Ugh...the price of Epi pens! WWYD

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Turns out my teenager has an allergy to tree nuts and now will need to carry the epi pens.

Of course we've all been watching the news stories and reading the stories on line but I never thought it would happen to me!

So, call the script in to the pharmacy. We will need 4 I think. Get a call from the pharmacy and they tell me to sit down...with my copay it will come to $1,200 or so.

Yikes!!!

Here it is....a friend mentioned she has 4 non expired epi pens that her child doesn't need/ never used. Still capped, in the package 100% untouched. She was looking for a way to get rid of them.

So...WWYD???

I've never "shared or borrowed" meds before nor would I in my nursing practice but..???

Lots of scenarios come to mind. I'm assuming if i go with these meds for home use, i will still need to get a script filled for school..so that would only be $600. I will be looking at the coupons out there, but I have a high deductable plan.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Talk to your child's doctor about cheaper alternative. Some are willing to give prescriptions for epinephrine and syringes/needles that you can then get from the pharmacy.

I am sorry for your angst. I believe this drastic increase in the cost of this very old, established and relatively simple drug is prohibitive in the extreme, hurting some of the most vulnerable people in our country today. It's an outrage

I can see where you would want to "borrow" from someone else, but as a nurse, would be a bad idea. Try the above and see what happens.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Why do you need 4? Two should suffice in most cases- which is one pack. The child should be carrying them. The Adrenaclick is much cheaper, but in most cases the script will need to be written for a generic epinephrine autoinjector.

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Mylan's website also has a coupon which may reduce your copay, but this depends on the type of insurance. Some of my families have had $0 copay with their coupon.

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Specializes in School nursing.

Doctors can write for the generic Epi-pen. It can be a hassle to get filled (some pharmacies do not have it in stock, but they can order it). The price difference is dramatic!

This school nurse has many students that self carry their Epi-pens. But I typically ask for a back-up in my office just in cause as HS aged students sometimes forget things.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

1). AdrenalClick . Essentially the same thing, only costs $100 and has non-withdrawing needle.

2). Canadian online pharmacies. Do not be afraid to use them, although you will have to shop around and wait for 6 weeks or so.

3). DIY from code Epi ampule, 0.3 ml/dose. Better prepared as needed.

4). One has to be ready to give 1 shot every 5 min till ambulance comes if no improvement. Adults with severe reactions are advised to carry AT LEAST 2-pack adult and 2-pack junior (low dose for case of HR >180, as SVT/VT can be caused even in the presence of hypotension).

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

What chaps my behind is that a lifesaving drug is made to be financially limiting yet they hand out narcan to drug addicts for free, and viagra has full coverage.....unbelievable. I believe the company is making a generic "alternative". Frankly they should be prosecuted for price gouging.

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Specializes in ER.
What chaps my behind is that a lifesaving drug is made to be financially limiting yet they hand out narcan to drug addicts for free, and viagra has full coverage.....unbelievable. I believe the company is making a generic "alternative". Frankly they should be prosecuted for price gouging.

Erections are a constitutional right I thought? Viagra allows a man to pursue happiness!

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Specializes in Critical care.
What chaps my behind is that a lifesaving drug is made to be financially limiting yet they hand out narcan to drug addicts for free, and viagra has full coverage.....unbelievable. I believe the company is making a generic "alternative". Frankly they should be prosecuted for price gouging.

My mother has pulmonary htn and we go through hell and high water just to get approval from the insurance company for her sildenafil (the same med as viagra, but rebranded as Revatio). We have paid out of pocket many times for it. Just recently she switched insurance because of a new job and the new insurance said her dosage (that she's been on for a year) isn't FDA approved and they denied covering it. Her cardiologist office had to compile evidence to support her dosage. In the meantime we've paid out of pocket for it...again. We've found that Costco is the cheapest place to get it. An amount at Coscto that costs just under $50 would cost over $700 at CVS. We don't live close to a Costco so we don't have a membership, but you don't need a membership to access their pharmacy. Last year when we got a horrible run-around, even with me calling everyday and checking in on the auth status for over 2 weeks (and calling the MDs office then calling the insurance back again) I wanted to ask if they give this much trouble to the horny old men getting their viagra filled.

Sorry for the rant and going a little odd topic with the viagra stuff.

Also, it's great to see you back and posting Esme!

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1). AdrenalClick . Essentially the same thing, only costs $100 and has non-withdrawing needle.

2). Canadian online pharmacies. Do not be afraid to use them, although you will have to shop around and wait for 6 weeks or so.

3). DIY from code Epi ampule, 0.3 ml/dose. Better prepared as needed.

4). One has to be ready to give 1 shot every 5 min till ambulance comes if no improvement. Adults with severe reactions are advised to carry AT LEAST 2-pack adult and 2-pack junior (low dose for case of HR >180, as SVT/VT can be caused even in the presence of hypotension).

If you can wrap your head around this, my insurance doesn't cover the Adrenalclick!

It does cover the auto inject Pen and the price is only $386 for two pens. Epi Pen brand was $590

The only reason I was thinking 4 pens is because they come in two packs. One is kept at school, one with him in his back pack and I was thinking one with me in my purse? I might just be over thinking things.

I'm not carrying ampules and needles with me. :(

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Have your prescriber write for "generic epinephrine auto injector (and then either 0.3mg or 1.5mg depending on whether or not you'd use the kid's epi pen or not)". It has to say EXACTLY that. Then go to any pharmacy and argue with them when they say it doesn't exist because........... it does. They just have to actually search the system for it. They might have to order it and that will take 3 days, generally speaking. And it really is a generic which means you'll pay your generic copay. For me that ran to 5 dollars per pen.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Who cares if your insurance doesn't cover Adrenaclick?

$140-$150 ea with a coupon is cheaper than using your insurance on a covered option. Walmart pharmacy.

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