Epipen cost in Australia! Warning!!

[lozzachino]

Hi all,

 

just wanted to let anyone know who needs an epi pen.

 

i went to a chemist to find out if you can buy them over the counter, as in the uk i always got a prescription for mine from the dr.

 

you can buy them otc and they are $111!!!!!

 

not sure if you could ever get them otc in the uk and the comparative cost, but i would imagine its nowhere near this amount!!

 

so if you need one, bring one!! I didnt think i would need one being winter but there are bees around now and i wish i had brought one over for the cost of a prescription!

 

 

​Hope this helps someone!

[Guest The Pom Queen]

So is that over the counter or on prescription?

​Just had a look

http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/searchresult.asp?terms=Epipen&SearchSection=products&requery=1

 

if you can get the government authority the price would either be $5.90 or $36.10

[Victoriagal]

Could you explain government authorisation?

 

While on the subject of expensive drugs - the last epipen cost me over $100 too, I just paid $80 for a months supply of melatonin (from compounding chemist) for my ASD son. It's been a godsend getting him to sleep (for everyone), his mood is completely different but at over $2 a day it's not cheap. Does anyone know if there is any other way I can get melatonin cheaper? Cheers.

[VERYSTORMY]

Yep, get a script and they cost next to nothing. Also, if need ventolin, it is available over the counter at a lot less than a script would cost in the UK. I think i paid about $6 for my last one

[Guest]

Could you explain government authorisation?

 

While on the subject of expensive drugs - the last epipen cost me over $100 too, I just paid $80 for a months supply of melatonin (from compounding chemist) for my ASD son. It's been a godsend getting him to sleep (for everyone), his mood is completely different but at over $2 a day it's not cheap. Does anyone know if there is any other way I can get melatonin cheaper? Cheers.

 

Melatonin is not on the PBS so you would pay the full price with a prescription, however if you have private health care they will cover the cost of non-PBS drugs (subject to limits). If your son is under psychiatric care you may be able to get the melatonin from the hospital. My son has EDS and melatonin has been suggested, I am not going down that route but other parents have said if I do to get it at the hospital and then it's free.

[Victoriagal]

Melatonin is not on the PBS so you would pay the full price with a prescription, however if you have private health care they will cover the cost of non-PBS drugs (subject to limits). If your son is under psychiatric care you may be able to get the melatonin from the hospital. My son has EDS and melatonin has been suggested, I am not going down that route but other parents have said if I do to get it at the hospital and then it's free.

 

Thanks - no private health care and only seeing psychologist not psychiatric and not through the hospital. Is it possible to get it from abroad? With his ASD, allergies, asthma and orthodontic issues he's a very expensive wee package! I haven't seen a dentist in 10 years since having him as his health care is so expensive and now I really need about 4 fillings redone so not going to be a good month.... :swoon:

[Guest Geordee]

My son has an epipen and you get them on the PBS if you have a prescription. You are only allowed 2 thru the PBS, any more and you pay the full price. Like has already been said, the cost with a script is about $36 or less if you qualify for a healthcare card.

 

If you have a Medicare card then you're entitled to PBS scripts though some meds aren't on this list and don't qualify for the reduced cost. Epipen however is.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Geordee

[Guest]

Thanks - no private health care and only seeing psychologist not psychiatric and not through the hospital. Is it possible to get it from abroad? With his ASD, allergies, asthma and orthodontic issues he's a very expensive wee package! I haven't seen a dentist in 10 years since having him as his health care is so expensive and now I really need about 4 fillings redone so not going to be a good month.... :swoon:

 

It sounds like a private health plan might be a good idea, you can usually claim straight away on things like dental. Does your son have a 'chronic illness care plan' - I'm not sure thats the official name - it is set up by your GP and you then get treatment not usually available on medicare. My son and I both have one and it even covers my dental work (you have to have a diagnosed condition that causes specific dental problems for this). I don't know if you are paying for the psychologist but it covers that too, as well as things like podiatry, physio, OT etc.

 

You should also look into carers allowance - there are two levels and with one type you don't get any payment but you do get a healthcare card which reduces the cost of prescriptions dramatically.

 

Also do shop around, chemists are businesses and some charge more than others for the same prescription.

[lozzachino]

Thanks but would i have to pay to see the doctor and get the script in the first place? Or is the doctors visit covered under medicare?

 

still waiting for medicare cards and havent decided what to do re private health insurance yet so not sure if either would help the cost yet.

[lozzachino]

And what is PBS? Sorry if thats a stupid question! Finding all this health care stuff a minefield!

[Guest]

With a medicare card you can claim back the cost of a Dr's visit up to a maximum amount - some charge more than this amount so you are left out of pocket - if this is a concern look for a Dr. that does 'bulk-billing' and it wont cost you anything.

 

PBS is the pharmaceutical benefits scheme and basically it buts a cap on what you are charged for prescription medicines. There is a maximum per item and per year - I can't remember the figures. If you have a healthcare card the maximum both per item and per year is less.

 

Anything you spend on healthcare is tax deductible - medicare keep the records but you do have to fill in a tax return to claim it.

 

If you earn over a certain amount (about $150k as a couple) it is actually cheaper to have private health insurance anyway because you have to pay a medicare supplement if you don't.

 

All I can say is you will never knock the NHS again! I've just done last years tax return and we spent over $3k on healthcare and that was with private health insurance and both of us on care plans! That's just me and my son, my OH does his own tax return!

[LKC]

I use melatonin, the ones I have prescribed are called Circadin. They only cost about $35, but I think that they are slow release ones so they stop me from waking up, whereas you would probably want a more immediate release one to help your son go to sleep. Our daughter has Aspergers, and her Psychologist has recommended a weighted blanket to help her get off to sleep, I don't know if that might help your son?

[Victoriagal]

Thanks Jules and LKC - sorry to OP for hi-jacking your thread hopefully some of this info is useful to you too though. I'm finding the whole Medicare thing a nightmare. A hospital referral to the children's public was initially rejected because we had been seen by a private paediatrician, the comment was well you're in the private system you can't be seen public. We were referred to the paediatrician by our GP and didn't know any better. Now i know to say no insurance and we need a public referral. I had to argue with the hospital that we had no income, no healthcare card, no benefit entitlement, couldn't afford health insurance and had been told my son needed thousands of dollars of jaw surgery, (health reasons not cosmetic). That's before we even consider the costs for his Aspergers. We are NZ citizens so don't get anything apart from Medicare.

 

LKC - we've done the weights, lava lamps, soothing music etc etc. he just can't switch his brain off and would be tired and ratty the whole time. I do wish we had found out about melatonin years ago. I also wish it wasn't so expensive but now we have it I wouldn't be without it. Ran out on Saturday and last night, well more this morning was a complete mare!

 

The forum has been a great source of info as its all the insights to a very complex system that really do help. I thought NZ was difficult and expensive compared to the NHS but to be honest it was much better than here. Hey ho - we'll get there. :wink:

[Fashionably Late]

Each of my twins get two Epi-Pens each and we only pay $36 for each child.

[Guest]

Yes, once you see a private consultant you cannot then we referred to a public hospital - we made that mistake! I thought it was worth paying the $100 to be seen quickly as my son wasn't diagnosed then but it means everything since has been private. It is possible to cross over though - many consultants do both private and public and you can ask if they will see you in the public system - it just means waiting.

[Victoriagal]

Yes, once you see a private consultant you cannot then we referred to a public hospital - we made that mistake! I thought it was worth paying the $100 to be seen quickly as my son wasn't diagnosed then but it means everything since has been private. It is possible to cross over though - many consultants do both private and public and you can ask if they will see you in the public system - it just means waiting.

 

I argued on two fronts - 1. I was badly advised and could not afford private and 2. The specialist himself wanted my son seen by specialists at the children's as he felt he didn't have the level of expertise required, as it involved more than simple jaw surgery.? Still no idea what we are dealing with but he seemed to indicate it was pretty serious. Hospital agreed to put referral through on 'next available' category which means we could be waiting some time to be seen but I really don't have much option other than go back to the UK and camp out at mums (not going to happen lol - that's why we're down here!)

[Incata]

Re: Epipens

 

We have just been through this palava as both my son and I have anaphylaxsis. In order to get a prescription for an epipen (where you will pay a maximum of approx $36) you have to get your doctor to refer you to an immunologist as GPs cannot prescribe them without an Immunologists approval - even if you have all the evidence from the UK. Expect it to take about 3 months to get an appointment. You cannot see an immunologist on the public system, you have to see them privately as Medicare does not cover testing for allergies. However, Medicare will pay approximately half of the cost (you are looking at anything from $250 - $450 for the first appointment.)

 

The immunologist will ask lots of questions, tell you that as he/she has not done the tests to prove the allergy themselves, they can't guarantee you have a severe allergy (even if you have written confirmation from one of the top Paediatric Allergists in the UK) but will then agree to sign a form agreeing that you can have an epipen. You are allowed 2. If you need more than this you have to pay for them over the counter (at a cost of anything from $90 - $120 depending on which pharmacy you go to). You can only get replacements on prescription once your current epipens expire. I have not clarified yet what happens if you use one.

 

Suffice to say we have certainly (with the immunologist my son saw) encountered the "I am a consultant, I am God and no other consultant is as competent as me" attitude from the Dr who saw my son. The attitude was very quickly squished when I mentioned that if he gave my son some of the food he is allergic to, and he reacted, when the Dr had ignored the medical evidence from one of the most highly qualified Paediatric Allergists in the UK, I would sue him and he would not have a leg to stand on, the attitude soon changed and he signed the form without further ado.

 

We did not have this attitude from the consultant I saw, but I have had my allergy for over 10 years and it has been proven time and time again, so he accepted it. Guess it just depends who you see and how combatitive you are when they get on their high horse.

 

However it is a palava but when you move to a new country you have to accept their rules and procedures.

[rosiew]

With a medicare card you can claim back the cost of a Dr's visit up to a maximum amount - some charge more than this amount so you are left out of pocket - if this is a concern look for a Dr. that does 'bulk-billing' and it wont cost you anything.

 

PBS is the pharmaceutical benefits scheme and basically it buts a cap on what you are charged for prescription medicines. There is a maximum per item and per year - I can't remember the figures. If you have a healthcare card the maximum both per item and per year is less.

 

Anything you spend on healthcare is tax deductible - medicare keep the records but you do have to fill in a tax return to claim it.

 

If you earn over a certain amount (about $150k as a couple) it is actually cheaper to have private health insurance anyway because you have to pay a medicare supplement if you don't.

 

All I can say is you will never knock the NHS again! I've just done last years tax return and we spent over $3k on healthcare and that was with private health insurance and both of us on care plans! That's just me and my son, my OH does his own tax return!

 

 

Not sure if you will do another tax return, but you claim the medical expenses as a family on one person's return, not individually. This is important as there is no deduction for the first $2000 or so. The rebate of 20% only kicks in after that. So by bundling the family expenses you maximise the deduction.