An examination of three GMHC clients, whose regimens typify the needs of people with HIV, shows that the discount card program is not comprehensive, lacks choice, and offers uneven savings.
Barry takes 4 prescription medications for HIV and pain management. Of the drugs covered by the lowest-price discount plan offered by Medicare, the following price comparisons were found:
Drug Name
Medicare
Drugstore.com
Canadadrugs.com
Celebrex
$151.56
$76.99
$88.72
Levaquin
266.28
97.93
149.56
Viracept
603.08
635.97
565.97
Zerit
329.75
316.24
259.08
Total Monthly Cost for Barry
$1,350.67
$1,127.13
$1,063.33
Barry's best bargain
Most Expensive
Less
Expensive
Least
Expensive
Total number of Medicare plans that cover all of Barry's drugs: 4
Patricia takes 6 prescription medications each day. Of the drugs covered by the lowest-price discount plan offered by Medicare, the following price comparisons were found:
Drug Name
Medicare
Drugstore.com
Canadadrugs.com
Epivir
$264.45
$269.99
$244.90
Hydro-chlorothiazide
3.89
8.99
2.02
Retrovir
308.16
326.21
330.61
Total Monthly Cost for Pat
$576.50
$605.19
$577.53
Patricia's best bargain
Least Expensive
Most
Expensive
Less
Expensive
Patricia can purchase more of her drugs at one time through non-Medicare outlets.
Total number of Medicare plans that cover all of Patricia's drugs: 0
Number of Medicare plans that cover some of Patricia's drugs: 5
Jim has been on Medicare for 9 years and takes 12 prescription medications daily for HIV, high cholesterol, sleeplessness, and pain. Of the drugs covered by the lowest-price discount plan offered by Medicare, the following price comparisons were found:
Drug Name
Medicare
Drugstore.com
Canadadrugs.com
Elavil
$15.38
$10.99
$2.86
Famotidine
25.30
19.99
86.12
Lipitor
67.33
62.99
46.48
Naproxen
13.00
17.99
12.82
Reyataz
756.94
775.51
665.99
Total Monthly Cost for Jim
$877.95
$887.47
$814.27
Jim's best bargain
Less Expensive
Most
Expensive
Least
Expensive
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Total number of Medicare plans that cover all of Jim's drugs: 0
Number of Medicare plans that cover some of Jim's drugs: 2
Analyses were conducted using prices listed on CMS's website www.medicare.gov, Drugstore.com's website, www.drugstore.com, and Canadiandrugs.com's website, www.canadiandrugs.com, on Thursday, May 20, 2004. Only drugs that were available from all three sources were compared. All prices in U.S. dollars.
Medicare-Approved Discount Cards Will Benefit Some Summary from AIDS Treatment News
Patients who are on Medicare and have income under 135% of Federal poverty level and are not on Medicaid probably should obtain one of the new Medicare discount cards that became available on June 1, 2004, because all these cards include $600 annual credit for prescription drug purchases for persons within that income limit. Unfortunately, this program is complex, no one yet knows how it will work in practice, and after choosing a card one is locked in until November 15. The most difficult part of the choice of which card to get may involve how it interacts with other programs, including ADAP, and pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs.
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