prescription drug costs

[Ender]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Aspiemom</b></i>

Wow, I can't believe how good some of your insurance is! And your premiums are so low! I look at ours and it makes me <b>SICK</b>! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif" border="0"> I don't know the breakdown for our meds, but my husband has told me what we pay for both of our prescriptions. Here are our costs:



Premium: <b>$133/<u>week</u></b> <i>(Yes, "week"! It's not a typo!)</i>



Deductible: $2500



Prescription Co-Pays: <b>$750/month</b>



I think he said the $750 doesn't include the Tobi & Pulmozyme copay. We pay about $40 for Pulmozyme, not sure on the Tobi.



I have Medicare for Primary and hubby's BC/BS for 2nd, so I don't usually need to pay the office copays</end quote></div>

How do you live???

 

[Ender]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Aspiemom</b></i>

Wow, I can't believe how good some of your insurance is! And your premiums are so low! I look at ours and it makes me <b>SICK</b>! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif" border="0"> I don't know the breakdown for our meds, but my husband has told me what we pay for both of our prescriptions. Here are our costs:



Premium: <b>$133/<u>week</u></b> <i>(Yes, "week"! It's not a typo!)</i>



Deductible: $2500



Prescription Co-Pays: <b>$750/month</b>



I think he said the $750 doesn't include the Tobi & Pulmozyme copay. We pay about $40 for Pulmozyme, not sure on the Tobi.



I have Medicare for Primary and hubby's BC/BS for 2nd, so I don't usually need to pay the office copays</end quote></div>

How do you live???

 

[Ender]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Aspiemom</b></i>

Wow, I can't believe how good some of your insurance is! And your premiums are so low! I look at ours and it makes me <b>SICK</b>! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif" border="0"> I don't know the breakdown for our meds, but my husband has told me what we pay for both of our prescriptions. Here are our costs:



Premium: <b>$133/<u>week</u></b> <i>(Yes, "week"! It's not a typo!)</i>



Deductible: $2500



Prescription Co-Pays: <b>$750/month</b>



I think he said the $750 doesn't include the Tobi & Pulmozyme copay. We pay about $40 for Pulmozyme, not sure on the Tobi.



I have Medicare for Primary and hubby's BC/BS for 2nd, so I don't usually need to pay the office copays</end quote></div>

How do you live???

 

[Ender]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Aspiemom</b></i>

Wow, I can't believe how good some of your insurance is! And your premiums are so low! I look at ours and it makes me <b>SICK</b>! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif" border="0"> I don't know the breakdown for our meds, but my husband has told me what we pay for both of our prescriptions. Here are our costs:



Premium: <b>$133/<u>week</u></b> <i>(Yes, "week"! It's not a typo!)</i>



Deductible: $2500



Prescription Co-Pays: <b>$750/month</b>



I think he said the $750 doesn't include the Tobi & Pulmozyme copay. We pay about $40 for Pulmozyme, not sure on the Tobi.



I have Medicare for Primary and hubby's BC/BS for 2nd, so I don't usually need to pay the office copays</end quote>

How do you live???

 

[Ender]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Aspiemom</b></i>

Wow, I can't believe how good some of your insurance is! And your premiums are so low! I look at ours and it makes me <b>SICK</b>! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif" border="0"> I don't know the breakdown for our meds, but my husband has told me what we pay for both of our prescriptions. Here are our costs:



Premium: <b>$133/<u>week</u></b> <i>(Yes, "week"! It's not a typo!)</i>



Deductible: $2500



Prescription Co-Pays: <b>$750/month</b>



I think he said the $750 doesn't include the Tobi & Pulmozyme copay. We pay about $40 for Pulmozyme, not sure on the Tobi.



I have Medicare for Primary and hubby's BC/BS for 2nd, so I don't usually need to pay the office copays</end quote>

How do you live???

 

[concernedmom]

The sad part is all that everyone sees is OUR out of pocket. Usually the companies pay a lot for the premiums, too. Our company pays approx $90,000/year just for the medical & life insurance premiums for <b>16</b> employees and their families. (That's for the plan with a $2,000/employee or $4,000/family deductible).
<hr>
Then, we contribute another $25,000/year to Health Savings Accounts for the employees. We also spend another $12,000 for their dental insurance and another $5,000 for their short term disability. Employee's contribute a total of $18,200 toward their premiums, leaving our company <b>$113,800</b> for medical care for 16 employees/families, dental care for all 20 employees/families, and short-term disability for 20 employees.
<hr>
We're a small company. Our average medical, dental, life, & short-term disability premium for our 16 employees on our medical plan is approx $700/month (less the average of $94.79 that's paid/month by the employee).
<hr>

On the other hand, a large employer with thousands of employees will have average premiums/employee of less than $500/month and will have significantly better coverage then we could ever hope to offer.

<hr>
At the current rate of inflation for medical premiums (double digits every year), our company won't be able to afford ANY medical insurance for our employees in less than 10 years and that large company with the great health plan will have a health plan worse than our current plan.
<hr>
Collectively, small employers employee more people total than all the large companies combined. Less than 20 more years and if something hasn't changed, well over HALF of all americans will be UNinsured.

 

[concernedmom]

The sad part is all that everyone sees is OUR out of pocket. Usually the companies pay a lot for the premiums, too. Our company pays approx $90,000/year just for the medical & life insurance premiums for <b>16</b> employees and their families. (That's for the plan with a $2,000/employee or $4,000/family deductible).
<hr>
Then, we contribute another $25,000/year to Health Savings Accounts for the employees. We also spend another $12,000 for their dental insurance and another $5,000 for their short term disability. Employee's contribute a total of $18,200 toward their premiums, leaving our company <b>$113,800</b> for medical care for 16 employees/families, dental care for all 20 employees/families, and short-term disability for 20 employees.
<hr>
We're a small company. Our average medical, dental, life, & short-term disability premium for our 16 employees on our medical plan is approx $700/month (less the average of $94.79 that's paid/month by the employee).
<hr>

On the other hand, a large employer with thousands of employees will have average premiums/employee of less than $500/month and will have significantly better coverage then we could ever hope to offer.

<hr>
At the current rate of inflation for medical premiums (double digits every year), our company won't be able to afford ANY medical insurance for our employees in less than 10 years and that large company with the great health plan will have a health plan worse than our current plan.
<hr>
Collectively, small employers employee more people total than all the large companies combined. Less than 20 more years and if something hasn't changed, well over HALF of all americans will be UNinsured.

 

[concernedmom]

The sad part is all that everyone sees is OUR out of pocket. Usually the companies pay a lot for the premiums, too. Our company pays approx $90,000/year just for the medical & life insurance premiums for <b>16</b> employees and their families. (That's for the plan with a $2,000/employee or $4,000/family deductible).
<hr>
Then, we contribute another $25,000/year to Health Savings Accounts for the employees. We also spend another $12,000 for their dental insurance and another $5,000 for their short term disability. Employee's contribute a total of $18,200 toward their premiums, leaving our company <b>$113,800</b> for medical care for 16 employees/families, dental care for all 20 employees/families, and short-term disability for 20 employees.
<hr>
We're a small company. Our average medical, dental, life, & short-term disability premium for our 16 employees on our medical plan is approx $700/month (less the average of $94.79 that's paid/month by the employee).
<hr>

On the other hand, a large employer with thousands of employees will have average premiums/employee of less than $500/month and will have significantly better coverage then we could ever hope to offer.

<hr>
At the current rate of inflation for medical premiums (double digits every year), our company won't be able to afford ANY medical insurance for our employees in less than 10 years and that large company with the great health plan will have a health plan worse than our current plan.
<hr>
Collectively, small employers employee more people total than all the large companies combined. Less than 20 more years and if something hasn't changed, well over HALF of all americans will be UNinsured.

 

[concernedmom]

The sad part is all that everyone sees is OUR out of pocket. Usually the companies pay a lot for the premiums, too. Our company pays approx $90,000/year just for the medical & life insurance premiums for <b>16</b> employees and their families. (That's for the plan with a $2,000/employee or $4,000/family deductible).
<hr>
Then, we contribute another $25,000/year to Health Savings Accounts for the employees. We also spend another $12,000 for their dental insurance and another $5,000 for their short term disability. Employee's contribute a total of $18,200 toward their premiums, leaving our company <b>$113,800</b> for medical care for 16 employees/families, dental care for all 20 employees/families, and short-term disability for 20 employees.
<hr>
We're a small company. Our average medical, dental, life, & short-term disability premium for our 16 employees on our medical plan is approx $700/month (less the average of $94.79 that's paid/month by the employee).
<hr>

On the other hand, a large employer with thousands of employees will have average premiums/employee of less than $500/month and will have significantly better coverage then we could ever hope to offer.

<hr>
At the current rate of inflation for medical premiums (double digits every year), our company won't be able to afford ANY medical insurance for our employees in less than 10 years and that large company with the great health plan will have a health plan worse than our current plan.
<hr>
Collectively, small employers employee more people total than all the large companies combined. Less than 20 more years and if something hasn't changed, well over HALF of all americans will be UNinsured.

 

[concernedmom]

The sad part is all that everyone sees is OUR out of pocket. Usually the companies pay a lot for the premiums, too. Our company pays approx $90,000/year just for the medical & life insurance premiums for <b>16</b> employees and their families. (That's for the plan with a $2,000/employee or $4,000/family deductible).
<hr>
Then, we contribute another $25,000/year to Health Savings Accounts for the employees. We also spend another $12,000 for their dental insurance and another $5,000 for their short term disability. Employee's contribute a total of $18,200 toward their premiums, leaving our company <b>$113,800</b> for medical care for 16 employees/families, dental care for all 20 employees/families, and short-term disability for 20 employees.
<hr>
We're a small company. Our average medical, dental, life, & short-term disability premium for our 16 employees on our medical plan is approx $700/month (less the average of $94.79 that's paid/month by the employee).
<hr>

On the other hand, a large employer with thousands of employees will have average premiums/employee of less than $500/month and will have significantly better coverage then we could ever hope to offer.

<hr>
At the current rate of inflation for medical premiums (double digits every year), our company won't be able to afford ANY medical insurance for our employees in less than 10 years and that large company with the great health plan will have a health plan worse than our current plan.
<hr>
Collectively, small employers employee more people total than all the large companies combined. Less than 20 more years and if something hasn't changed, well over HALF of all americans will be UNinsured.

 

[Skye]

Concernedmom,

Thanks for the info. on small business. I don't think a lot of people realize the impact this problem is having on small business!!! Small business is the back bone of our country. My biggest hurdle in hiring people is the cost of medical care and you have to provide it to attract and keep good people. I don't know how health insurance got tied to employment. I wish it never had.

 

[Skye]

Concernedmom,

Thanks for the info. on small business. I don't think a lot of people realize the impact this problem is having on small business!!! Small business is the back bone of our country. My biggest hurdle in hiring people is the cost of medical care and you have to provide it to attract and keep good people. I don't know how health insurance got tied to employment. I wish it never had.

 

[Skye]

Concernedmom,

Thanks for the info. on small business. I don't think a lot of people realize the impact this problem is having on small business!!! Small business is the back bone of our country. My biggest hurdle in hiring people is the cost of medical care and you have to provide it to attract and keep good people. I don't know how health insurance got tied to employment. I wish it never had.

 

[Skye]

Concernedmom,

Thanks for the info. on small business. I don't think a lot of people realize the impact this problem is having on small business!!! Small business is the back bone of our country. My biggest hurdle in hiring people is the cost of medical care and you have to provide it to attract and keep good people. I don't know how health insurance got tied to employment. I wish it never had.

 

[Skye]

Concernedmom,

Thanks for the info. on small business. I don't think a lot of people realize the impact this problem is having on small business!!! Small business is the back bone of our country. My biggest hurdle in hiring people is the cost of medical care and you have to provide it to attract and keep good people. I don't know how health insurance got tied to employment. I wish it never had.

 

[Aspiemom]

Elder, "how do we live?". From week to week, month to month. My husband is constantly on the lookout for a better job with better benefits. It's hard to find a driving job w/ that, plus a decent truck, decent running, home more often than just weekends or every other weekend. (As it is, he's home just one evening during the week, then either 1 or 2 days at the weekend.)

We've been trying to find assistance with the Tobi and Pulmozyme, but between my husbands income and my Medicare we "make too much money." They never take into account what we put out in medical costs, just what our income is.

I just can't believe how much cheaper other people on here have it. I knew our premiums were high, but I didn't realize they were so much higher than everyone elses.

 

[Aspiemom]

Elder, "how do we live?". From week to week, month to month. My husband is constantly on the lookout for a better job with better benefits. It's hard to find a driving job w/ that, plus a decent truck, decent running, home more often than just weekends or every other weekend. (As it is, he's home just one evening during the week, then either 1 or 2 days at the weekend.)

We've been trying to find assistance with the Tobi and Pulmozyme, but between my husbands income and my Medicare we "make too much money." They never take into account what we put out in medical costs, just what our income is.

I just can't believe how much cheaper other people on here have it. I knew our premiums were high, but I didn't realize they were so much higher than everyone elses.

 

[Aspiemom]

Elder, "how do we live?". From week to week, month to month. My husband is constantly on the lookout for a better job with better benefits. It's hard to find a driving job w/ that, plus a decent truck, decent running, home more often than just weekends or every other weekend. (As it is, he's home just one evening during the week, then either 1 or 2 days at the weekend.)

We've been trying to find assistance with the Tobi and Pulmozyme, but between my husbands income and my Medicare we "make too much money." They never take into account what we put out in medical costs, just what our income is.

I just can't believe how much cheaper other people on here have it. I knew our premiums were high, but I didn't realize they were so much higher than everyone elses.

 

[Aspiemom]

Elder, "how do we live?". From week to week, month to month. My husband is constantly on the lookout for a better job with better benefits. It's hard to find a driving job w/ that, plus a decent truck, decent running, home more often than just weekends or every other weekend. (As it is, he's home just one evening during the week, then either 1 or 2 days at the weekend.)

We've been trying to find assistance with the Tobi and Pulmozyme, but between my husbands income and my Medicare we "make too much money." They never take into account what we put out in medical costs, just what our income is.

I just can't believe how much cheaper other people on here have it. I knew our premiums were high, but I didn't realize they were so much higher than everyone elses.

 

[Aspiemom]

Elder, "how do we live?". From week to week, month to month. My husband is constantly on the lookout for a better job with better benefits. It's hard to find a driving job w/ that, plus a decent truck, decent running, home more often than just weekends or every other weekend. (As it is, he's home just one evening during the week, then either 1 or 2 days at the weekend.)

We've been trying to find assistance with the Tobi and Pulmozyme, but between my husbands income and my Medicare we "make too much money." They never take into account what we put out in medical costs, just what our income is.

I just can't believe how much cheaper other people on here have it. I knew our premiums were high, but I didn't realize they were so much higher than everyone elses.