My name is Darlene and I am a 74-year-old retiree from Van Buren, Arkansas.

I am an avid outdoors person and I love to exercise. Since I’ve retired, I’ve spent a lot of time at the gym –– and have even hiked up and down the canyons in Arizona. I greatly value my health, and a big part of maintaining that health is the medication I have to take.

I have high blood pressure, and in order to stabilize it, my doctor prescribed me Micardis. It’s an antihypertensive drug, and as I soon found out, it’s outrageously priced. I had always assumed I would be able to take the medication my doctor wanted me to take, but my insurance wouldn’t cover the medication. When I went to pick it up, I found that it was $200.

For a while, I was getting it from Canada for $38 per month. However, even that option suddenly went up to $144. I live on social security and have a fixed income, and so I am completely unable to afford that. 

I am a bit hesitant to share my story, as I know there are so many who have it worse off than me. But if my story helps even one person, I want to share it. The medications I so badly need should not be so outrageously priced.