The Unwired Medic

Teaching EMS providers & other public safety pros about using mobile tech to improve their practice, patient care, continuing education, scene safety, general entertainment, & productivity.

EpiPens too expensive?

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So it’s all over the media and social media platforms. EpiPens have jumped in price more than 400% in recent years. I was advised by my allergist to carry them in 2007, and I did for about 4 years. Then they became too cost prohibitive, and that was when they weren’t in the $400/set range. I had to stop buying them every year.

Fast forward to last year, and I suddenly have an episode of anaphylaxis and status asthmaticus. I spent a few days in the hospital and was on high-dose steroids for a couple months.  Those EpiPens were looking like a bargain now. I was able to get a set of Auvi-Q epinephrine autoinjectors, but they were later found to be ineffective at delivering full doses so they were recalled and I got EpiPens, which were now (again) without competition in the marketplace.  Lack of competition means that their dollar and fifty cents worth of drug in an auto-injector could be priced at whatever they want to price it at. Even with insurance from my primary employer, they were cost prohibitive, so I went to the EpiPen website to see if they had a copay savings card, and they did. My card reduced my copay to only $5. This year, the makers of EpiPens made the copay card even better by reducing the copay to ZERO dollars and it is good for up to twelve EpiPen sets (the two-pack, not the singles) per year. Then the card expires and you have to sign up again.

EpiPen Copay CardThe only requirements are that you have a commercial insurance plan, and you are over 18. If that fits you, then go to their website and sign up and print your card, then take it to the pharmacy. The bad news is this is for individuals, not for organizations like volunteer fire and EMS, and if you have Medicare, Medicaid, or TRICARE, you are ineligible.

https://www.epipen.com/copay-offer

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