So, granddaughter #2 turns out to have some fairly significant food allergies. Daughter goes to purchase prescribed EpiPens. Four of them. You must have 2 in order to give a second dose if EMS is slow to arrive. A daycare situation requires 2 more EpiPens.
Walmart Pharmacy calls to inform daughter that the charge for 4 pens is $1200. Daughter says "oh no, I have Aetna insurance." Pharmacy says "that figure includes Aetna's payment of (drumrolll, please) of $2.62." A discount card found on the internet takes another $200 off. Daughter is left to pay $1,000 for a drug she hopes she will never need and which expires in 10-12 months. One of my OR sources quotes the amount of epinephrine in 1 pen as having the base cost of $.03.
Turns out that the maker of EpiPen has a virtual corner on the market on adrenaline pens. Every year, they increase the price because, well, because they can. They have also been accused of artificially decreasing the expiration date in order to require an annual purchase. Making money hand over fist on the backs of sick babies and adults.
There is so much wrong with our healthcare delivery system.
I cant believe how much criticism you have gotten. What is wrong with people?
I get the point of researching the possibility that is could last longer....But who wants to take that chance with their Grand daughter's life? As if that is a "logical" action.
Thank you
But my skin is a bit thicker here than in real life. I don't consider anyone's feedback on this thread to be criticism. After all, if you post on an internet forum, you open yourself to all kinds of opinions. I could start a thread with the title "The Sky is Blue," and I assure you that someone would find a way to disagree.
Thousands of insulin dependent diabetics, even children, do it everyday.
EpiPens are important but in reality the alternative is the daily ritual for thousands of others.
Yes and those folks practice injections daily. You and I could do doubt open a vial, withdraw and inject in seconds. A nonmedical parent/grandparent/day care worker feeling extreme stress, perhaps with tears in their eyes and adrenaline (irony) pumping through their body causing their hands to shake? Not so much.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
My chef son needs epipens yearly for at work/home due to severe nut allergy, so learned about high cost thru him. Had my own anaphylactic reaction this year, so found Mylan discount card: My EpiPen Savings Card™ Co-Pay Coupon
Medicaid, Medicaid HMO's and traditional Medicare prohibited from using these discount cards by law.
Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.
I recently responded with a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting.
Had never had a problem before (and it had been many years since I had been stung).
I worked in Radiology for 21 years, watching for and treating contrast reactions.
I was surprised --- yes, SURPRISED -- how quickly my own reaction happened.
Within 20 seconds I felt strange and within a minute had huge welts.
I was camping with friends and took 50mg Benadryl my husband happened to have on hand.
He insisted I chew it.
I, as the nurse, did not.
I should have.
My pressure bottomed out within 3 minutes, so I laid down.
Friends (MD and EMT) observed me for an hour.
I felt my throat swelling but I knew I could still breathe so concentrated on being calm and trusting Benadryl to do what I had seen it do many times in Radiology.
(are we not incredibly stubborn??? )
When I was able to walk around without dizziness, after about an hour, I saw in the mirror my throat and face were quite edematous. I literally looked like Jabba the Hut.
I took another 50mg Benadryl in two more hours.
The next day I called my PMD to fax a prescription for an EpiPen, which I now carry.
I now counsel all who will listen to ALWAYS carry Benadryl (and perhaps Prilosec) with them, for we NEVER KNOW when we may react to a medication or food or whatever.
Off soap box, and returning you to your regular programming.
Do your research on how long these things actually last when stored properly. If your use for them is personal and not business related, you can get away with holding onto an expired one.
Yes the costs are ridiculous, but you don't need to be shelling out money every year like a sheep. You've described a situation where a logical thinker can arrive at a reasonable answer. Sometimes I think I should be charging money for offering logical advice, but I am happy to do it for free hoping that I can inject some common sense into the general population.
Does the OP get a complementary margarita with that salt?
People see a false sense of economy sometimes taking out a cheaper plan, with a high deductable. In which case they have noone to complain about but the guy in the mirror.
I now counsel all who will listen to ALWAYS carry Benadryl (and perhaps Prilosec) with them, for we NEVER KNOW when we may react to a medication or food or whatever.
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Scary story my friend. Glad you were ok.
I have to correct you on the Benadryl (Diphenhydramine). That is not standard of care anymore.
You give epi, not Benadryl. And a 2nd dose of epi as well. I had a great video I used when I was a school nurse but right now can't find it (it is almost 1 a.m.).
As a school nurse, we got free epipens from manufacturers. We had to have a prescription from a physician and that was a bit harder to do as our school district does not have a physician. We did get a Workman's Comp doc to write us an Rx though. We got two years worth of epipens for emergency use.
This was not for kids who already had a prescription for an epipen.
And the reason we HAVE to replace the epipens if they are past their expiration date is the same reason we have to do it in the hospital with any medication.
It is the first of the month and I had to go through our crash cart and check all the meds for outdates.
That's just the law.
I'm going to link this over on the School Nurse Forum. Those nurses are great with these kinds of questions.
People see a false sense of economy sometimes taking out a cheaper plan, with a high deductable. In which case they have noone to complain about but the guy in the mirror.
This kinda sounds like "Poor people could afford medical care if they tried harder."
I have a $1,500 deductible, and that's on the GOOD plan my employer offers.
I work in an allergy practice and we have coupons from Mylan that will cover the entire cost of up to 2 two packs of Epi-pens and are good for as many refills as needed for 1 year. We've had these coupons for the last 3 years. They are only valid for patients with commercial insurance, but Mylan is great about giving us samples so those who cannot afford the cost can get a pack.
Unaware of this issue I was curious. They are manufactured with a 2 year expiration. If I needed them I would surly call around and see which pharmacy has the freshest ones before purchasing. I've just read about people receiving ones that only had a few months on them. Being a nurse, I'd have a bottle and syringe type around the house also in case I'm doing the giving.
All this does not matter to the school nurse who needs to insist on an epipen that is not expired, otherwise the child will not be allowed in school.
And - what if after 2 years you take the epipen you have at home, because the child is having an allergic reaction and you give both syringes but the child dies (G-d forbid). In that case you would feel terrible guilt for the rest of your life, even if the death was not avoidable with a non expired epipen. There would always be second guessing - did I sacrifice life because of $$?
Properly storage is an issue with epipens. you have to be so careful that they do not get too hot or cold.
My daughter requires an epi pen on her at all times. We must provide one that is in date to the school as well.
We buy a new one for the school, but keep the old ones for ourselves to use.
Our Dr has said that it is good for 3 years, stored at room temp. As long as you arent leaving it in a glove box in the summer heat, it should be fine.
I do worry about it sometimes, but I trust our Dr.
roser13, ASN, RN
6,504 Posts
Thank you
But my skin is a bit thicker here than in real life. I don't consider anyone's feedback on this thread to be criticism. After all, if you post on an internet forum, you open yourself to all kinds of opinions. I could start a thread with the title "The Sky is Blue," and I assure you that someone would find a way to disagree.