Hello Everyone…

We are back to our monthly luncheons, newsletters and activities!  We hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing summer, and are ready to get back into social activities with us.

Just as a FYI from personal experience regarding prescriptions and the extended benefits of only having to pay $5 for a prescription.  I take Eliquis (which is a brand name blood thinner), and two weeks prior to getting mine refilled in August, the drug company had developed and put on the market – a generic. As you may be aware, if there is a generic available Sun Life covers the generic for $5 but not the brand name, unless your doctor specifically says “no substitute” for whatever reason he deems necessary.  What is interesting in this particular experience was that, this had only been on the market for two weeks, my pharmacy did not have the generic in stock as it was so new, but he could order it and get it in the following week.  What is of additional interest according to my pharmacist, the people that were on a government plan, were not required at that moment to switch to the generic, but people who were covered under company private plans, the private plans jumped on it immediately and requested their clients switch to generic or pay the additional charges for the “name brand”.  What I chose to do in that moment, was to pay the $76 for my normal name brand, instead of $5 generic, and then check with my dr that it is okay to take this particular generic factoring in my allergic drug reactions. Interestingly too, my dr is on the same medication and he checked into it for personal and professional interest… and it would appear that the same company produces both the brand and the generic.  So, a little forewarning – if something generic becomes available the plans are watching and reacting immediately, and I didn’t know until I went to pay for my refill! so don’t be shocked if it happens to you. Donna.