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Article: As the dust settles; Will allergy sufferers fare better with over- the-counter Claritin?; Will insurance companies drop allergy medications completely?
- Article from:
- Lancaster New Era Lancaster, PA
- Article date:
- December 20, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2002 Lancaster New Era Lancaster, PA. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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FOR ELAINE RUTTER, $15 is nothing to sneeze at.
"I'm allergic to dust, weeds, grasses and molds, so much so that I
don't go outside at all," she says. Rutter, of Ephrata, finds
some relief from her severe seasonal allergies with the prescription
antihistamine Claritin. She pays $15 for the drug each month.
"I feel so much better than I used to," Rutter says. "It has
helped a lot."
Claritin, the most popular prescription allergy drug in the United
States, is now available over the counter. Great news, right?
Not necessarily.
For uninsured people, the cost of Claritin may drop by half.
But some patients with prescription drug plans will pay twice as
much for over-the-counter ...