My name is Dorothy Nerli and I am a resident of Willows, California. I was born here and attended local schools, and have lived and worked in various locations since then. But in 2001 I returned to this small city because I love this community and my family is here.
At age 85, I found that I need two inhalers to assist me in breathing. ProAir alone has a co-pay of $65, and the other inhaler, Spiriva, is $95. I retired with insurance, so I am currently free from the terror many experience when trying to pay for their medications. However, I am quite concerned for other senior citizens.
I take Spiriva most frequently, as it is the most helpful to me. I also take ProAir every four hours as a supplement. Occasionally I find I am faced with increased costs, like the time my Spiriva went up to $129. Spiriva helps to clear my airways, clearing out my lungs in order to make my breathing easier. I have scar tissue in my lungs due to several bouts of pneumonia. I need these inhalers, and am thankful that I can currently pay for them.
But I know that there are many other seniors in my community who are facing high costs for their inhalers and who cannot afford them. This is a horrible case of greed on the part of the manufacturers, who should lower the price of these medications. It shouldn’t cost seniors their rent or a healthy diet in order to be able to breathe.
My name is Christina Raymond and I live in Limestone, ME. I was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. I also have an autoimmune disease called Lupus, which makes managing both that and my cancer very difficult and extremely costly.
When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I had no clue about the hurdles I would face when it came to affording the medications I need simply to live. In order to manage my disease, I require several medications –– Lupron, Tamoxifen, and Neulasta –– in addition to my regular chemo treatments. Lupron costs me $1,500 per month and my Neulasta runs $6,000 per shot.
In order to afford my medication, I have had to get quite resourceful. I was not able to get Lupron copay assistance and I therefore rely heavily on grants. The process is quite daunting, but it must be done in order for me to survive. First, I must secure a grant to assist me with the costs. Once the medication is paid for, I then have to get approval from the hospital to administer it to me. Once approved, then I can finally get the treatment I need. The process of finding a way to afford my treatment takes as much of a toll on my health and wellbeing as the cancer I am fighting. Medicine does no good if people cannot afford it.
Affordable medication is necessary for my survival. If my drugs were more affordable I would have a much easier time maintaining my health. I could pay my mortgage and provide for my family. The high costs put a lot of pressure on my husband, and since we are both on fixed incomes the stakes are very high. Prices must come down. It is a matter of life and death for patients like me.
My name is Erika Garnto. I’m 48 years old and I’m from Highland Lakes, NJ. I’ve had two bouts of breast cancer; I was diagnosed the first time five years ago, and again more recently late last summer. I also suffer from diabetes, asthma and fibromyalgia.
During the time of my first breast cancer diagnosis, I worked as a practice administrator for a dental office. I was able to see firsthand, and unfortunately experience myself, the struggle that some patients go through to afford their medications while trying to make ends meet.
I spend about $24,000 a year on medications; I find myself at times having to skip doses to stretch my medications and maxing out my credit card to afford them.
My family helps me push forward, but what I’m up against is impossible –– and no one should have to go through this.
After recently learning that Bob Hugin, a former drug company CEO, is running for Senate in my state, I was taken aback.
He made $140 million by repeatedly raising the price of a cancer drug, Revlimid. Patients are going into debt to afford this drug.
How could a man that profited from the lives of so many sick people now claim to want to represent them?
Such a person could never have the welfare of New Jerseyans at heart. Electing Bob Hugin would be a mistake.