People Are Talking: Retirees take action by sharing their prescription drug stories

Rising prescription drug prices directly affect many within the Voices for Affordable Health community. Our posts featuring the latest news on drug costs have prompted people to share their personal stories.

Rae Smart, from St. George, Utah, wrote: “I’m 73 years old (and) in pretty good health. …In October I went to get my prescription for Eliquis filled to find out now I’m in the (Medicare) donut hole. I had been paying $45 for them. But now they are $166 a month. What a shock.”

Lorinda Padgett from Lake Stevens, Wash., shared: “I am a senior living on Social Security …I take my medicine every other day to save on having to fill the prescription more often. This is what many old people are doing, or not even taking their meds due to cost. This is wrong! People will die!”

Suzanne Sutton from Seattle said she retired in 2016 for health reasons: “I was lucky to be able to work until I was old enough to qualify for Medicare without having to fight for disability. But I have gone from highquality insurance fully paid by my employer (we had a union contract) to having to pay premiums for not just extra coverage but for Medicare…Additionally my portion of prescription and other medical costs are higher than they were when I worked.”

IlaMae Stucki from Idaho Falls said neither she nor her husband can afford their prescriptions: “Ken should be taking Potassium Citrate because of the frequency of kidney stones. When he want to pick it up it was $200, so he stopped taking it! I have serious neuropathy from diabetes and spine issues. Lyrica helps with the pain but I can’t afford it at over $100 so I am using Neurontin, still $44…I am so frustrated as I suffer pain and try not to cry.”

It’s critical for consumer voices to be heard as elected officials in Washington and state capitals debate what to do about rising prescription drug costs. Share your story here or on our Facebook page.