Cost of Epipen rises significantly

A simple device can save your life, but is a sudden price hike for the EpiPen reason to be alarmed? The EpiPen cost has risen significantly in the past decade rising by 400%.

EpiPens are sold in two packs and in different doses for children and adults and it’s only manufactured by Mylan Pharmaceutical. They’re used for those who may experience a severe allergic reaction.

“It’s the only device that has been proven to reverse or treat anaphylaxis. Which is a life-threatening reaction.”

“We don’t want anybody with a severe food allergy walking out there without an EpiPen because it can be life-threatening,” Glenda Cardona, Allergy Specialist at Access Allergy, Asthma and Immunology said.

With school just around the corner, Cardona says she’s seeing more students coming into her office who suffer from allergies.

“Right now what we have is a lot of kids coming in with forms for schools, forms for EpiPens,” Cardona said.

In 2008, EpiPens cost around $100, a check Thursday at a West El Paso pharmacy found they now cost nearly $600.

“I’ve heard or talk from patients and parents that have been rising,” Cardona said.

Laura Escobar, a school nurse at Gonzalo and Sofia Garcia Elementary School keeps an emergency cabinet in her office filled with EpiPens in case of an emergency.

Despite the rising costs, Escobar says there are options if parents find themselves in a bind and if insurance doesn’t cover the medication.The school can provide coupons or support from school social workers to get students the coverage they need.

“Allergic reactions can be and are very serious, so it’s something that you need to act upon fast,” Escobar said.

In a statement to Abc-7, Mylan Pharmaceutical stated, “With changes in the healthcare insurance landscape, an increasing number of people and families are enrolled in high deductible health plans, and deductible amounts continue to rise. This shift, along with other insurance landscape changes, has presented new challenges for consumers, and they are bearing more of the cost. This change to the industry is not an easy challenge to address, but we recognize the need and are committed to working with customers and payors to find solutions to meet the needs of the patients and families we serve.”