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The Auvi-Q “talking” epinephrine auto-injector will relaunch across the United States in the first half of 2017, senior executives of the pharmaceutical company Kaléo announced today. “We are very excited about bringing it back, and can’t wait to ge
I work in a pharmacy and got a call from someone from the company today. She said it will be out in the next couple weeks!! They addressed the concern of costs and prior auths and with patient assistance, highest copay iill be $10, even with high deductible plans.
If this is doable for us, I will likely toss my morality out the window instead. DS was the first person in the Twin Cities to get Auvis from a CVS. He loved them. Girls often have the option of carrying epis in their purse, but unless he has his backpack with him, those epis have to go in a pocket. It is hard to do that. The generic should be easier but nothing like Auvis.
His safety during a reaction is more important than my moral outrage (which I will voice loudly to Kaleo). So if we can go back to Auvis, we will. :-/
I'm guessing I can call somewhere and ask, but does anyone know if I can use the discount program if I have Medicare not Part D? I only use private insurance for prescriptions.Based on the help doc on the Auvi-Q site, it isn't discounted, price varies on Medicare. Link to document:
For eligible patients with government insurance (e.g. Medicaid or Medicare), the out-of-pocket cost of
AUVI-Q will vary according to plan.
I'm guessing I can call somewhere and ask, but does anyone know if I can use the discount program if I have Medicare not Part D? I only use private insurance for prescriptions.Based on the help doc on the Auvi-Q site, it isn't discounted, price varies on Medicare. Link to document:Quote from: AUVI-QFor eligible patients with government insurance (e.g. Medicaid or Medicare), the out-of-pocket cost of
AUVI-Q will vary according to plan.
I get that part, but I don't have any government insurance that covers prescriptions - you have to buy part D coverage if you want it - and it wasn't worth it since I have good private insurance that covers prescriptions. So the pharmacy doesn't even know that I have Medicare, if that makes sense.
Klobuchar Presses Pharmaceutical Company kaléo for Answers on High Prices of Medications that Treat Opioid Overdoses and Food Allergies
February 3, 2017
Kaléo increased the price of a two-pack of Evzio, a device containing naloxone that treats life-threatening opioid overdoses, from $690 to over $4,500 during the last three years; It also announced that it was re-introducing AUVI-Q, an epinephrine injector for those with food allergies, back to the United States at a price of $4,500 for a two-pack
In a letter to President and CEO Williamson, Klobuchar asked kaléo to explain its high prices
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar pressed pharmaceutical company kaléo for answers regarding the high prices of its medications that treat opioid overdoes and food allergies. Kaléo increased the price of a two-pack of Evzio, a device containing naloxone that treats life-threatening opioid overdoses, from $690 to over $4,500 during the last three years. It also announced that it was re-introducing AUVI-Q, an epinephrine injector for those with food allergies, back to the United States at a price of $4,500 for a two-pack. In a letter to President and CEO Williamson, Klobuchar asked kaléo to explain its high prices.
“Due to the severity of the opioid epidemic and Evzio’s life-saving attributes, it is critical that your products remain affordable to Americans,” Klobuchar wrote. “Second, you announced that you are re-introducing AUVI-Q, an epinephrine injector for those with food allergies, back to the United States at a price of $4,500 for a two-pack. Your price of $4,500 for a two-pack is especially disturbing, as more competition should mean lower—rather than higher—prices for epinephrine injectors. We must make the market work for consumers.”
Klobuchar has championed efforts to address the high cost of prescription drugs, authoring multiple pieces of legislation that would protect American consumers. She introduced the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, which would allow for Medicare to negotiate the best possible price of prescription drugs. Klobuchar joined with Senators Grassley, Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Mike Lee (R-UT) to introduce the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act to deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives from entering the marketplace. She has also introduced the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to expand consumers’ access to the cost-saving generic drugs they need and increase competition between drug manufacturers by helping to end “pay for delay” deals—the practice of brand-name drug manufacturers using anti-competitive pay-off agreements to keep more affordable generic equivalents off the market. In addition, Klobuchar introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) that would require the Food and Drug Administration to establish a personal importation program that would allow individuals to import a 90-day supply of prescription drugs from an approved Canadian pharmacy.
The full text of Klobuchar’s letter is below:
Dear Mr. Williamson:
I am writing to express concern over your company’s drug pricing for two products: Evzio and AUVI-Q. First, kaléo has increased the price of a two-pack of Evzio, a device containing naloxone that treats life-threatening opioid overdoses, from $690 to over $4,500 during the last three years. This price increase is worrisome. Due to the severity of the opioid epidemic and Evzio’s life-saving attributes, it is critical that your products remain affordable to Americans.
Second, you announced that you are re-introducing AUVI-Q, an epinephrine injector for those with food allergies, back to the United States at a price of $4,500 for a two-pack. This price is much higher than Mylan’s two-pack price of $600, which understandably sparked outrage over the high costs of these products. Your price of $4,500 for a two-pack is especially disturbing, as more competition should mean lower—rather than higher—prices for epinephrine injectors.
I understand that kaléo is trying to mitigate the impact on consumers by providing Evzio for free to cities, first responders, and drug treatment programs, and offering various programs to help ensure that no consumer pays the $4,500 price for AUVI-Q. While these subsidies and programs are noteworthy, I am concerned that they do not address the underlying problem of rising prescription drug costs. These programs may simply shift costs to other parts of the healthcare system, which are eventually passed on to consumers through higher premiums. Many worry this pricing strategy may allow pharmaceutical companies to benefit from increased profits while hiding the true costs to consumers.
I want to understand the pricing approach kaléo has adopted. Please respond to the following questions.
1. Why did you increase the price of Evzio by 700 percent over the last three years?
a. How much has the cost of manufacturing Evzio changed over the last three years?
2. In explaining the pricing of AUVI-Q, you said “[t]he reason the list price is high is it’s the only way we can make sure patients have access and can get it for $0.” Please explain why kaléo needs to adopt this pricing system to ensure patient access to AUVI-Q.
3. Other companies are pricing a two-pack of epinephrine injectors in the $100 to $300 dollar range in addition to providing generous rebates. Why is kaléo unable to follow a similar pricing strategy for your epinephrine injector?
I am sure you appreciate the importance of making prescription drugs affordable. We must make the market work for consumers. I look forward to your responses.
We will not be offering a traditional co-pay coupon card. Through the AffordAbilityTM program, our goal is to make obtaining AUVI-Q efficient and easy for $0 if you have commercial insurance, even for those with high deductible plans.
*raises hand* I'm the nurse's guinea pig CM mentions.
Used corporate speak with Auvi yesterday to kick it up the chain of command. I will probably prod the local pharmacist gently (by my standards) by email, give him a little more carrot for confidence. If after that I see no movement I may put in a request with Auvi to restart the process with Walmart or have a chat with our compounding pharmacy - not to see if they will fulfill but I've noticed they're usually run by industry veterans who love to talk about the system. Give me a system gives me the keys.
DS needs epis this month and will be home for spring break in a couple of weeks. I'm faxing the form to the doctor now to get free auvi-qs delivered. Not sure how long it takes, but maybe we can get these delivered while he's home. Our insurance doesn't cover it at all. I called auvi-q just to try to figure out how it works. They said the manufacturer will pay. I don't get how they're not going to go out of business. Wouldn't it be better to price it at $100 and have everyone pay for it themselves?
I also asked why they need the last 4 digits of the SSN. They said it's for the insurance company. I said that the insurance company has all the info they need based on name and DOB and she said ok I guess we don't need it then. Makes no sense. I'm just going to leave it blank and if they have a problem, they can call.
DS just got denied. They didn't mention DD so I'm going to wait to see if they make a mistake and it goes through. I called Auvi-Q in Feb to see if we qualified with Tricare and they said we did. Allergist's office just called say we don't qualify because Tricare will not pay. So I had to call Auvi-Q and they said because we have insurance through the government we are not eligible for the affordability program.
There was not mention of the prescription for DD so I let that one stand...maybe it will slip through the cracks and we will get them anyway.
Disappointed to say the least, but I had nothing to lose.
When I spoke to them on the phone they told me a date and thats when they arrived. I did not receive any notice.
So. Now that a good number of us are locked and loaded with Auvi what do y'all think? I freaking love carrying this form again. Makes the gym so much easier to manage. Although I want Twinject back that would really make keeping it on me super manageable. An Emerade would be nice, too.
I did not pay for ours and neither did CVS. When your private insurance won't cover the cost, you qualify for some program. I can't explain how they are being paid for, just so happy to have some!
If your commercial insurance does not cover AUVI-Q at all, kaléo will pay the total amount so that you have a $0 out-of-pocket cost.
For how long are they good? THAT is the question. One that shouldn't even be the case for a company setting the market price on these at a total of $15,000 for 3 twin packs. Rescue medication more than half the price of my new low end car should not be something I have to wonder about.
Calling fulfillment took place long before I posted here. Lots of shrugging, not terribly convincing any substantial thought was popping on that end. I would not accept any other piece of equipment for deployment in the field that was handled under conditions clearly contraindicated let alone for a patient, never mind my own kids. I'm not opening up to debate if I'm done with them. I AM. Last time I went a few rounds directly with the head of brand when they were with Sanofi. Kaleo clearly cannot unfornicate distribution with any durable consistency.