Allergy medication is now over-the-counter for less
Filed under: Insurance, Shopping, Health
Last week I received a letter in the mail from my local Walgreen's pharmacy informing me that Zyrtec is now available as an over-the-counter medication. My eight year-old son takes the medication for seasonal allergies, which begin to cause itchy eyes and sneezing by early to mid-March here in the Northeast.
My insurance covers the prescriptions, but my co-pay is still $40 per month. Since my son takes Zyrtec for about seven months, it costs nearly $300 a year. The estimated cost of OTC Zyrtec is just $25 compared to $91 for the prescription, which consumers without insurance or a prescription plan pay for out of pocket.
The letter went on to say that the Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) has approved OTC Zyrtec for all indications except for children between six months and two years, who still require a prescription.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, maker of Zyrtec, offers a $2 coupon on its website towards your next purchase of any Zyrtec product. A Q&A sheet published by the manufacturer warns that Zyrtec may no longer be covered by insurance although you can still use flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts to pay for the medication.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-26-2008 @ 11:29AM
perki60 said...
Back in the early 90, I took SELDANE, and found it to be the only allergy medicine (with no side effects) that worked for me all the time.
In the mid 90's it was taken off the market because of a dangerous side effect. It then was reformulated and brought out as Allergra, I found out. Now there is a generic, FEXOFENADINE.
For some reason, this is the only allergy medicine that has worked for me. I tried the others when Seldane went off the market and was thrilled when i got on Allerga.
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3-08-2008 @ 8:58AM
Anna said...
I usedto take allegra& it worked great. My problem is since they made it otc, it's costing me more money.
my co-pay for meds. is only $5.
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3-08-2008 @ 1:24PM
Susan said...
I'm finding the same thing, I've had allergies all my life and have gone through all the tests and shots to desensitize my allergies and have tried every allergy medication on the market. Last year my doctor put me on the prescription Zyrtec-D and for the first time I was symtom free even from cats! My worst allergy. Now they have put it Over the Counter and it costs me three times what the prescription was and does not releave all my symtoms. My insurance co-pay was $35.00 for a month's supply (60 pills for 30 days), and now it runs me $25.00 every 12 days (only comes in boxes of 24 tablets) and another $15.00 for Benadryl that I have to take 3 to 4 times a day to do what the prescription Zyrtec-D did. There were no side effects with the prescription Zyrtec-D, but having to take two medications again, there are side effects like being tired all the time, dry mouth and feeling like your in a fog half the time. Anyone with severe allergies to many things knows what I mean, its very hard to find relief. Basically, it makes more money for the drug companies, the insurance companies don't want to pay anymore and the person with allergies is still suffering from the symptoms and is paying more in the long run.
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