[Restin]

Tell me if I'm wrong, but it appears the FDA and Medicare will only let seniors have 90 Ambien pills for the entire year of 2015. I really need it and have no issues with side effects or driving drowsy. What could be more dangerous than someone driving or working who hasn't had any sleep for days because their medicine was denied?
I would like to know what others plan to do when they can't get Ambien If you're a senior who takes it would you like to comment?

[kaliope]

well that is ridiculous..........i dont take it cause it doesnt work.......is there other meds they will approve that will work?

[Nammu]

If this is true I'm in serious trouble because I use a great deal more than 90 pills a year. Even back when I was in the hospital after back surgery on the narcotics they were giving me 20 mg to get me to sleep.

:rant: this is because Ambien was over prescribed to people who didn't need it and now those of us who do need it will suffer!

[nicoleb2]

I'm not a senior but am on Medicare. Also take ambien. Without it, I'd be back in the nut ward.

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by nicoleb2

I'm not a senior but am on Medicare. Also take ambien. Without it, I'd be back in the nut ward.

That the part that scares me. If there is one thing every Pdoc has ever agreed on and that is I need the ambien to sleep. Ending up back inside isn't an option for me.

Originally Posted by sidestepper

That the part that scares me. If there is one thing every Pdoc has ever agreed on and that is I need the ambien to sleep. Ending up back inside isn't an option for me.

Did you confirm this is true? I don't think the FDA and Medicare are even connected are they? This is the latest news I could find and it doesn't mention any limit on pills. The newest thing I found that mentioned Medicare was this: http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2...leeping-pills/
No mention of 2015 regulations there either.
OP, where did you hear this?

[Restin]

My insurance company, Freedom Health, sent me a letter stating it wasn't just insurance dropping Ambien but was medicare for anyone over 63. There was also a list of suggested subs, all of which don't work for me. I switched to Lunesta already, which is similar, actually. I'm also going to try Belsomra (from Merck) which was released in April.
I'm so glad to hear that some of you need help with sleep like I do and how important it is to you. I hate to be dependent on anything, but getting some sleep each night means so much to us who have mental health issues to start with. Not fair for big brother government to lump us all in the same bin! Nothing works so well as Ambien. Look this up on the web if you're worried it affects you...Ambien and medicare 2015.

[-jimi-]

I agree that prescribing to the wrong people is what should be stopped. And yea, the wrong people suffer. Its a huge difference between someone who works and lives independently and has relatively little physical problems and someone living in a nursing home being 90 and can barely walk.

The wrong meds have been prescribed to nursing home patients, like sleepers and antipsychotics, which made them die prematurely or die from falls. In that setting they should really look out for overprescribing and maybe look into other treatment and habits to help the elderly rest.

But for someone who is still out and about? Meh. The same rules can't apply to them, that is just ridiculous.

Restin, Do you mean that seniors can't be prescribed it or that Medicare Part D will only pay for 90 tablets per year?

[unaluna]

I got a letter last october from my insurance company informing me i was elderly. You can imagine how much i appreciated that. That same night i stopped taking my ambien. I had been experiencing slight dizziness for the past few years, and stopping resolved it. I expect to be miserable next week when daylight savings time begins. Im gonna try to exercise more to hopefully tire myself out.

[A18793715]

I have Medicaid and they refuse to fill it after my first fill. I didn't have any problems last year or the years before but suddenly, they refuse to cover it.

[A18793715]

I'm only 23.

[Restin]

Originally Posted by jo_thorne

Restin, Do you mean that seniors can't be prescribed it or that Medicare Part D will only pay for 90 tablets per year?

Jo-Thorne, You can still get Ambien as a senior out of the Part D program. Ask your pdoc for a prescription and not go thru medicare, but you have to pay the full price, which is over $300 for a months supply. So, I switched to Lunesta already, which works for me just like Ambien, with no new rules for it, and it only cost $6.50 on the Part D program.

Medicare will let you have Ambien but at reduced dosage for women (5 mg. instead of 10) They will only issue a total of 90 pills for all of 2015. That's on the Part D program. Of course, you can try to get an exception with your doctor's help.
I would suggest if you need Ambien and are a senior, ask your pdoc about what's going on. They should all know those new rulings by now and can help you.
I strongly believe that people have the right to be treated as individuals , and decisions should be made between the citizen and the doctor, not the gov deciding, and forcing it on everybody thrown into the same bin.

[Restin]

That's such a rude awakening, isn't it, Hankster? You can be young in your mind, younger than others, and healthy as a horse, and it's not nice to reminded of the chronological age. I know people who are artists for Walt Disney world who spend all day working on children's movies, and love it and emersed in their creative world, even tho it's highly technical work and big business. They think young, and it makes them young. They are the most fun to be around.

Originally Posted by Restin

Jo-Thorne, You can still get Ambien as a senior out of the Part D program. Ask your pdoc for a prescription and not go thru medicare, but you have to pay the full price, which is over $300 for a months supply. So, I switched to Lunesta already, which works for me just like Ambien, with no new rules for it, and it only cost $6.50 on the Part D program.
.

Thanks for the info, Restin.

Re Ambien pricing, I got 30 10 mg tablets of zolpidem at Walgreens last month for around $32. Sure, I'd prefer to have the name brand Ambien, but for the price difference I'll stick with the generic.

I'm glad Lunesta works for you. I tried both Lunesta and Sonata and neither of them made me the least bit sleepy. I tend to have odd reactions to sleep meds, though.

Oh - can you get Lunesta paid for by Medicare 12 months a year?

You might check with your doctor. The health insurance I used to have would only pay for Ambien every other month unless you got your doctor to write a note.

Originally Posted by hankster

I got a letter last october from my insurance company informing me i was elderly. You can imagine how much i appreciated that. That same night i stopped taking my ambien. I had been experiencing slight dizziness for the past few years, and stopping resolved it. I expect to be miserable next week when daylight savings time begins. Im gonna try to exercise more to hopefully tire myself out.

Aw! Reminds me of being 49 and suddenly being hounded by AARP.

Your insurance company needs to come up with a new age category. 63 is not "elderly". Geez.

[TheWell]

I take generic Ambien. My insurance will only pay for 10 per month. So I fill the rest of the perscription and pay out of pocket for the rest. The copy for the generic is like $3.00 and $17 for the generic for the rest. I need it so I pay for it.

[-jimi-]

It never ceases to surprise me how expensive meds are in USA. If I for some reason lose my copay thing here with socialized med, and have to pay up, what the med costs for real, it's still 25 % on average what Americans pay!

I once paid up for a box of Ambien, it was 30 pills and I assume meant to last a month. I paid what would be 50 USD. 300 seems so unreal to me. If you have a prescription, can you guys fill meds abroad? Seems worth it in many cases.