My doctor recently put me on tirzepatide. It needed a prior auth from my insurance despite me being under treatment for type 2 diabetes for the last five years. My pharmacy benefits plan requires all prescriptions be sent to a mail order pharmacy, so I asked him to send in there. The mail order pharmacy accepted the script and offered to fill it for $3,000 for a one month supply. I asked them why, and they said that prior auth was still pending. Two days later, prior auth was denied with no reason given when I called.
Two days after that, prior auth was approved and the mail order pharmacy now wanted to charge me $25 for a three month supply.
Access to this drug for most people will be a nightmare, even for those that could benefit from its on-label use for type 2 diabetes.
I definitely empathize. Something similar is going on with amphetamine in the US due to DEA drug controls. People who need the drug are having access problems, and it's leading to the same tired "But do people really need it or are they just lazy?" and "Who needs it more?" discussions.
These obesity drugs are far more expensive though, sheesh.
My doctor recently put me on tirzepatide. It needed a prior auth from my insurance despite me being under treatment for type 2 diabetes for the last five years. My pharmacy benefits plan requires all prescriptions be sent to a mail order pharmacy, so I asked him to send in there. The mail order pharmacy accepted the script and offered to fill it for $3,000 for a one month supply. I asked them why, and they said that prior auth was still pending. Two days later, prior auth was denied with no reason given when I called.
Two days after that, prior auth was approved and the mail order pharmacy now wanted to charge me $25 for a three month supply.
Access to this drug for most people will be a nightmare, even for those that could benefit from its on-label use for type 2 diabetes.