by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Aug 7, 2013 | Advocacy, Healthcare Reform, Personal Drug Importation
PharmacyCheckerBlog has reported on the potential effects of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with respect to drug prices and access to medication. Our friends at RxRights.org provide an excellent discussion of this topic as it applies to seniors on Medicare Part D, and more specifically how personal drug importation will remain an important channel to medicine for those slipping through the cracks. Read their post here.
Tagged with: Medicare, Obamacare, seniors
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Jul 17, 2013 | Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies, Prescription Drug Reports
Symbicort is one of the most popular medications used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD affect over 13 million adults in the U.S., and is responsible for over 100,000 deaths annually. Unfortunately, Symbicort is expensive in the U.S. It’s just under $1,000 for a three –month supply at a local pharmacy in New York, and no low-cost generic is available. Though the manufacturer offers 1 free inhaler for a patient’s first prescription, the annual cost of Symbicort would still be around $3,500.
You can reduce your Symbicort costs by as much as 85% by ordering through a verified online international pharmacy, bringing your annual cost down to as little as $552. View our savings comparisons below.
For a list of PharmacyChecker.com approved pharmacies, click here, or view Symbicort prices here.
Prices and Savings on Symbicort 160 mcg/4.5 mcg (3 inhalers, 120 doses per inhaler):
| Program |
Price |
Savings Compared to Local Price |
| U.S. Local Pharmacy |
$950.99 |
— |
| Discount Card Price at U.S. Pharmacy |
$765.68 |
19% |
| International Online Pharmacy* |
$138.00 |
85% |
Prices as of 7/17/2013. Local pharmacy in New York City. Discount card price from RxCut.com. International Online Pharmacy price is lowest listed of PharmacyChecker.com listed pharmacies.
*Drug is the same as sold in U.S. but may be sold under a different brand name
Tagged with: COPD, Symbicort
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Jun 27, 2013 | Drug Importation, Personal Drug Importation, Politics
PharmacyChecker.com posted the following press release today. Click here to read it on PharmacyChecker.com
Maine Becomes First State to Legalize Prescription Drug Importation
— PharmacyChecker.com Applauds Historic Law and Helps Consumers to Shop Safely for Medication —
White Plains, New York – Thursday, June 27, 2013 – Today, Maine became the first state to legalize the importation of prescription drugs by individuals, allowing its residents to reduce the cost of obtaining expensive prescription medications by as much as 90%.
“Americans have accessed medication internationally for over the past decade but federal prohibitions on personal drug importation, while not enforced against individuals, have deterred millions. With that regulatory weight lifted in Maine and with proper guidance, more Americans will have access to safe and affordable medication,” said Gabriel Levitt, vice president of PharmacyChecker.com, a consumer website which evaluates the credentials of online pharmacies and provides drug price comparisons.
The Maine legislature overwhelmingly voted in favor of the law, which permits its residents to personally import prescription medication from licensed pharmacies in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Maine’s House voted 107-37 in favor of the bill, with seven members absent; the Senate voted 30-4, with one member excused. The bill became law at midnight last night in the absence of a veto or signature by Governor Paul LePage. The bill, LD 171, “An Act To Facilitate the Personal Importation of Prescription Drugs from International Mail Order Prescription Pharmacies,” passed as amendment S-241.
Although several states adopted state-run drug importation programs almost a decade ago, most fell by the wayside because state governments did not widely market the programs. The State of the Kansas, under then Governor Kathleen Sebelius, provided a state web page helping residents access verified international pharmacies online. Ms. Sebelius is now Secretary of Health and Human Services. Maine, however, becomes the first state to formally legalize direct personal drug importation.
Research from the Commonwealth Fund has shown that 50 million Americans are not getting needed medication due to the high price of medications at U.S. pharmacies. “The State of Maine has resoundingly declared that this state of affairs is unacceptable,” added Mr. Levitt.
Founded by Tod Cooperman, M.D. in 2003, PharmacyChecker.com helps consumers safely save money on medication by identifying the lowest drug prices from reputable online pharmacies. It independently checks the credentials of online pharmacies and pharmacy discount cards providing easy comparisons of drug prices. PharmacyChecker.com, based in New York, is privately held with no ownership in or from companies that sell or distribute pharmacy products.
Tagged with: HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, Maine
