I just talked with Lilly and if you want to write and complain about the high cost of the epi-pen you can write to 1. Eli Lilly and Company, ATTN: Marketing/Advertising Manager for Forteo, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285 2. Lilly Answers Center (same address as 1).
They have just come out with a new pen which eliminates the priming step. You will pull out the injection button until a red stripe shows then do your injection for 5 seconds. It now contains 600 mcg, not 700.
I talked to Lilly and their NWP (national wholesale price) is $738.15. 1.) they fix cost and send to a distribution center 2.) dist center ships out to pharmacy 3.) Pharmacy then sets price - this is where it gets even pricer. In the state of Washington Wal-Mart is $955.68 for one epi-pen. Bartells is $922.00, Walgreens is $929.99 and Rite Aid is $922.00. These are prices without insurance.
You can request a Lilly Medicare Answers Patient Assistance Program form. They will fax or mail you a form. Call 1-877-795-4559. If you are living alone or even married or have someone living with you the bottom line to receive assistance is a total gross household monthly income of $1,733.00 to quality. Then as I understand it you don't have to pay for the medicine. You have to send in a prescription from your doctor, include a copy of your tax return from last year and include a copy of your medicare card, both front and back and sign the certification. You must list your monthly interest/earnings from assets but that doesn't factor into the $1,733.00 figure. Your doctor can call in the prescription to the Lilly Medicare Answers program at 877-795-4559. They have an assistance program for those not on Medicare called Lily cares - that # is 1-800-545-6962.
For those on Medicare remember the donut hole starts at $2510.10 and you get out of the donut hole at $4050.00 which is $1,539.90 out of your pocket.
We could also write to our Congresswomen and the Governor regarding the high pricing of this particular drug.