As my husband and I tried to renew medications after the first of the year we ran into problems...needed new pre-authorizations... thankfully they were cleared up quickly. Our prescriptions don't always show the retail cost vs what we pay with insurance coverage. For now both costs are included in our receipts. I was shocked to find that the retail cost of my entocort..3 pills per day.. for a 30 day supply is just shy of $1200! Am ever so grateful my insurance price to me is $35!
Entocort has given me my life back and so far there are no generics for it.
grannyh
Entocort more expensive than I thought!
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi GrannyH,
Yep, the sticker shock on some of the meds we use, can be pretty substantial. I'm glad you got that cleared up quickly.
Actually, there is a generic substitute available, but not in the U. S. It has to be ordered over the internet, which at least a couple of our members have done.
If you go to the topic referenced by the link below, the second link there, connects with a website for an overseas outlet, for a generic version of budesonide, (just search for Entocort). The first link in that topic leads to an overseas supplier of brand-name Entocort EC. They sell it for $175, for a one month supply. The generic version is much cheaper than that, of course - it's $40.50 for a one month supply.
Interestingly, that's only about 15% higher than your copay for Entocort, in this country. I can't help but wonder what sort of deal the drug manufacturers and the insurance companies have made, on all the various drugs available. You can bet that they both make a killing, if these drugs are so cheap to manufacture, and the government is subsidizing the deal, to boot. After all, you can bet that those overseas manufacturers are making a tidy profit, too, at their list prices, so the actual cost to manufacture these drugs is precious little.
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10825
Tex
Yep, the sticker shock on some of the meds we use, can be pretty substantial. I'm glad you got that cleared up quickly.
Actually, there is a generic substitute available, but not in the U. S. It has to be ordered over the internet, which at least a couple of our members have done.
If you go to the topic referenced by the link below, the second link there, connects with a website for an overseas outlet, for a generic version of budesonide, (just search for Entocort). The first link in that topic leads to an overseas supplier of brand-name Entocort EC. They sell it for $175, for a one month supply. The generic version is much cheaper than that, of course - it's $40.50 for a one month supply.
Interestingly, that's only about 15% higher than your copay for Entocort, in this country. I can't help but wonder what sort of deal the drug manufacturers and the insurance companies have made, on all the various drugs available. You can bet that they both make a killing, if these drugs are so cheap to manufacture, and the government is subsidizing the deal, to boot. After all, you can bet that those overseas manufacturers are making a tidy profit, too, at their list prices, so the actual cost to manufacture these drugs is precious little.
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10825
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I hear you - I've had that little trick pulled on me, before, too. In fact, the drug I'm taking to slow down the progress of Parkinson's disease, (Azilect), is available in two strengths - 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg. The price is the same, for either dose - about 10 bucks a tablet. Obviously, the drug itself must cost virtually nothing - all the money goes to advertising, merchandising, and most of all, profit. I'm gettin' my money's worth, though, by using the 1.0 mg version. 
What I listed was a generalization, for a normal full dose. Actually, this is the way that the Entocort is listed:
1 Bottle of Entocort 3mg 90 Capsules US $175.00
2 Bottles of Entocort 3mg 180 Capsules US $344.00
4 Bottles of Entocort 3mg 360 Capsules US $678.00
Here is how the generic is listed:
Budez CR 3mg
Generic Name: Budesonide
US Brand : Entocort EC
Manufacturer : Sun Pharma
Strength: 3 mg
Package: 10 Caps
Price: $4.50
Quantity 1
Tex
What I listed was a generalization, for a normal full dose. Actually, this is the way that the Entocort is listed:
1 Bottle of Entocort 3mg 90 Capsules US $175.00
2 Bottles of Entocort 3mg 180 Capsules US $344.00
4 Bottles of Entocort 3mg 360 Capsules US $678.00
Here is how the generic is listed:
Budez CR 3mg
Generic Name: Budesonide
US Brand : Entocort EC
Manufacturer : Sun Pharma
Strength: 3 mg
Package: 10 Caps
Price: $4.50
Quantity 1
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hello Grannyh If they (the drugs company, the pharmacy or both) charges 1200 dollar for 1 month entocort, there is just one word for it stealing, fraud, robbing. That is 10 times more than the actual cost for it. I take budenofalk, more or less the same as entocort. My new box with pills also shows the medication prize, 95 Euros (is about 120 dollar I guess) for 90 pills. I don't believe entocort is more expensive than Budenofalk or the difference is a couple of Euros/dollars a box like 10 or 20. Somebody is getting very rich with this prescription. You really mean 1200 dollars, not 120? 120 would make sense, 1200 not. How dare they. That is what makes health care 'expensive'. Is is actually not that expensive, they make it expensive to make a big profit out of it.
Here in Holland they have a very strict policy now, to keep the medication cost as low as possible. If there is a generic available, most of the time that one that is prescribed. But what do pharmaceutical companies do now. They offer their much more expensive medicines (sometimes the difference is a factor 10) free to hospitals. Specialists prescribes this more expensive pills and once patients leave they hospital keep on using the much more expensive once. Very cleaver.
Here in Holland they have a very strict policy now, to keep the medication cost as low as possible. If there is a generic available, most of the time that one that is prescribed. But what do pharmaceutical companies do now. They offer their much more expensive medicines (sometimes the difference is a factor 10) free to hospitals. Specialists prescribes this more expensive pills and once patients leave they hospital keep on using the much more expensive once. Very cleaver.
Yes, the retail price on my receipt was $1200 not $120.. although I often do typos.. I didn't that time:)
I have been filling a dose of Norvasc then cutting it in half for several years.. the half dose works just fine. I do the same with Crestor. Not all drugs can be filled at a higher dose then cut in half.. but when they can... I do it.
grannyh
I have been filling a dose of Norvasc then cutting it in half for several years.. the half dose works just fine. I do the same with Crestor. Not all drugs can be filled at a higher dose then cut in half.. but when they can... I do it.
grannyh
In the United States, a manufacturer who patents a drug has an exclusive rights period when they can charge a ridiculous price for a medication. The thought is to allow the company to recover research and development costs. I looked up Entocort in the FDA Orange Book and there are 4 listings for the patent with expiration dates between November 2010 and January 2015. Unfortunately, it didn't have links to read the details of the documents. I have seen references elsewhere though that indicate that generics might be allowed as soon as the May 2011 expiration. Once that happens there should be at least one much cheaper generic available here. Of course, then we have to worry about what the generic companies put in the inactive ingredients and hope they don't include a common trigger. Does anyone know if there's a way to know who might be interested in developing generics for drugs nearing their patent expiration? Maybe we could write them and ask to exclude certain things like dairy-based fillers. The companies could just blow us off, but there's no harm in asking.
Karen
Karen
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barbaranoela
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 5394
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 6:11 pm
- Location: New York
I will chime in here about the cost of drugs----fortunately I get all generics --and the fees are affordable--
Granny---after reading your first post about entocort I almost had the *runs*---and as U said---I also am very thankful for our coverage---all generics---and all work fine!!
Take care and have a healthy new year---
Barbara
Granny---after reading your first post about entocort I almost had the *runs*---and as U said---I also am very thankful for our coverage---all generics---and all work fine!!
Take care and have a healthy new year---
Barbara
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control
My insurance's cost for Entocort is $1,178.62; my co-pay is $40. It doesn't seem to matter how many pills I order; the cost is the same per prescription. I've been getting 180 pills at a time, or a 90-day supply of 2 pills a day. The cost is a big reason why I'd like to be off of it completely by the time I'm on Medicare.
Gloria
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Hubby and I are both on Medicare with a supplemental plan that includes prescriptions we purchase through a company he worked for years ago (but long enough to get retiree medical which we pay plenty for). If we didn't have the prescription coverage our combined medicare benefits wouldn't cover even two of our medications...
grannyh
grannyh
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MaggieRedwings
- King Penguin
- Posts: 3865
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 3:16 am
- Location: SE Pennsylvania
I just checked my mail in prescription site & Thank God that Jack still has good benefits after retiring.
For a 3 month supply at 2 Entocort a day the cost would be $1,344.76..
Totally ridiculous for people that need it and have no insurance.
Now you see why there are people ordering outside of the US.
Dee
For a 3 month supply at 2 Entocort a day the cost would be $1,344.76..
Totally ridiculous for people that need it and have no insurance.
Now you see why there are people ordering outside of the US.
Dee
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."
Just got ripped on this stuff. 60 caps at my pharmacy (a one month supply) cost me $134 a month ago, then $179 a couple days ago. Went to Dr today and she increased my dosage to 3 daily. Went to mail order web site- and it says I will pay $65.00 for 3 months- 270 caps. Claims insurance will pay $2166.40 balance. What in God's name do people without insurance do? It is criminal what the drug companies get away with!
Colleen
Colleen