Tuesday, November 4, 2014

I really don't understand drug pricing

Last week the price of generic Provigil had fallen at several pharmacies (after skyrocketing the week before at Costco). My two pills were now about the same price as one Nuvigil- all would be well I thought as the price could only go down in a few months. It's generic, right?

Well today I go on my website- and the price of generic Provigil is up again. And by quite a bit. Nuvigil is now the much better deal, at $520 plus a $50 off coupon- but I was hoping not to have to pay this much. I think this weekend I will try cutting pills and see if I can make do with less. Although a part of me tells me that this is not a good idea.

Nuvigil generics could be on the market as early as June 2016, but I am not holding my breath. The company paid off the generic makers to delay the Provigil generics. And I am not expecting the price to come down anytime soon. I am just hoping that they don't jack up the price of Nuvigil as it gets near the end of its exclusivity, like they did with Provigil.

I actually like Nuvigil- I love the fact that I don't have to take it twice a day. There is nothing that makes me feel more like a drug addict than taking out my pill bottle at lunch and downing a pill. Plus I can too easily forget. But if Provigil were to get cheap, I think I'd go back to that- at least until Nuvigil falls in price (which will be a long time from now).

The two big things I will have to give up are moving to a full-size apartment- and being able to have a cat. And my therapist. I might have had to give up my therapist anyway with the change in insurance. But I can't afford to pay it all out of pocket, especially now. I will still have a high deductible plan, but at least my therapy sessions will count towards my deductible if I see someone in network.

I never thought that I could make as much money as I do and still feel- no, not poor, but struggling. But I live in a very expensive area. Hospitals probably pay the lowest OT salaries. I have a high deductible health insurance plan. I have medication I have to pay for myself that isn't even covered. My therapist and psychiatrist don't take insurance. I am still paying off debts.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I am not saying much because my own depression may not help you much. But I am thinking of you.

JMJ