The verdict

All options have been exhausted. I will have to pay $210-250 per month for my blood thinner medication (up from $41). There are no coupons, cheaper pharmacies, or co-pay programs. There is one blood thinner I haven't tried that is supposed to be as effective as enoxaparin and costs $50 (ironically, it's a more expensive medication so it qualifies for the specialty medication $50 co-pay). However, my hematologist doesn't want to "rock the boat" yet. I will touch base with him after my next oncology appointment in Pittsburgh. 

To be clear, we can afford this cost. But the price increase is infuriating, even more so because it's clear I'm not the only employee facing higher prescription costs. One way PSU will save $20 million with switching to Highmark is by passing on higher prescription costs to employees.

Yesterday I learned about a horrendous health insurance situation with a PSU student whose parents are professors (the dad is also in the College of Education, although we've never met). The ProPublica article is worth reading in its entirety. How does insurers make millions in profits? By denying coverage to people who need it.