like theft/loss insurance

I feel like I recall people talking about a state farm policy

Really, I'm mostly concerned about spills and broken bones coverage

and country

and doctor

some combos of countries/drugs probably leaves you SOL, some combos probably have it OTC, some combos you probably just need the right doctor or the right tests conducted

i mean, what's the generic drug?

people get caught up in working within their plan - sometimes it's stupid cheap outside the plan if you have the right setup

unless it reveals a specific issue, let me know the generic and i'll give you reasonably good advice

or actual real price including common PBM discounts?

I can price a Tylenol at $140/pill if you give me some scotch and 60 minutes of poking around :)

$3k sounds like either biologic pricing, infusion pricing, or 2016+ drug pricing (abilify etc)

otherwise its just bullshit profit raking. What's the drug?

could try google

I understand it's a personal decision not to talk about your medical history, so unfortunately the advice anyone could give here would just be generalized

If this is a cost thing, but you have a valid prescription, an online pharmacy is probably fine for stocking up before you go but again

It depends on what it is

If it's Adderall, don't do it, because it's amphetamine. If it's a prescription level antihistamine then who gives a shit

Glad your insurance is covering it.. but I thought that was the point of your question, which is why i offered to help. With such a broad description, there's not a ton of advice that can be given other than 'it depends'

If they end up not, I'll get specific. thx

Check the Obamacare website to see when open enrollment is happening. You may still have time to jump in with less fuss than if you do it when that ends. I bet you have to prove state residency. Maybe use a friend's address.

and through Geo Blue Worldwide

its decentlyhandled

they code it back to US standards

then submit for reimb

international is in network

because its laughably chepa

That particular drug is a generic and has zero bioaffinity issues regarding generics that I see, so you'll be good to go wit that. Your current pharmacy can electronically transfer the order to Walmart

Your insurance may usually make it free or something but for $10 per 3 mo with the option to fill as many months of it as you have a prescription for... there's no reason not to ensure you have a years supply considering that medication should not be stopped abruptly

Costco will also sell you 360 of them for $39.14 (no Costco card required.. again just call your current pharmacy and say "please transfer my prescription to {Walmart, costco, kroger}". They're required by law to transfer it, and they won't give you a hard time about it.

If you grab the GoodRx app you can get 360 of that med at the max strength at any of those 3 stores for under $40, no insurance needed.

Walgreens will charge you $466 for the same drug. Yikes

If you have any trouble, just message me, I'll walk you through it in more detail.

Download goodrx app. Enter drug, dosage, and zip code. It'll give you the cheapest option and a coupon (or for Walmart/Costco , no coupon needed)

Cal your pharmacy, say "please transfer my prescription to <pharmacy you picked from list>"

Go to new pharmacy. If they ask, no you don't have insurance, but you have this coupon from goodrx (show on screen). Tell them you want to fill all your refills at once. You're allowed to ask for this, it's a routine request. Say it's for travel if they ask.

If you get a price more than $40 for a 6-9 mo supply, you got something wrong.. message me and I'll walk you further through it :)

You might find they don't have enough for you and have to have you come back tomorrow to fill it, but that's the worst problem you should face

If you don't end up with something like this screen, stop and reassess as you've wandered off the path :)

Wow, it dropped a lot when I took out extended release.

$40

More like how Comcast views internet service 😄

You have a spread of knowledge there, friend

Doctors have zero insight into the cost of your drugs

(for the majority of cases where drugs are cheap)

but generally, docs have zero idea what anything costs.. especially because your insurance might pay $0 or $50,000/mo for your drugs

when docs understand the price difference, they will go for the cheaper option

and some family practice people know how some common drugs cost because patients keep coming back saying "I couldn't afford it"

but case in point.. look at that prescription that was $455 at walgreens, and $40 at walmart.. for the cheap version of the drug.

no way is a doc going to remember that

i once had a friend get prescribed antibiotics at a ER. The antibiotics, with insurance, were $900

the pharmacist called the ER doc and said 'you realize the $5 version of this drug has the same efficacy, right?" and the doc was _shocked_ because he never gets price feedback - if someone didn't take what he told them, some other ER doc or a PCP will see them

docs aren't jerks, but also they can't possibly know every drugs cost

and frankly.. the brand name patent drugs are awesome… you can't refuse to prescribe until stuff goes on generic

think of patients on warfarin.. the new anticoagulant drugs are fucking miraculous, but expensive

as a doc, you want the highest standard of care _possible_ (important word..) - but nobody got sued for recommending the best possible care, even if the pt then comes back and asks for the bleedy-mc-leaky pills instead because they're so cheap we use them to poison rats

worst prescribing protocol for warfarin i ever saw was a UK ED doing stabilization and discharge on a geriatric pt.. they basically just shouted at him because his hearing aid wasn't working telling him to take the mystery pill every day forever.. without ever actually explaining how critical it was to his overall health (I mean, he was not going ot live forever, but still. it was just awkward). 90 seconds of writing it down or just getting a social worker involved would have, i feel, materially improved his outcomes

but what do i know, i'm just a dog on the internet hopped up on bolivian marching powder.

At least that's what the pharmacists tell me when I ask about it

American health care system is so ludicrous

So it's not specific to GoodRx. They're making money primarily like an insurance company.. by charging a little more than the true cost, and selling on data.

If she'd filled via Blue Cross Blue Shield, a PBM would also have sold on the data..

Blue California uses a related entity for their PBM, but most don't nationwide

Express Scripts is the big kahuna

So the only way your data is not being sold is if you pay cash within coupons, no insurance, no discount, etc.

In all other cases (Cadillac insurance, discount insurance, discount card, Walgreens savings plan, goodrx, coupon, 'copay card', etc) a pbm is selling your data

Even in the event of repatriation, I've been asked where I want to go

I don’t think you can even select the US if you’re including it as part of your coverage with Cignaglobal since it’s meant for expats

^ rvigoeldy

So technically you can select it in the form (USA too) but certain countries have different requirements if selected as country of residency so they won’t let you proceed to purchase

I’m assuming not and was planning to get something similar to Cigna.

but having it is a good safety net, because small things you can pay out of pocket and if you get some type of travel/expat plan that covers repatriation in emergency situations you can expect to be able to get home to use your health insurance there