Forteo Costs

Is there anyway to increase your tax deductions? But rental property? Instal solar?

milkweed, not sure any of those suggestions would help. What I haven't done yet is factor in the medicare plan d donut hole and catastrophic coverage. Will do that math to see how the cost works out for the year.

Goldrx has a coupon for Rite Aid. There is no cost to use Goldrx. I got three pens. The price ended up being 738$ per pen. There is a discount for the purchase of three. This is with no insurance. It is the generic Bonsity now just called teriparatide. It is by Alvogen.
I got my first pen in Singapore 1000$ with no insurance. I'm told it is 1000$ in Canada. Mexico has their own generic for 600$ per pen.
Thats a lot of money for drugs every months, but teriparatide is magic for me.
Needles not covered. 38$ or 45$ sorry can't remember. Free in Singapore.

Gently, thank you so much for the info on Goldrx and needle costs. Was there a specific brand for the needles?

hi leeo, I have BD Ultra Fine. The size needle from Singapore is Ultra-Fine Pro which is 32 gage and 1 mm shorter (4mm) than the Ultra-Fine III 31 gage at 5mm. Forteo recommends the 5 or 8mm BD micro-fine which comes in 29-32 gage.

One of the endocriniologists that I see suggests that you don't have to change the needle with every injection. With the Forteo brand pen you can't replace the cap with the needle attached. The alvogen cap easily fits over the exposed needle. While I don't see this maneuver saving much money, the advice is that it is replacing the needle that disturbs the protein in the drug. You may be getting a fresher dose, but mainly you can use the last two doses that we are advised to discard.
The Alvogen pen has 31 doses, the Forteo pen 28 doses. Some have adverse reactions. You might consider that when purchasing your first pen. It is tempting to take the discount for three.
I hope you have the luck I've had with this amazing drug.
Oh, and be sure and talk with the pharmacy manager if the pharmacy clerk isn't aware of alvogen.

gently, thanks again for the info. I take it you live in Singapore?

I'm new to pens & needles. If I read you response correctly, your using BD Ultra Fine Pro 4mm 32 guage? The shortest and smallest needle? If so, no problem with using needles different from recommended by Forteo 5 or 8mm needles?

Also, you use Alvogen Teriparatide (Bonsity)? If Alvogen has 31 doses and you don't change the needle are you really getting say 33 doses? Or if your using Forteo brand 28-day, your able to squeeze out 2-3 more days (30-31 day) doses with using same needle maybe 2 times? It's something to be aware of. Not sure why Forteo brand is only 28 day when there is only 1 28 day in a year.

Does your insurance cover the needles? I read somewhere if you have a prescription for the needles, insurance should pick it up.

My post wasn't well organized, but I see you've sorted it.

The shorter slender needles are just what Raffles Hospital gave me. The endocrinologist I see here (great guy) says the size isn't an issue.
He tells me that switching between generics and brand Forteo is fine as well.
He suggested Singapore and I happened to be going.
He knows an endocrinologist in Arizona who sends his patients across to Mexico and hasn't encountered any problems with the drug. Teriparatide Mexico is brand name Coulter.
I figure I could go to Japan pick up some 41$pens, and have money left over from the 15000$ I'd spend for three months of pens.
I'm on Medicare. Part D looks useless, so I'm not picking it up. I don't have pharmaceutical insurance.
I'm in the middle of California.
With 300 days of sunshine and the worlds best fruit, I'd probably never travel anywhere, again. Teriparatide is my ticket to adventure.

gently, thanks for the information. Sounds like Forteo Brand and Teriparatide Generic are identical. Is that your assumption?

You might want to follow up on Medicare Part D. From Medicare & You 2023 Handbook, "Even if you don't take prescription drugs now, consider getting Medicare drug coverage. If you decide not to get it when your first eligible, and you don't have other creditable prescription drug coverage (like drug coverage from an employer or union) or get Extra Help, you'll likely pay a late enrollment penalty if you join a plan later. Generally, you'll pay this penalty for as long as you have Medicare drug coverage."

I was told Forteo cost was 4,300 and there is no way I can afford that and I don't think anyone would pay that much either. but RX Advocates helped me get it for 70.00 a month including the needles and alcohol pads too. Hope this helped someone