Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

Hi there,

I'm relocating to NY from the UK in the next few months.

I'm on regular medication and I'm wondering whether I'll be able to get the same tablets easily and what it might cost?

Thanks 😀

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

There are many factors making this an impossible question to answer. The main ones are...

1. What medication?
2. What prescription coverage/health insurance will you have?
3. What will your status be here (K-1, CR-1, J, E, H, L, etc.).
4. Where in NY? It's a huge state, and prices may well vary from the city to upstate, for example.

Without some or all of these answers, you may as well be asking "How long is a piece of string?"!!

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

After you get health insurance and find a doctor. He'll want to examine you and discuss your needs, then he will be able to write a prescription.

If you prefer a particular brand (I know many people using thyroid hormones use specific brands due to the very fine titers) you can ask that the doctor writes "dispense as written" that way you won't get the generic. All assuming that particular medication is sold in the US.

The cost will depend on your insurance. Some places like Walmart will do $3 generics if you want a particular brand it could be any price.

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

My husband will have a L1 and I'll be able to get a L2 so I'm told by his company.
It's an Anti-depressant.
We'll have family health cover through the company but I don't know details yet. I guess that's key?
We'll be living in Brooklyn I think.

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

Get a copy of your file from your current doctor in the UK.

Also just before you leave the UK, see if you can convince your doctor to write out a double prescription so you can fill it in the UK before you go and have plenty of leeway on finding a new doctor etc.

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

Your husband's company should be able to tell you which health insurance company they use, and probably what plan. You should then be able to look up on the company's website what the co-pay for the medication in question under that plan is. If it's a generic, it'll probably be in the $10-$20 range, a bit more if not generic.

If it's not generic, be prepared for the insurance company to deny it and ask for a cheaper alternative when you first go to get the prescription filled. If that happens you should be able to call the prescribing doctor and they can get it overriden.

I think I'm right in saying that e-prescriptions are mandatory in NYS now (no paper prescription issued), so you'll probably have to nominate the pharmacy you want to fill at when you first see the doctor.

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

You can use the following web site to get what the cost will be at different local drugs stores without insurance. For a zip code, use one from NY.

Prices, Coupons and Information - GoodRx

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

The health insurance coverage is the key - and the reason you never see prescription drug prices advertised.

For example, I'm diabetic and on an insulin pump. I currently am carrying two insurances, one from my work and one from the wife. The reason is, insulin through my work is $200 per month, but through my wife's it is just $5! Admittedly, I pay $47/Mo more for the latter, but the savings are worth it.

I'm still carrying my work insurance for two reasons. First, I have met my deductible ( buying my pump), so I can get my supplies at 20% without having to meet that again and second, one particular drug (Chantix) is not covered by my wife's insurance, so it would be $285 for a month, whereas it's covered at 100% by the work policy, so it's only costing me the $15 per month premium!

I say all that to tell you that no-one can truly answer your question until you get here and actually fill your prescription. Anti-depressants are usually covered, so it's a matter of whether it's generic or branded. Generic is much cheaper (as little as $4 per month at Walmart) depending on the insurance.

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

my kiddos adhd meds have varied enormously in cost across varying company insurers (as we have switched between jobs etc) and also dependent on where i am in the year (ie what was costing me over 100 a month at the beginning of the year is only about 15 as ive met deductibles etc).

Re: Getting medication/prescriptions in NY
 

You really have to sit down with the small print for each policy. Maybe an extra $x a month here on premiums means you get to use a different formulary which covers your drug at $y...