Hot Epinephrine and asthma medication tips for the week:Get Resourceful
Visit Needy Meds and click on the Getting Started tab. This is one of my favorite resources. Here you’ll find manufacturers coupons, local sliding scale clinics that can help you find affordable EpiPens® or asthma medications and more. In my town, there is a clinic that offers Epi for $5 at their clinic’s pharmacy! Of course, you need to qualify, but it is worth doing the homework. I have used this site myself to find coupons for all the medications my family uses for both epinephrine auto-injectors and our asthma medications.
Price ShopPricing is not standardized. I found Auvi-Q®s, last year before they were removed from the market, with price differences in pharmacies of over $100. I also found better pricing for EpiPens® in different cities. Therefore, your phone is your friend! Carve out a lunch break or some time to sit on the phone to find the best price locally. Shop around with the Good RX App too, as it compares pharmacy pricing by zip codes. Be aware, some of the prices shown are already discounted and are calculated using available coupons! I use a combination of the Good RX App and simply calling each pharmacy to inquire about pricing and expiration date. There have been a few times where I will pay a higher price to get my hands on a longer expiration date.
Speaking of expiration dates, you never have to accept a short expiration date. Moons ago, when I turned down a short expiration date, in frustration, the pharmacist growled at me, “well, I have to make money too”. That was the last time I used that pharmacy. Not only was that poor customer service, it spoke volumes as to why the pricing varies pharmacy to pharmacy.
Call Your Insurance Company to Appeal
This tip is a work in progress for me right now, but I am closer! Several of my pals have called up their insurance company to explain their need Epinephrine Auto-Injectors coverage since it is a life or death situation. Their physician then followed up with verification and phone calls to get coverage or to request additional device coverage. Each insurance company has their own unique appeal process, but it may be worth a call to see what you can do.
Lastly, shop for new health insurance if your plan isn’t working for you. I am working currently on epinephrine auto-injector coverage and am shopping for new insurance. Thankfully, my son is now on new insurance for college and for the first time in sixteen years, his EpiPens® are fully covered. I had to fight back tears at the pharmacy counter. Even though my family has made the decision to own our business and this is a very real challenge for small biz owners (inadequate insurance), so I was thrilled for this group insurance benefit.
I hope these tips help out some, and from what I have learned is that taking that extra time to do homework makes a difference. My family’s EPI and asthma medications have skyrocketed over the last several years and it is painful.
Disclaimer: None of the companies mentioned in this article have paid me or asked me to write about them. I’m simply sharing tips that have helped my family and maybe they’ll help yours too.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
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