I'm thrilled!!!

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12-17-2012, 01:11 PM
pomtzu

I'm thrilled!!!

Today I got my "official" notification from Uncle Sam, of my 1.7% increase in my Social Security check for 2013. Of course it then went on to inform me of the increase in my Medicare premium too. What it boils down to, is that I will see a $19 increase per month over what I was getting in 2012. But not so fast - I can't enjoy that increase for long, since come April, I have a $12 per month increase in my supplemental healthcare insurance premium. WOW - now it's down to a big, gigantic, whopping $7 per month extra that I can splurge with. And since I am now on 2 rather expensive (IMO) prescriptions that I wasn't on before, and I don't carry insurance for prescription coverage - then I'm in the hole - big time!

Life is grand!!! :rolleyes:
12-17-2012, 01:27 PM
Karen

Maybe by April your meds will be available as generic? ;) One can hope!
12-17-2012, 04:24 PM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karen

Maybe by April your meds will be available as generic? ;)

They already are generic - could hardly believe that one of them is still so pricey even as generic.

I'll be going back to using a Canadian (legit) pharmacy and saving a nice chunk of change by doing it. Some years back I used them for a pricey med that I had to take. Our government still hasn't made it illegal to buy from Canadian pharmacies - thank goodness!
12-17-2012, 05:44 PM
lizbud

I got my notice of the "big increase" too.;) I do have coverage (Plan D) so my meds (generic) are covered. I'm so excited I've
already started planning my Winter trip to the South Seas.:p ;)
12-18-2012, 06:48 AM
moosmom

I got mine too. An extra $31/month. I can now have that long awaited boob job I've been wanting!!!
12-18-2012, 07:57 AM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by moosmom

I got mine too. An extra $31/month. I can now have that long awaited boob job I've been wanting!!!

$31???? How do you rate??? Or is it that you're not on Medicare since you're not 65 yet?
12-18-2012, 07:10 PM
Asiel

Lucky to still be in my chair after reading the big increase you're getting. Things sure work different out there. But it's the same typical government tactic as we get here... give with the right hand, then claw back with the left. I'm amazed you can get your scripts cheaper from Canadian pharmacies, I guess they give Americans special prices because no one finds meds very cheap out here.
12-18-2012, 09:13 PM
Freedom

$7 per month will get you a nice lunch at Chili's, if you drink water with it, so don't complain! :D
12-19-2012, 06:44 AM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asiel

I'm amazed you can get your scripts cheaper from Canadian pharmacies, I guess they give Americans special prices because no one finds meds very cheap out here.

I believe it's more a case of drugs in the U.S. being way overpriced. Example: I just started taking Lipitor - the generic equivalent - 90 tablets of the 10 mg dose is $327 at Walgreens. Yes!!! - that's the generic $ which I find to be outrageous. I don't have any prescription insurance, but I do get a "discount" with my AARP membership. Now for the exact same thing ordered thru a Canadian pharmacy - it's $70 and free shipping!!! I have 2 other prescriptions that I am currently buying in the U.S. also. They aren't as expensive, but I will still save by buying Canada.

No one can convince me the the folks in the U.S. that buy from U.S. pharmacies, aren't getting ripped off!
12-19-2012, 07:36 AM
smokey the elder

I'm really surprised that your generic Lipitor is so expensive. Of course, there's also the risk of contamination (the generic is made in India.) That price seems more consistent with the branded drug.
12-19-2012, 07:50 AM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokey the elder

I'm really surprised that your generic Lipitor is so expensive. Of course, there's also the risk of contamination (the generic is made in India.) That price seems more consistent with the branded drug.

At CanadaDrugs.com, which I have used in the past, it lists this as "product of New Zealand" and "manufactured by Pfizer", so I wouldn't think I would need to be concerned about the quality.

And I agree - the pricing I paid at Walgreens seems totally out of line with generic pricing!
12-19-2012, 09:34 AM
Cataholic

Quote:

Originally Posted by pomtzu

No one can convince me the the folks in the U.S. that buy from U.S. pharmacies, aren't getting ripped off!

My client is a Pharmacist. She told me it was either a 400% or 600% markup, I can't recall. You read that right. 400%-600% markup.
12-19-2012, 12:40 PM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cataholic

My client is a Pharmacist. She told me it was either a 400% or 600% markup, I can't recall. You read that right. 400%-600% markup.

That doesn't surprise me at all. My Dad's cousin or nephew (don't remember which), was a pharmacist and I can remember Dad telling us of some of the markups that his relative would relay to him. Astounding to say the least! :eek: And that was in the days before big chain pharmacies, too!
12-19-2012, 02:46 PM
redbird

Yeah I also got my big 1.7 increase and it really stinks. It comes to $14 over last year...big deal. Politicians forget the Seniors who worked hard all their lives and now have to practically live like paupers. Everything else goes sky high like food, clothes, rent but we get a measly low rate. My one credit card is getting higher every month since I need to use it to buy groceries, can't afford it any other way. Life really stinks sometimes.
12-19-2012, 02:52 PM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbird

Life really stinks sometimes.

LOL! But these are "The Golden Years" :rolleyes: - didn't anyone ever tell you that??? I hope that whoever coined that phrase, chokes on those words! :p
12-19-2012, 02:55 PM
Lady's Human

That 1.7% increase is 1.7% more than most federal workers (barring the DoD) have gotten in the last year.
12-19-2012, 03:03 PM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

That 1.7% increase is 1.7% more than most federal workers (barring the DoD) have gotten in the last year.

I'll trade checks with ya........:D
12-19-2012, 03:06 PM
Lady's Human

Only if'n you want to trade the bills that go with it! :p
12-19-2012, 03:09 PM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Only if'n you want to trade the bills that go with it! :p

That's not exactly what I had in mind!
12-19-2012, 03:20 PM
Lady's Human

Somehow I figured that's be a deal-breaker.
12-19-2012, 03:53 PM
pomtzu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Somehow I figured that's be a deal-breaker.

Yeah - and now I know who my friends aren't.............

Boo-hoo-hoo
12-19-2012, 06:00 PM
lizbud

Quote:

Originally Posted by pomtzu

I believe it's more a case of drugs in the U.S. being way overpriced. Example: I just started taking Lipitor - the generic equivalent - 90 tablets of the 10 mg dose is $327 at Walgreens. Yes!!! - that's the generic $ which I find to be outrageous. I don't have any prescription insurance, but I do get a "discount" with my AARP membership. Now for the exact same thing ordered thru a Canadian pharmacy - it's $70 and free shipping!!! I have 2 other prescriptions that I am currently buying in the U.S. also. They aren't as expensive, but I will still save by buying Canada.

No one can convince me the the folks in the U.S. that buy from U.S. pharmacies, aren't getting ripped off!

No way in the world would I ever pay over $300.00 for a RX. I take 20mg generic (Atorvastatin) Lipitor 30 pills for $5.00 at CVS. Mine were made in India
and were recalled recently for bits of glass found amoung the tablets. CVS took them back & said they had other suppliers to use & offered me the new pills.

By the way, that cost of living adjustment is going to be getting a lot worse. Because of the the tax mess in Wash. They may be changing the formula for arriving
at the COLA rate. Google "chained CPI" to get an idea. We'll be lucky to get any increase ever again. We will be losing money long term.