My Adventures in Supply Side Medicine. [View all]

[TalkingDog]

This Spousal Unit pulled an attached tick off his face last Friday. They have been every where this year. The wet Spring has probably contributed. I've found a few on me, luckily I found them as they were crawling around.

This morning I woke at 5:30 which is very early for me, but it does happen on occasion. So, I just got up and started looking over the day's news. Which meant, luckily, I was awake and alert when he mentioned that his jaw was stiff where the bite happened.

Sure enough, bulls-eye rash under the beard. I took him to the Urgent Care. Doxycycline prescribed and the PA was going to give us a sample, but said she must've run out. But, she assured, it's an inexpensive medication.

We get to the pharmacy and BAM!, there must be a run on doxycyline, because the bill came out to over 90 bucks for 3 weeks of pills. The pharmacist was flummoxed, she kept running the scrip under different diseases (mono was one she tried) to get the price to change, but nope it stays stuck at the 90+ price.

Curious about her reaction and the PA's mention I searched "Doxycycline Price" and came up with:

http://www.theredheadedpharmacist.com/?p=8746

Recently the antibiotic doxycycline became more difficult to obtain. The result was a shortage and a massive increase in cost. Patients who were able to buy this medication for less than $10 a few months ago may now find that the exact same medication will cost them well over $100.

We are skating on the edge of lower middle class. $100 is a lot of money out of our budget. And that's not counting the visit to the Urgent Care or the 2 or 3 titer tests they are going to run on the blood-work.

After the initial sticker shock wore off, my first thought was: What if we had no money? What if I were a working class mom with a kid who had a tick bite? Jeebus.

It's like our healthcare system needs to be overhauled or something.