Drug costs can mean difficult choices
By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Between coughs, J. Corrine Richmire talked about how much she needed her emphysema medicine. So much so that she sometimes went hungry just to buy it.
"You beg, borrow or steal or you go without food," said the 69-year-old Honolulu resident. "Drug costs are so high — who can afford it?"
Richmire spends about $350 a month for five medications. Although the part-time Honolulu caregiver is covered by Medicare, the program does not pay for prescription drugs.
About 300,000 Hawai'i residents of all ages are uninsured or underinsured, said Alicia Maluafiti, associate state director for AARP Hawai'i. That includes seniors on Medicare. Medicaid does pay for prescription drugs, but seniors must be nearly destitute to qualify.
"People underestimate the problem of affordable prescription drugs," Maluafiti said. "The problem with people in Hawai'i is that the Prepaid Health Care Act is a model other states are envious of, so we take it for granted. We think all of these benefits employers give us are automatic, but they are not."
Under that act, employers must pay for health insurance for people working at least 20 hours a week.
But it does not require prescription drug coverage, Maluafiti said.
The seniors' plight prompted Roy E. Shigemura to turn into a self-styled good Samaritan. Earlier this year, Shigemura contacted a nonprofit group that provides tips on cutting drug costs and bought 20 copies of its handbook.
Shigemura doesn't need prescription drugs, but he wants to help others who do. On his own dime, the 68-year-old Honolulu resident gave out copies to senior groups and politicians.
"I wanted them to pass it on to their constituents," he said.
The handbook, "Free and Low Cost Prescription Drugs," is published by The Cost Containment Research Institute in Washington, D.C. The nonpartisan organization, which is financed by its publications, provides information on how to qualify for free or discounted drugs and other cost-cutting advice.
"Some (free drug) programs have been around for 20 to 30 years," said founder Gary Nave.
"It's a crime (the pharmaceutical companies) don't tell more people," Nave said.
Last year, $2 billion worth of free drugs were given away by drug companies, he said. Still, Nave estimates that fewer than 25 percent of seniors who would qualify for these programs even know about them.
More than 1,100 drugs made by 95 manufacturers nationwide can be obtained for free, he said. Manufacturers who participate in such programs include Abbott Laboratories, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Meyers, Eli Lilly, Merck and Pfizer.
Locally, the nonprofit Hawai'i Prescription Care helps people apply for free drugs from pharmaceutical companies if they qualify. Call 599-6000 for more information.
If you want to contact the manufacturers directly, you can get a list of companies offering free drugs from The Cost Containment Research Institute in Washington by calling (202) 478-0481 or visiting www.institutedc.org.
By mail, you can send $6 to Institute Fulfillment Center, Book #PD-75, P.O. Box 210, Dallas, Penn. 18612-0210.
You have to qualify for the programs and it takes a week to two months to get the drugs, Nave said.
Reach Deborah Adamson at dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8088.
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Here are other tips from The Cost Containment Research Institute on cutting your prescription drug costs:
- Get a free pharmacy discount card directly from the drugmaker. Savings range from 15 to 30 percent.
- GlaxoSmithKline offers "The Orange Card." Applicants must make less than $30,000 a year for an individual and $40,000 for a couple. Call (888) 672-6436.
- Eli Lilly offers "LillyAnswers" card, for those making less than $18,000 a year individually or $24,000 per couple. There is a $12 co-payment per prescription for a 30-day supply. Call (877) 795-4559.
- Novartis offers the "CareCard," which covers some Novartis drugs. Income requirements vary depending on the plan. Call (866) 974-2273.
- Pfizer's "Share Card" covers all of the company's drugs. A $15 co-pay is available for a 30-day supply of a drug, but individuals must make less than $18,000 a year and couples less than $24,000 annually. Call (800) 717-6005.
- The Together RX card covers 150 drugs from a group of drugmakers. Annual incomes should fall below $28,000 for an individual and $38,000 per couple. Hawai'i residents can earn more and still quaIify. Call (800) 865-7211.
- Ask your doctor for a generic drug and save up to 93 percent. For example, one hundred 150 mg Zantac pills can cost $173. The generic brand sells for $11.
- Use a pill splitter, carried by most pharmacies. Several drugmakers have similar prices for some medications no matter the strength. You can save as much as $100 on a one-month supply of Lipitor by buying the larger strength and halving it. (Some drugs should not be split; ask your pharmacist.)
- Buy a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply if that results in a discount.
- Ask for older medication that can be just as effective. Doctors may prescribe a newer antibiotic that's being touted as more effective. But it's usually a lot more expensive and often is not more effective than older drugs.
- Buy over-the-counter versions instead of prescription. A month's supply of prescription Pepcid 20 mg costs about $60. Over-the-counter Pepcid AC comes in 10 mg. Taking a double dose would cost you $23.
- Get only a 7-day supply of new medication in case you can't tolerate it.
- Stop using drugs you no longer need. Review all of your prescriptions with the doctor and the pharmacist.
- Don't let the doctor order more drugs for you than you need.
