Suboxone tablets going non-formulary

I recall recently lots of people including Dr. Junig talking about insurance companies and even Medicaid forcing people onto the sub films over the tablets. Well, I just got a letter last week from Medco (my med insurance rider thru BCBS) telling me that my suboxone tablets are no longer a preferred medication and will now become non-formulary. The "preferred" medication will of course now be the films. I BLOODY HATE THE FILMS! They make me gag - literally.

So my former co-pay of $20 will now be $40. Which isn't that bad considering many people have to pay cash for their meds. What scares me is the idea that eventually the tablets will be completely unavailable. But why worry about that now, it hasn't even happened yet, right? I won't even go there now.

Anyhoo, just wanted to share this with you in case anyone else is on Medco or has 3-tier medication coverage.
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-As I have grown older, I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

-I'm only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand.

You may know more about this than me and I can't access CVS Caremark account right this minute since I'm on my Acer tablet and not computer, plus got my infant daughter on my chest but I will paste info when I go to cvs website...
But I'm thinking the coverage on suboxone depends on your particular policy. For me, suboxone has always been nonformulary.. Both the pill and film have always been nonformulary for me.

My insurance comes in three tiers - generics $10 and under; preferred or name brand, $20 copay; and non-formulary, $40. I mean, it's awesome that I even HAVE non-formulary coverage, I guess, so I probably should shut the hell up and not bitch at all.

My sub tablets were always $20 and when the film came out they were $20, too. That was what, 1.5 years ago? I'm ULTRA curious what Reckitt-Benckiser did or said to Medco (and all the others out there) to convince them to make the tablets non-preferred. Fucking RB and their bullshit line about the films being safer, blah blah blah. Damn, that pisses me off.

A while back I tried to ask my doctor to put me on the generic subutex, and he shot me down quicker than I could say, "boo". That's obviously not an option for me. My husband wasn't thrilled at the extra money, but I insisted that I stay on the tablets and he acquiesced . So be it.

I think the change takes effect April 1.
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-As I have grown older, I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

-I'm only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand.

Hey hat. My plan is like yours or similar. My cost just went up to 130, from 44$! B& b sheilds bites along with all my docs in this area. I'm moving to Wisconsin lol. I didn't pick up mine today because I was so mad. I didn't think about them covering the strips? Will they?
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When we take God out of our nation,We will be a nation gone under. Ronald Reagon

Yes, under my plan they will cover the strips at the regular copay price, which for me is $20. I just can't stand them.
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-As I have grown older, I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

-I'm only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand.

R&B stopped making subutex and I cannot take Roanne brand. Also. my insurance won't pay for it! Almost $200 per month! Pisses me off that the doc screwed up my dose. I was almost off in Feb. I wasn't addicted to loratab, 2 5mg tabs for 3 months. I've been on sub for almost 1 yr now. I guess I'm addicted to subutex now! Been on 2.5mg for 3 or 4 weeks. Concerned about the sub stacking up. Dr. got mad at me and wrote an aggressive taper schedule for me and said I would not have w/d. Then just told me to stay on 4mg. Makes me too sleepy and he said that was not a side effect and stay off this forum!!! I will never get off this!

Hat,

My co-pay for Suboxone is $40 through BCBS. But with the discount card we get I haven't paid that in two years. It always is free. I think I paid the co-pay twice in the beginning before I knew about the card.

You do have one, right?
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Moderator status does not make me a professional when giving opinions about Suboxone treatment. My opinions are based upon experience.

I don't use the strips/film and the discount cards only apply to those, right? I only take the tablets. And that is what went up to non-formulary pricing, just the tablets.
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-As I have grown older, I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

-I'm only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand.

I tried to use that copay card once..when my insurance first went into effect last year..and when I presented the copay card to them, they ran my insurance, then applied the card, and they told me that the card wasn't valid..

Turns out that with a couple of phone calls by the Fred's pharmacy staff -- she found out that my particular insurance policy is considered a "government employee" policy and I can't get any type of discount. For some reason, because my wife works at Alabama Power (as a DIRECT employee, not a temp, not a contractor, but hired-in with Southern Company), she's considered a "government" employee.....

They do have a government-operated facility at the plant, it's a carbon capture facility directly beside the 5 coal-fired units...but the thing about government employee threw me.

Anyways, I have 3 tiers on my insurance plan as well...they are generic, formulary, and non-formulary.

Generic: $5
Formulary: 10.0%, maximum $60.00
Non-Formulary: 20.0%, maximum $80.00

Since Suboxone has always fallen under non-formulary, I always have paid $80.

I'm not sure how they change at different times, but I've been paying $80 since last year when my insurance started for my Suboxone. It's always been non-formulary.
And when I was on the pills, they were non-formulary too..then I switched to films (on my own, I asked for them) and they were also $80. So I don't know, but I do know that each policy is different and it's not the fault of Blue Cross..they only provide the benefits they are contracted to provide. It's the policy that your company decides to purchase. So blaming the insurance companies isn't appropriate...although I KNOW they have a big hand in the costs rising...they make billions in revenue and don't want to cover the most necessary things that people need.

A good for-instance on this:
My little daughter who was just born on February 17, 2012...she spent 9 days in NICU unit at Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham. Anyone want to take a guess how much this ran, JUST FOR THE HOSPITAL?????

I got an EoB from Blue Cross about 3 weeks after we got home from the hospital with her...

The amount of her stay in NICU was

wait for it

wait for it

$94,000.

Blue cross issued a check to the hospital for $93,000...

Add in the C-section cost at the other hospital, the stay in THAT nursery for 1 day, the ambulance ride she took from local to Brookwood hospital..and the doctor's charges...we're talking well over $100,000. EASY. I don't know a total, as I haven't figured it up nor do I care to..she's healthy and doing fine and cost is no concern..but that was not even a month...barely over a week. No wonder the healthcare system is so out of whack..being a for-profit system has it all screwed up.

Blue cross and sheild just took tablets and strips both,off the plan. Mine used to cost 40$ now it is 130$ strips or tablets!
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When we take God out of our nation,We will be a nation gone under. Ronald Reagon