How you can get around EpiPen maker’s ploy to keep price up

You’ve certainly heard the old expression “crime doesn’t pay.”

But it looks like greed might. At least in the case of the makers of the EpiPen.

Despite all the rants and rages over Mylan’s shameful 500 percent increase in the cost of this life-saving device, it seems the company has a new plan — a workaround strategy to keep the money rolling in that’s so bizarre it would actually require new laws to be enacted!

But while Mylan executives work into the night to make this new scheme a reality, a big pharmacy chain has slashed the price of a generic version of the shot – something that’s available to patients and parents right now.

Only there’s a catch. And it’s one Mylan hopes you’ll never find out about.

One small victory

Having an injection of epinephrine on standby for yourself or a family member with severe allergies is a necessity, not a luxury.

So it was no surprise when people went ballistic over Mylan’s gigantic price increase for its EpiPen, which is used to stop allergic reactions that can be life-threatening, such as difficulty breathing and swelling of the face and tongue.

And it wasn’t just consumers who were outraged. At a House Oversight Committee hearing, the company and its CEO, Heather Bresch, were raked over the coals. One committee member said that Mylan was getting “filthy rich” at the expense of patients whose lives depend on the drug. And that was one of the more polite comments.

Mylan also had to pony up $465 million to settle charges with the Department of Justice for overcharging Medicaid.

But that was then. Now, the drugmaker has a whole new way to keep lining its pockets with as much EpiPen money as possible.

The company’s new plan, according to CEO Bresch, will cut out the middlemen she said were responsible for the price of a two-pack of EpiPens increasing from around $100 a few years ago to now over $600.

Bresch, who rakes in a salary of over $19 million a year, gave a sob story before the Congressional hearing about how Mylan only makes around $50 profit from each EpiPen two-pack after everyone else takes their share (despite the fact that the actual ingredients in those pens cost around a buck).

But instead of simply lowering the price so those who need it can afford to have the shot ready when they need it (the pens also have to be replaced every year), the company is actually working on another plan.

According to a Bloomberg News investigation, Mylan is trying to get every state to pass a law that would allow what’s called “entity prescriptions.” That means making it legal to sell drugs to places – such as restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, amusement parks, basically anywhere — rather than putting these meds directly in the hands of the people who need them.

That would represent a gold mine for the company. It could sell its EpiPen at full price to businesses all over America and never have to hear any more sad stories from real people ever again.

Other perks of the plan would include not having to pay rebates or even deal with insurance companies, as the purchases would all be for cash.

The company is now hard at work lobbying and giving “donations” to lawmakers. It also started its own pharmacy to distribute the EpiPens to businesses only.

But what about all the people who need to have an EpiPen at their disposal 24/7?

Well, now they have a work-around, too!

CVS Pharmacy has just announced that it will be stocking a generic version called Adrenaclick, and cutting the price to a much more reasonable $110 for a two-pack.

Adrenaclick will be available at that price, said CVS, at all of its locations around the U.S.

But to get it, you have to specifically ask your doctor or pediatrician to write your prescription for Adrenaclick and not EpiPen. Otherwise you may find yourself holding an Rx for the exact same drug at six times the price.

This may seem like one small victory, but for those whose lives may depend on a shot of epinephrine to stay alive, it’s huge.

“CVS now selling generic competitor to EpiPen at a 6th of the price” January 12, 2017, CBS Boston, boston.cbslocal.com