My self-identification as a patient stems from me being diagnosed with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and atrial fibrillation, (Afib), a type of arrhythmia or abnormal heartbeat. Because of this diagnosis, I am using Trelegy inhaler samples that I got for free from my asthma doctor, but they are not enough to use the medication properly like I should. I am also required to take Eliquis, a blood thinner for my Afib, but cannot afford it. Trelegy costs $306.50 a month and Eliquis costs $594.40 a month at list price, before insurance covers any portion of the medications’ list price. With the addition of my RA prescription of Actemra, whose list price is $1,174.81 per injection that I need to take every other week, I could not afford the nearly $4,000 my prescriptions would cost me if I had to pay out of pocket for them.

Although I am thankfully a patient with Medicare coverage, along with some supplemental plans, my prescription drug copays are still way too much, at about $500 per month. 

Due to the fact that I am not able to take Eliquis correctly, my main concern is always the possibility of having a stroke, but I don’t let that keep me from doing whatever I physically can do. 

I believe in lower priced and more affordable prescription drugs because the pricing system is rigged for those with insurance and without. With Medicare, I currently cannot afford Trelegy, Eliquis, and my biologic Actemra, but all of these medications were all available to me for $5 each when I was working and had private insurance. But now they cost me hundreds of dollars. I am retired and even paying for supplemental coverage but the sole reason of being “retired” limits me from receiving “full working man” benefits. This is unfair.