PRESCRIPTION PRICES IN USA

They are skyrocketing. Last year on my AARP prescription plan, I paid $25.00 USD for a 30 day supply.....Simpsca helped me buy the same drug for less than $70.00 for a 28 day supply, in September. .

Down to 3 day supply went to pharmacy and the new price is $325.00 USD 30 days for the same drug..........XARELTO, 20mg. It is a blood thinner.

So Deb and I will make the run:31: to Nogales.....meanwhile aspirin is my friend.

It is getting better....AARP ......they have gone from the above stated to $383.00 for a 3 month supply.....you can buy same In Mexico for $60.00....$280.00 USD. for a 3 month supply......USD. And btw....I have AARP for prescription meds. This sucks, but happy we live 2 hours from the border, and can take advantage of SOB pricing.

In Canada, my liver pills went fron $846/ 6mos, in Oct 2013 to $1109 in Nov. 2014. Thank-you Big Pharma!

Walter wrote:In Canada, my liver pills went fron $846/ 6mos, in Oct 2013 to $1109 in Nov. 2014. Thank-you Big Pharma!

Walter, Have you checked the price in Mexico? Unless it is Peyote should be cheaper and no prescription required!

i'm sure walter knows that rx here is cheaper than in the excited states and roughly about the same as in canuckleheadland or less. he ain't a newbee.

Walter wrote:In Canada, my liver pills went fron $846/ 6mos, in Oct 2013 to $1109 in Nov. 2014. Thank-you Big Pharma!

Don't you or your liver drugs qualify for Pharma Care in Canada....but only 90 days supply each time.

We've been on Phamacare for 15 years, in BC.

Pedro wrote:i'm sure walter knows that rx here is cheaper than in the excited states and roughly about the same as in canuckleheadland or less. he ain't a newbee.

What no pharmacare in Alberta?

Welcome to PharmaCare for B.C. (residents)

BC PharmaCare helps B.C. residents with the cost of eligible prescription drugs and certain medical supplies. It provides access to drug therapy through several drug plans. The largest is the income-based Fair PharmaCare plan.

For most PharmaCare plans, you must be actively enrolled in the Medical Services Plan of B.C. (MSP).

Once you are eligible for PharmaCare coverage, any portion of your prescription cost covered by PharmaCare is calculated at the time of purchase. You pay only the costs not covered by PharmaCare.
Pharmacare

Half of what the pharmacies here charge.

I just got them last month but don't need them now since I cut my other stuff in half.

No pun but prices of meds AND medical care NOB are sickening.

that's the other reason we don't ever want to travel there because if we get hospitalized the hospital will have access to our canadian bank account and no doubt bankrupt us.

I am curious, does anyone know or had a medical emergency while vacationing in Canada? What was the cost? I have a few Canadian friends that drive from BC thru the US to Lakeside......what does it cost, for 5 day travel for medical coverage driving thru? I do know the problem in the USA is there is no tort reform. If we are traveling thru Canada and they screw up, is there a legal option?

It would be about 20 years ago when my wife's then 92-year-old grandmother moved back to Canada from the US. She had to purchase private insurance to cover her for the 3 months she had to wait before she was covered by the government plan. The cost was about $300. I remember being quite surprised at how little it was. I don't think there was any significant deductible

I've purchased travel insurance for trips to the US as well as other places in the world and it's never been too high. I have a lot of medical issues but my recollection is for the two of us for multiple trips to the US for a year (maximum stay something like 10 days) was a little over $1000. Of course, the insurance company knows that we will be reimbursed for some of the costs by our provincial plan.

If you would like some specific numbers, I can probably get them for you.

Bob

Please provide your sources Bob. I am told the cost for medical insurance for travel is far less. I will research and provide my info.

Jim W wrote:Please provide your sources Bob.   I am told the cost for medical insurance for travel is far less.  I will research and provide my info.  

Jim:

Yes, I'm sure coverage for a single trip of, say, 10 days would be very small.

Is that what you are thinking of?

I can certainly find out what it would cost if purchased up here. It may or may not be cheaper if bought in the US.

Bob

BobC wrote:

Jim W wrote:Please provide your sources Bob.   I am told the cost for medical insurance for travel is far less.  I will research and provide my info.  

Jim:

Yes, I'm sure coverage for a single trip of, say, 10 days would be very small.

Is that what you are thinking of?

I can certainly find out what it would cost if purchased up here. It may or may not be cheaper if bought in the US.

Bob

I just did a quick search on CAA (AAA) Travel Insurance for visitors. I put in a single male, same age as me (69) for an 11-day visit. It came up with something like $115 for what looks like pretty good coverage.

You can check it yourself. Just Google CAA Travel Insurance.

Bob

BobC wrote:

Jim W wrote:Please provide your sources Bob.   I am told the cost for medical insurance for travel is far less.  I will research and provide my info.  

Jim:

Yes, I'm sure coverage for a single trip of, say, 10 days would be very small.

Is that what you are thinking of?

I can certainly find out what it would cost if purchased up here. It may or may not be cheaper if bought in the US.

Bob

I just did a quick search on CAA (AAA) Travel Insurance for visitors. I put in a single male, same age as me (69) for an 11-day visit. It came up with something like $115 for what looks like pretty good coverage.

You can check it yourself. Just Google CAA Travel Insurance.

Bob

Thanks Bob, So Pedro worries about losing his ass is bull shit......once again. $115.00 is cheap coverage. Bob, what does it cost for coverage for travel to Canada, for us poor people visiting Canada?

Jim W wrote:Thanks Bob, So Pedro worries about losing his ass is bull shit......once again.  $115.00 is cheap coverage.  Bob, what does it cost for coverage for travel to Canada, for us poor people visiting Canada?  

That was for a visitor to Canada. I'll look and see what the same trip would cost for a Canadian visiting the US.

Bob

BobC wrote:

Jim W wrote:Thanks Bob, So Pedro worries about losing his ass is bull shit......once again.  $115.00 is cheap coverage.  Bob, what does it cost for coverage for travel to Canada, for us poor people visiting Canada?  

That was for a visitor to Canada. I'll look and see what the same trip would cost for a Canadian visiting the US.

Bob

I had trouble getting an online quote from CAA so I tried another company, Medipac, one of the big ones. They provide insurance to retired government and military as well as to retail customers.

They quote for a 69-year-old non-smoker, Ontario resident, in otherwise good health, three levels of coverage. I'm not sure of the levels of each, but this will give you an idea: $75.90, $143.00 and $179.30. This was with zero deductible.

Bob

Pedro wrote:that's the other reason we don't ever want to travel there because if we get hospitalized the hospital will have access to our canadian bank account and no doubt bankrupt us.

i stick by this.

Pedro wrote:

Pedro wrote:that's the other reason we don't ever want to travel there because if we get hospitalized the hospital will have access to our canadian bank account and no doubt bankrupt us.

i stick by this.

Pedro, you may know something I don't, but I don't see how they would "have access to [your] bank account." Yes, they could sue in a Canadian court and may or may not get a judgement--which could certainly bankrupt someone. That is why I would NEVER cross the border without travel insurance.

I friend of ours had a mild heart attack in Florida a couple of years ago and needed a stent inserted in an artery. After the stent was inserted, she needed a couple of days in hospital. (Their insurance company, which happened to be Medipac, wanted to bring her back to Canada right away, but her US doctor said no.) I forget how many days she spent in hospital, but it wasn't many-- 3 or 4, maybe. The bill was something over USD130,000. I shudder to think what a full bypass would have cost!

Entering the US from Mexico would, indeed, be scary. I hope there is good travel insurance available down there. Travel insurance purchased in Canada will only cover you if the trip originated in Canada.

Bob

I just bought medical insurance for a 7 day trip to Phoenix. It was $41.00 USD. It has a $1,000,000 limit and a $500 deductible. Of course it doesn't cover any pre-existing conditions.

CanuckBob wrote:I just bought medical insurance for a 7 day trip to Phoenix. It was $41.00 USD. It has a $1,000,000 limit and a $500 deductible. Of course it doesn't cover any pre-existing conditions.

and you are 51, not 60, 65, 70, or 75.

On our first trip down to Baja (1990), I called into a hospital in San Fran' for 'reflux' and they would not except our travel insurance. (a sister in law was a head nurse in same hospital)

They wanted to have my charge card instead, but I didn't have one.

Yeah even with this insurance I would be reluctant to use any medical services in the US for fear that the insurance company would screw me. Unless I was down and out I would be more inclined to get my arse back to Mexico on the next flight out.