Sticker-shock prescriptions

The widening income gap also decides who can get prescription drugs, by default. Anyone can get them . . . if they can afford the co-pay.

That’s no problem for Warren Buffett. But for others, it’s not that easy.

For example, Stelara for a disabling form of psoriasis, is $1,578 for each of four injections, or $6,312 for a year’s shots. For starters. Later, the patient’s cost soared to $2,728 per inoculation.

Soliris, which treats life-threatening blood diseases, costs $440,000 a year. For Warren Buffett, pocket change. For the rest of us, unaffordable.

Sovaldi, the best drug for hepatitis C, costs $84,000 for the recommended 12-week treatment. Warren Buffett, we aren’t. Even with co-pays, that can run $16,000.

All these are labeled specialty drugs, which are expected to cost Americans and their insurers $400 BILLION by 2020.

10 top-selling specialty drugs:

1. Humira, for inflammatory conditions.

2. Enbrel, for inflammatory conditions.

3. Copazone, for multiple schleroris (MS).

4. Atripia, for HIV treatments.

5. Revlimid, for cancer.

6. Gleevec, for cancer.

7. Enoxaparin, for blood clotting.

8. Rebif, for MS.

9. Avonex, for MS.

10.          Gilenya, for MS.

The article is in the January-February 2015 issue of the AARP Bulletin.

Read it and weep.