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conulyand at the doctor they said that since one of them wasn't covered by our insurance, they just popped one of theirs in the bag, no charge.
Inhalers in the US are marked up at a ridiculous rate, and even with insurance coverage you can expect to pay $40 or more, which we know from Ana.
If you have asthma in the family, especially if the patient is a child or has ADHD or is otherwise prone to losing things, you're going to consider making some painful, painful decisions.
So here are my pro tips!
1. Inhalers are super pricey at the store, but your doctor gets loads and loads as samples. So do the doctors at the hospital. It's okay to say "I don't know if I can afford that, do you have any samples?" They probably do, and are happy to give them away. At any rate, it can't hurt to ask. (This most likely applies to any non-restricted drug, actually... though they'll probably balk nowadays at giving you sample packages of painkillers!)
2. Most inhalers require spacers. Your doctor may not remember to tell you this, so check the information in the inhaler's box - they'll tell you if it's not necessary. You and your child WILL lose spacers. A spacer is a little plastic doohickey that's $50 at the pharmacy and $15 off of eBay. Stock up. (In a pinch, you can also use a cut-open water bottle to serve as a makeshift spacer.)
Inhalers in the US are marked up at a ridiculous rate, and even with insurance coverage you can expect to pay $40 or more, which we know from Ana.
If you have asthma in the family, especially if the patient is a child or has ADHD or is otherwise prone to losing things, you're going to consider making some painful, painful decisions.
So here are my pro tips!
1. Inhalers are super pricey at the store, but your doctor gets loads and loads as samples. So do the doctors at the hospital. It's okay to say "I don't know if I can afford that, do you have any samples?" They probably do, and are happy to give them away. At any rate, it can't hurt to ask. (This most likely applies to any non-restricted drug, actually... though they'll probably balk nowadays at giving you sample packages of painkillers!)
2. Most inhalers require spacers. Your doctor may not remember to tell you this, so check the information in the inhaler's box - they'll tell you if it's not necessary. You and your child WILL lose spacers. A spacer is a little plastic doohickey that's $50 at the pharmacy and $15 off of eBay. Stock up. (In a pinch, you can also use a cut-open water bottle to serve as a makeshift spacer.)
