He Needs an Expensive Drug. A Copay Card Helped — Until I...

What’s Happening

Breaking it down: Diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, a California man was prescribed a drug that costs thousands of dollars a month.

He dropped he was reassured that the drugmaker’s copay card would cover his share, but after two months, the card was empty. Bill of the Month He Needs an Expensive Drug. (and honestly, same)

A Copay Card Helped — Until It Didn’t.

The Details

By Elisabeth Rosenthal Republish This Story Jayant Mishra was concerned about cost when his doctor diagnosed him with an autoimmune disease and recommended an expensive drug. He enrolled in the drugmaker’s copay assistance program, but the assistance ran out in less than two months, and he soon resorted to rationing the pills.

(Ariana Drehsler for KFF Health News) Over the course of 2025, Jayant Mishra of Mission Viejo, California, progressively developed scaly, itchy red patches on his skin. Then came the pain and swelling in the joints of his hands, making it difficult to do his work at a bank.

Why This Matters

This story also ran on The Washington Post . It can be republished for free . Send Us Your Medical Bills Do you have a confusing or outrageous medical bill you want to ?

Health experts are weighing in on what this means for people.

Key Takeaways

• Your Bill His primary care doctor referred him to a rheumatologist, who diagnosed psoriatic arthritis.
• He knew the medicines were expensive.
• He worried about side effects.

The Bottom Line

His rheumatologist got approval for the drug from his insurer, UnitedHealthcare, and signed him up for Amgen’s copayment assistance program. Having enrolled other patients, she told Mishra the copay card, similar to a credit card, should last a year, he dropped, shielding him from the drug’s high list price: around $5,000 for a 30-day supply, according to GoodRx .

Is this a W or an L? You decide.