Blogs

Hello, my name is Aly Elbaga and I am 82 years old and living in Old Bridge, New Jersey. I am a retired chemist now on Medicare and living with heart flutters. Due to my condition, I have been taking Eliquis, Trelegy, and Propafenone, which are all expensive medications with high copays.

In 2006, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib), which is a type of arrhythmia or abnormal heartbeat caused by extremely fast and irregular beats from the upper chambers of the heart. In 2010 and 2021, I had my right knee replaced. In 2012, I had my right hip replaced and in 2021, I also had surgery on my left shoulder.

In 2015, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib), pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). For this, I was prescribed Eliquis with an out-of-pocket cost of about $600 a month. I cannot afford the copay amount required. So, I have had to use GoodRx to afford my prescription or ask my doctor for samples to adhere to the medication regimen.

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.

My name is Cindy and I live in Richmond, Vermont. I am working as a data analyst and researcher. I serve as the Chairperson on my union’s benefit advisory committee where I provide input to our HR office on subscriber decisions. As such, I see firsthand what the costs of healthcare and prescription medication can do to a plan, and how these costs impact premiums.

I am Sandra Williams, a 75 year old retiree from Lynchburg, Virginia living with atrial fibrillation (Afib).

I am insured under a Humana Gold Plus Medicare plan and due to my condition, I have to take and adhere to an Eliquis prescription routine. The problem, however, is that even though I am insured, my medical plan considers Eliquis, which has a list price of $594, a tier 4 drug and therefore am expected to pay nearly $500 a month for my monthly supply, after insurance coverage (or lack thereof).

My name is Catherine Benitz and I am from Greeley, Colorado. I am a 70-year-old retired educator who has lived with psoriasis since the age of three in 1956, Sjogren’s syndrome since 2013, and several other immune conditions diagnosed in 2021 and 2022 after getting COVID-19 vaccines.

In 2010, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and prescribed Jardiance. I am currently on Medicaid and my Medicare health insurance coverage plan is expected to kick in in February. Under Medicaid alone, I would be paying $282 a month just for Jardiance, and still don’t know what that total might be under Medicare. This might not seem like a lot to pay for a necessary medication, but that is a lot for me to pay as someone who is retired and living on a fixed income.