Jeanne Pinder
A Chicago area woman told me a story the other day about getting her third dose of Moderna vaccine. She qualifies because of medical issues. So she went to a Walgreen’s and asked for Moderna. She was told that they’d have to thaw the vial. “If I’m the only one, will the other doses get […]
Jeanne Pinder
“Many of the nation’s largest commercial insurers saw their profits fall in the fourth quarter of 2020 as expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic increased,” Becker’s Hospital Review wrote. “Here is how Aetna, Anthem, Humana, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group fared: “1. Fourth-quarter revenues for Aetna parent CVS Health totaled $619.6 billion, up from $66.9 billion […]
Jeanne Pinder
People with underlying conditions are eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in New York state tomorrow, Feb. 15. Today, Feb. 14, is the day that the online portals opened to such people for scheduling. And it was insane. Sites crashed. Tempers frayed. The people who had been having trouble booking before are still having trouble booking. […]
Molly Taft
When your turn comes, where can you go to get a Covid-19 vaccine? As states and the federal government prepare to vaccinate millions of people this spring, major pharmacy chains and grocery stores like CVS, Walmart, Kroger and Walgreens have emerged as some of the central locations officials say will be distribution points for the […]
Jeanne Pinder
“The nation’s leading health insurers are experiencing an embarrassment of profits,” Reed Abelson writes over at The New York Times. “Some of the largest companies, including Anthem, Humana and UnitedHealth Group, are reporting second-quarter earnings that are double what they were a year ago. And while insurance profits are capped under the Affordable Care Act, […]
Jeanne Pinder
We have been following coronavirus (Covid-19) testing since the beginning of the pandemic. One of the constant problems has been that people can’t seem to get tested — or when they do get a test, the results don’t come back quickly. That means that anything like treatment decisions or contact tracing are difficult if not […]
Jeanne Pinder
A friend writes: “How much does Vascepa (1 GM) cost? “CVS – $90 for a 90 day supply (with Oscar’s Rx plan), or $9 with a coupon. I only knew about the coupon because the pharmacy assistant told me! “I went to Vascepa Savings Program to get it. The coupon is renewable. In fact, CVS […]
Jeanne Pinder
A friend writes: “What a PIA… I read that article back then… How much time do I spend researching this? “Here it goes – Lialda 1.2g DR Tab – 120 tablets, generic mesalamine $710 retail price at Costco, $324.80 with free coupon through GoodRx https://www.goodrx.com/lialda $517 retail price at CVS, $346 with free coupon through […]
Jeanne Pinder
“The business and mission of pharmacies are being re-shaped by several major market forces, most impactful being uncertain health reform prospects at the Federal level — especially for Medicaid, which is a major payor for prescription drugs,” Jane Sarasohn-Kahn writes over at Health Populi. “Medicaid covered 14% of retail prescriptions dispensed in 2016, according to QuintilesIMS; […]
Elizabeth Celms
Where can I get vaccinated? Does insurance cover vaccinations? How much does an out-of-pocket vaccination cost? As of September 2010, the Health Care Reform Law requires insurance companies to cover certain preventive treatments, including general vaccinations, although in reality there are many “yes, but….” subtleties and some “grandfathered” insurance plans are exempt from this law. […]
