14 months ago
(WUSA) -- Imagine earning just over $1,000 a month in income but facing prescription prices for more than that each month.
This is Irene Koch's reality.
At 57, Irene suffers from schizophrenia. Her mother, Audrey Koch, says she has suffered from the illness since she was a toddler.
Irene lives in her own apartment in suburban Maryland and depends on a monthly social security check. Once rent and groceries are paid, there's very little money left at the end of the month.
Right now Irene pays $60 a month through Medicare Part D for a drug called Risperdal.
"It's an anti-hallucinigen," says Irene. "It gives me composure."
Irene hears voices. The medicine calms these voices, says Irene.
Irene tried committing suicide once. "The voices," says Irene's mother, "toldher she was no good. That she should jump. Kill herself."
Since taking the medicine, the voices don't tell Irene to kill herself.
"It's the only thing that works for her," says Audrey.
However, Irene's Medicare Part D coverage will soon stop supplementing the cost, says Irene's mother. This means Irene will be responsible for paying full price. And full price can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy.
9NEWS NOW called 8 different pharmacies in the area to get a cost. Irene takes 4 pills a day, meaning she needs 240 pills a month. Here is what we found:
The difference in price from the most expensive to the least expensive is $435.
"I won't be able to afford it," says Irene. "It's too darn expensive."
Generic brands aren't the answer for Irene, says Mrs. Koch.
"This medicine [Risperdal] has been a miracle for her. So much better than anything else she has tried before."
Mrs. Koch says she is going to do everything possible to help her daughter stay healthy. She will use her own income to help Irene out with prescription costs. However, Mrs. Koch worries what happens when she runs out of money. Afterall, she is a senior citizen on a limited income. What happens to her daughter then?
Mrs. Koch just shakes her head. "A hospital." Then she shakes her head again.
A hospital, says Mrs. Koch, will cost taxpayers more than fixing the problems with Medicare Part D.
Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen is trying to help out Irene and other people like her.
Rep. Van Hollen is a supporter of the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007.
Speaking on behalf of the act last year, Van Hollen said, "This legislation is long overdue. Quite simply, H.R. 4 repeals the provision in current law that prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from negotiating with drug companies for lower prices for those enrolled in Medicare prescription drug plans and instead requires the Secretary to conduct such negotiations. As it stands right now, Medicare is the only entity in this country that cannot bargain for lower drug prices. The states, Fortune 500 companies, large pharmacy chains, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) all use their bargaining clout to obtain lower drug prices for the populations they serve.
"It is quite astonishing that the current law prohibits Medicare from negotiating for lower prices while the VA is able to negotiate for lower prices for veterans. By not allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices, the responsibility for moderating drug prices is in the hands of the private drug plans that participate in Medicare. With the failure of private plans to deliver lower drug prices, Medicare beneficiaries end up paying higher out-of-pocket expenses. This failure is also a burden on taxpayers, as they pay approximately three-fourths of the costs of the Part D program."
9NEWS Now took some of the top selling drugs in the DC region and priced them at various pharmacies. Here is what we found price-wise:
Lipitor (20mg/30-day supply)
Nexium (20mg/30-day supply)
Plavix (30-day supply)
Advair (100mg/30-day supply)
It should be noted some pharmacies offer Club Card memberships that lower pharmacy costs for those not covered with insurance. You should check with pharmacies to see if they offer such a program. The Club Card will cost you a yearly membership. However, the expense could be worth it overall by the time you ante up at the prescription counter.
Also Walmart and Target offer $4 programs for certain medications. See the links attached with this story to see which medications fall under these programs.
9NEWS NOW
