Despite the international perception that US citizens are wealthy, the reality is that many IC patients in the USA have no health insurance and are forced to pay for prescriptions out of pocket. Some have had to choose between purchasing food or medication. Throw in the complicating factor is that many therapies for IC are just expensive and IC patients often find themselves unable to pay for treatment. Elmiron, the only FDA approved oral medication for IC, can cost a whopping $600 per month.
Luckily, most IC medications are available through their manufacturers drug assistance programs. A list can be found in the ICN Drug Assistance Center.