My guess is your insurer probably has a negotiated rate w/ the drug company to pay far less than the uninsured cost of the medication would be for someone w/o insurance. I know the government can't negotiate for lower drug prices, but I'm pretty sure private insurance can (I may be wrong on that).

Health plans cannot set a lifetime dollar limit on "essential benefits" you receive. Essential benefits are things like hospital services, maternity care and prescription drugs. so you don't have to worry about that. (this I know for sure)

Here are prices I found.

Still expensive

Thanks, Beagles, it is good to know that second point.

I really just wonder at the Dr prescribing something so costly, even if the insurer is paying a fraction, for a kid who really just wants uber-clearasil in case she gets a pimple! Oh well, live an learn!

I would bet your doctor has been taken on a trip by the pharmaceutical company that owns Retin-A, hence the prescribing (and there is a generic, but that wasn't prescribed so...)

Not to be cynical. But my SIL who is a doc gets to take her hubby and 3 kids to disney every year at $0 cost to stay in Grand Floridian for conferences sponsored by drug companies (among other cost-covered trips)... Of course this doesn't "influence" her, but they do get bombarded A LOT with info on the benefits of all these drugs... (my DH is a chiropractor but doesn't prescribe, so we get 0 free trips... such is life)

Edited to add- you can check this database to see if your doc has received any $ from drug providers- https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/ I believe this includes only cash payments, though, not gifts or paid trips to medical conferences.

The prescription coupon thing is some kind of scam I have yet to figure out. I've run into it with asthma and allergy meds as well as things prescribed by the dermatologist. Someone is paying for it.

I do want to add that the retin-a micro pump is AWESOME for wrinkles The dermatologist mentioned it during our visit. So when my daughter decided it didn't work on her face I grabbed it for my own use.

My ex-wife quit her job which meant our son, who lives with me, unexpectedly has no insurance. He has juvenile migraines and is taking several prescriptions and is also trying other prescriptions to see what works. Several prescriptions can't be stopped suddenly, meaning there was no alternative than to get them filled. I burned almost $5000 in the 11 weeks it took me to get insurance replaced for him. That is basically my entire gross income for that period.

One of the Rx for one month was $260 but the one time cash discount price was $29 with the ongoing cash price of $79. Another for one month was $812 with no discount.

What a mess, Obamacare is going to turn out to be one of the worst disasters this country has ever faced.

That happened to us once for a medication. I can't remember what it was for, but it was typically used for cancer patients undergoing chemo. It was insanely expensive, tho nowhere near $1000. I wish I could remember what it was and why it was prescribed. Before filling it though, the pharmacist noted the cost and asked if we were aware. I can't even remember now if we filled it. I do know it was prescribed for nothing that serious (perhaps nausea for something?). Dd got a prescription for acne, also somewhat mild, and when I went to pick it up, I was shocked at the price as it was around $200 for a couple of tiny tubes! Our insurance covered it so I filled it, but dd hated it as it dried her skin so much it made it horribly flaky so she stopped using it. We wonder why insurance costs are so high when we see these inflated prices! I can't believe the dermatologist did not realize just how expensive the prescription would be, even if he/she knew it was covered by insurance.

Side bar ....My dog is on a $275 a month drug regimen.

Was it a Turing Pharmaceuticals drug?

As an aside on acne...face wash with glycolic acid really helps, and for a lot less $$.

4boys2, I've never smoked, but have seen how hard it can be to quit. Glad it is working for you, keep it up, it will be worth it.

4boys2 -- good luck. My dad would still be alive if he hadn't smoked.

We have been giving our dog a med on a trial basis. That was about $75. Think, we're about to find out about long term options. We may soon be joining you.

Mtn, I don't remember what I heard Accutane cost, but I think the copay was $250-350 per month -- plus it required regular lab work and office visits. We never went that route, but knew others who did.

Ask your dr if it's just regular Retin-A. I've purchased it anywhere from $75- $100 for a tube, the .50% one. Have also purchased it in Mexico, and there's no difference in the ingredients.

Patty et al,

to be clear, we paid zero ... It was covered entirely by our insurance. It's just the principle of the thing.

I agree with Beagles- and yes the uninsured price is a myth of sorts. The key price is what the insurance company paid. (that to me is the real or at least real-er price)

I get the whole principle, Mtn. I get a statement from Tricare, since they pick up what our primary insurance does not, listing the 'cost' of whatever drug we have purchased. It is shocking what price some are, including the Retin-A cream I use.

I had not heard of the Micro pump, which must be fairly new, and I may mention that to my dermatologist next visit, which is coming up, since I have little to no problems now. I mainly continue to use the Retin-A for wrinkles, and it has worked. As to the effectiveness of the generics? Hated them. Tried 2 and one was so greasy I took it back. I don't remember why I took the other one back, but probably the same reason. I always ask for the branded version and get it and pay nothing.

We've been in and out of the dermatologist's office a lot lately. She wrote a prescription for a generic anti-itch medication. The pharmacy didn't even fill it because it would have cost us $500. When told, my Dr said that the drug prices are all over the place now and she can't get a handle on what meds are going to cost her patients. She was frustrated about it. She wrote a different prescription that cost me about $10.

We've also been told that anything for cosmetic use, like Retin-A, is very expensive and often not covered at the same rate. For example, we pay about $100 for a small tube of Retin-A and $200 for and even smaller tube of clindamycin ointment for acne, but only about $10 for liquid clindamycin for a health issue.

Honestly I don't think cosmetics should be covered, and certainly not for DD's case who did not even have any visible acne at the apptmt!

Interesting to note that Retin-A is also for wrinkles. I don't really have any wrinkles, but it explains the price I suppose.

I use a retinol product for anti-aging also. It's purchased from a medi-spa, so no prescript and of course not covered by insurance. I would never turn something like that in anyway. I'm surprised a dr. would write such a costly script (or any script really) for non-visible acne.

Beside the coupon issue, the other odd thing about this is, that from what I have read, prescribing Retin-A micro for very mild acne is like calling a fire truck to put out a candle. It is pretty strong stuff.

it's like getting a bill for close to $500,000 for a short hospital stay and procedure... but you know the insurance company didn't pay even close to that amount...

Yes, MtnRd, I would question the judgment of a dr. who prescribes such an item for a child who presented without symptoms. Seems rather unethical ... and dumb.

editing to add I think the doctor's behavior is "dumb." And while it's not a direct violation of the Hippocratic Oath, it seems on the spectrum of irresponsibility on his part.

Sure, yes, I know ... I am well aware of the illusory nature of healthcare pricing. This was just sooooo egregious that it got my attention, especially for a prescription I would call downright frivolous.

Thanks all for your input, and good luck to those of you who are actually paying some of these prices and those of you who are buying meds that are truly needed.

he sees tons of teens and adults who are devastated by how they feel about their skin- even if it's just cosmetic! and, acne can scar, so I'm sure he sees people about that too... frivolous maybe to you and your daughter, but not so much so for him probably...

I used retin-a for awhile when I was much younger and it was very effective! much more so than over the counter creams! It seemed (with my kids) the different prescription washes and creams the dermatologist prescribed weren't that effective unless paired with an oral cycline-- maybe that's what your dermatologist has found too... ??