have nothing left for food.
Pretty frickin hungry right now.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Is there a food bank where you live?

[insideout]

not today...

[roads]

Many health clinics and religious groups (not just churches) can make at least a meal available in an emergency. Are you able to try those?

[insideout]

Originally Posted by Roadie

Many health clinics and religious groups (not just churches) can make at least a meal available in an emergency. Are you able to try those?

I can try.
I feel so humiliated.

[Freefall1974]

If you live in the States have you considered oredering your meds from Canada? I order a few of mine from there as they are cheaper than my insurance copay (imagine) and I refer patients there to help with costs.

[cybermember]

Originally Posted by insideout

I'm hungry. I had to buy medication because if I don't take any, I can't work. And if I buy medication, I have nothing left for food.
Pretty frickin hungry right now.

http://www.needymeds.org/drugcard/index.htm
http://www.rxassist.org/
http://www.myrxadvocate.com/?gclid=C...FeFM5QodwVaMrQ
https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php
http://www.patientassistance.com/

Hope this helps.

[InTheShadows]

northwestpharmacy.com <-- best canadian pharmacy out there!

with most medicines you can buy less than the full prescription. So get ten days, leave the other 20 on file and have some left over to buy food.

[bipolarmedstudent]

I never understood how buying from canadian pharmacies works. Do you have to fax them the prescription?? How do they verify that the prescription is real?

[InTheShadows]

yes you fax them the prescription and sometimes mail it as well. they will on occasion confirm with your doctor.

[thickntired]

I LOATH pharmacutical companies. Did you know some work on profit margins as high as 90%?!

[insideout]

Ya that's a lot of profit.
Im sure my bottle of meds cost less than a penny to make.

[insideout]

Well we figured out a strategy... My doctor upped my dosage on the rx (but actual dosage to take stays the same) so instead of 75mg it says to take 150mg. and i get to cut them in half, and he gave me a 90 day supply instead of 30 days. Which means.... for the same amount i paid for 30 days, this new rx will last me 180 days.

my doc is awesome like that.

Some pharmaceutical companies will also provide your medications for free through your prescribing physician if you are experiencing difficulty paying for them ... Discuss this with your Doctor and see if it's a possibility ...

Originally Posted by insideout

Well we figured out a strategy... My doctor upped my dosage on the rx (but actual dosage to take stays the same) so instead of 75mg it says to take 150mg. and i get to cut them in half, and he gave me a 90 day supply instead of 30 days. Which means.... for the same amount i paid for 30 days, this new rx will last me 180 days.

my doc is awesome like that.

That is a great idea. I've done that myself

Originally Posted by BrokenCloud

Some pharmaceutical companies will also provide your medications for free through your prescribing physician if you are experiencing difficulty paying for them ... Discuss this with your Doctor and see if it's a possibility ...

Also a great idea. Info on discount programs on meds are usually available on the manufacturer's website.
Being forced to choose between meds or food/shelter in this country is ridiculous.

[eskielover]

I'm on a med that costs $2300/month.....needless to say that's quite a bit more money than I get for one month....so I would not only not be able to buy food, but nothing else either. I can't afford that med even with a prescription coverage . With the donut hole, I would have to pay the co-pay for several months along with paying for the prescription coverage....then $4000/year (2 months of the med I would have to pay the full amount on through the donut hole while still paying for the prescription coverage).... then go back to paying the normal co-pay. Definitely better to have no drug coverage & let the pharmaceutical company pay for the whole amount.

Actually, I don't qualify for patient assistance because my disability amount is too high for the federal cut of amount.....but they take my appeal because of financial/medical need & I end up getting the patient assistance. It took me a long time to get it all worked out because they don't offer you that information about the appeal. I'm in the process of getting it renewed right now. It's always stressful....but definitely worth it for the coverage.

I don't use any other meds except the ones for my dog which I also get through the pharmacy. My pharmacist helps me get the lowest cost with what drug coverage assistances that they have through the drug store. My vet refused to give me a prescription to start with....until I forced him because of the high price he was charging me for the med verses what I could get it for through the pharmacy even without drug coverage....which my dog doesn't have anyway...lol.

The mark up on drugs is crazy......I know that a lot is put into research for improvements on the drugs.....but they had a manufacturing problem with the patches I'm on last year. They found the med crystallized on some of the patches, the FDA got involved & stopped their manufacturing all together until they could solve the problem. They got the meds out into the pharmacies that had passed inspection, but for several months, I had to drive around to several pharmacies to get the number of patches I required.

[nopeso]

I've ordered meds from the oldest pharmacy in Italy twice without a script..they now require a script but the meds were less than my copay and they arrived in a week. Very helpful people there.

As far as ordering out of the states, Do Not order from a pharmacy without a phone number on their website. The meds are the same and are often blister packed for extra peace of mind.

If all else fails, I live in Texas and can go to the Mexican border and save a lot of money. Dental work is also much cheaper in Mexico and many of their dentists graduated from med school in the states.

[insideout]

I personally wouldnt trust the dentists down there, but i know quite a few people who use their pharmacies to get the same meds for way cheaper.

[anjelmarie]

Originally Posted by insideout

I'm hungry. I had to buy medication because if I don't take any, I can't work. And if I buy medication, I have nothing left for food.
Pretty frickin hungry right now.

Hi,

I'm sorry that your in this position, i have been there before and i have used food bank also and also food stamps. You should go to social services and apply. Also for your medication there are programs that may be able to help you. RX advocate 800-532-5274, health well 1-800-675-8416, and patient advocate 866-512-3861. Also you can look on this site called ppa rx. Some pharmaceutical companies have programs that help you get your meds for free or a reduced price.

Good Luck

[insideout]

Thanks angelmarie!
I will can them in the morning.

[shortandcute]

Well, fortunately, my scripts are paid for medicaid in my state. The only thing is that Washington state medicaid won't pay for dental or vision -- but of which I need really bad. I was told 2 years ago that i need peridontal treatment but i can't even afford a regular dental visit-let alone a peridontist.

[MandaMay]

I just moved from Washington and I got dental and vision, it depends on the disability, if you get a referral from your doc, most of the time medicaid will pay for it, same with vision, I have diabetes and one visit a year plus glass were paid... you just need to ask around and see how to get things done. if your mouth is hurting good chance your doc can send you to the right specialist.... good luck and learn how to work the system.... *smile*

[shortandcute]

Originally Posted by MandaMay

I just moved from Washington and I got dental and vision, it depends on the disability, if you get a referral from your doc, most of the time medicaid will pay for it, same with vision, I have diabetes and one visit a year plus glass were paid... you just need to ask around and see how to get things done. if your mouth is hurting good chance your doc can send you to the right specialist.... good luck and learn how to work the system.... *smile*

As of January of 2011, medicaid stopped paying for dental and vision for any one who is not officially on disability--except children can still get it. I am not on disability yet.

[MandaMay]

I got it as of nov of 11...you just have to know how to request it

[insideout]

California also does not cover vision and dental for adults under Medi-Cal.