Being Given Samples of New Medications
I am so tired of going to the doctor, being given samples of a new medication they spend half the appointment raving about (it’s much more effective, it’ll be better for managing your symptoms, etc) and then finding out it’s like 1-2k a month. I’ve gotten lucky with two of the new CGRP migraine medications because my insurance covers part of them and my savings cards pay the rest but I was just given Voquezna which is not even in my current plans drug formulary so it won’t be covered and I can’t use the patient discount card.
I really appreciate doctors giving patients the best possible treatment for their conditions and genuinely being excited about advances in medicine but when you tell a patient a new drug is “just a little more expensive than omeprazole” that’s not right. Not hating on doctors, it’s not their job to have the price of every medication memorized especially since so much can go into determining the cost of a treatment for a patient but still. I do really feel for doctors because they struggle under our current healthcare system like we do just in different ways.
Just frustrated with the disconnect between advances in treatment and insurance coverage. This medication is still extremely new and I’m confident it will be added to more drug formularies in the future but it feels bleak in the moment to get that sliver of hope and then have it jerked away. I can try to appeal but since I haven’t technically “failed” other treatments I don’t know if the struggle would be worth it.
Just wanted to vent to people that get it.