Re: xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

[Guest guest]

I get mine from Acredo and it runs my insurance about $12,000 for 3 months which

is about $666 per vial. I use three vials every two weeks.

Gwendolyn Rafter,MAOM,MBA/HRM

From: jakemanp_sf <jakemanp_sf@...>

Subject: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 2:23 PM

 

Mayo clinic is quoting me $3800 for my first two shots! I see on this forum that

the average " retail " price is around $500 per vial -- which I am OK with.

Has anyone been getting this recently for $500 per vial? If so -- where?

Background -- Xolair was rejected by my insurance and I will resubmit it (expect

to search the excellent forums here for help on this). I also know about the

Genentech cost assistance programs, and will pursue that as well.

Thanks in advance for any help on this topic.

[Guest guest]

Are you serious?

Somebody has been lying to me...my Mayo pulmonologist told me that they

participated in the Xolair studies and decided not to prescribe it. I smell a

bad rat.

Go to an allergist who has experience and stay the heck away from Mayo.

Everytime I mention something, it is " No, studies have shown.... "

So far the no's include: No allergy shots after the age of 50

No Xolair

No ivig for your condition

Hmmmm

Ashleigh

________________________________

From: jakemanp_sf <jakemanp_sf@...>

Sent: Tue, November 10, 2009 1:23:14 PM

Subject: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

Mayo clinic is quoting me $3800 for my first two shots! I see on this forum

that the average " retail " price is around $500 per vial -- which I am OK with.

Has anyone been getting this recently for $500 per vial? If so -- where?

Background -- Xolair was rejected by my insurance and I will resubmit it (expect

to search the excellent forums here for help on this). I also know about the

Genentech cost assistance programs, and will pursue that as well.

Thanks in advance for any help on this topic.

[Guest guest]

Could you give us the Cliff Noted version of why they said:

-no allergy shots after 50?

I'm guess the reason for no Xolair or IVIG is because of $$$$.

It is so extremely hard to get IVIG covered by any insurance, and that is with

iron clad documentation that you need it. My friend's young daughter has cancer,

and they had to fight tooth and nail for coverage.

Nan

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Guest guest]

Wow. Now I get why my immunologist said I was lucky to be in Canada. I get iv IG

every month for a mild immune deficiency that is likely due to prednisone. We

started it on a hunch after I got pneumonia from a patient I was treating. My

asthma is clearly better so we are continuing it indefinitely. I think he had to

fill in a form and send it to the government. No approval really needed as it

was his decision.

I guess there are pros and cons to both systems. My mom has lung cancer so its

great not to have to deal with insurance worries.

ps did you know there are only 30,000 xolair patients in the world?

________________________________

From: " pteropus.seychellensis@... " <pteropus.seychellensis@...>

Leigh McCall-Alton <mccallalton@...>;

Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 7:10:26 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

 

Could you give us the Cliff Noted version of why they said:

-no allergy shots after 50?

I'm guess the reason for no Xolair or IVIG is because of $$$$.

It is so extremely hard to get IVIG covered by any insurance, and that is with

iron clad documentation that you need it. My friend's young daughter has cancer,

and they had to fight tooth and nail for coverage.

Nan

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

__________________________________________________________________

Looking for the perfect gift? Give the gift of Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/gift/

[Guest guest]

, wow, I am glad you could get your meds. I don't know how our system is

going to be, there is such controversy going on at this time.

Only 30,000 world wide, gee, guess I am 30,001, i just got my first shot last

week, haha. That is not alot of people.

I was wondering if anyone got a metalic taste in their mouths? I have had it for

a couple of days now and not sure why. Jan

May today be twice as good as yesterday and half as good as tomorrow. Jan

From: carrie72583@...

Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:33:13 -0800

Subject: Re: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

Wow. Now I get why my immunologist said I was lucky to be in Canada. I get iv IG

every month for a mild immune deficiency that is likely due to prednisone. We

started it on a hunch after I got pneumonia from a patient I was treating. My

asthma is clearly better so we are continuing it indefinitely. I think he had to

fill in a form and send it to the government. No approval really needed as it

was his decision.

I guess there are pros and cons to both systems. My mom has lung cancer so its

great not to have to deal with insurance worries.

ps did you know there are only 30,000 xolair patients in the world?

________________________________

From: " pteropus.seychellensis@... " <pteropus.seychellensis@...>

Leigh McCall-Alton <mccallalton@...>;

Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 7:10:26 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

Could you give us the Cliff Noted version of why they said:

-no allergy shots after 50?

I'm guess the reason for no Xolair or IVIG is because of $$$$.

It is so extremely hard to get IVIG covered by any insurance, and that is with

iron clad documentation that you need it. My friend's young daughter has cancer,

and they had to fight tooth and nail for coverage.

Nan

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

__________________________________________________________

Looking for the perfect gift? Give the gift of Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/gift/

[Guest guest]

I have IGg subset deficiency, it is mild to moderate range. My internist called

just to see what insurance would coverage. (Long story on the reason why he was

considering it).

After BC/BS stopped piddling on themselves from laughing so hard, the woman

said, " you can't be serious. "

At the time, BC/BS was only covering IVIG for severely compromised patients,

think bone marrow transplants or children with a genetic immune diseases that

were/ or almost needed reverse isolation.

They would never consider paying for IVIG for me (even if it would help), and I

was free to pay out of pocket.

Swiped from http://www.biorx.net/all_about_ivig.pdf

" ...Many factors effect this ... on your dose, a course of therapy can cost

between $1500-$ 15000 per month. " . It runs about $100/gram.

And it is dosed by gram to body weight.

Sign me up !

So you are a very lucky woman. Glad it is helping you.

Nan

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Guest guest]

Left this out. I think the dose is 1g/2kg body weight for IVIG. So for a 200 lb

person, the cost would be $4600/dose. I don't know if that is retail or

wholesale pricing, and doesn't include infusion set up and all the other jazz.

No wonder BC/BS hopes I drop dead. (double).

Nan

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Guest guest]

The Mayo Clinic ID told me that in people over 50, their STUDIES have shown that

there is a significant risk of hardening of the cardiovascular system. 

I have few if any problems so far with getting things approved except for the

generic formulation of zofran.

I am getting my allergy injections locally...I need house dust, cedar, grass and

ragweed and that is all I am taking. 

But I am sort of mad about them telling me that the Mayo Clinic does not have

anything to do with xolair.

LM

________________________________

From: " pteropus.seychellensis@... " <pteropus.seychellensis@...>

Leigh McCall-Alton <mccallalton@...>;

Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 6:10:26 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

 

Could you give us the Cliff Noted version of why they said:

-no allergy shots after 50?

I'm guess the reason for no Xolair or IVIG is because of $$$$.

It is so extremely hard to get IVIG covered by any insurance, and that is with

iron clad documentation that you need it. My friend's young daughter has cancer,

and they had to fight tooth and nail for coverage.

Nan

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that the body stops making IgE, or decreases

the amount it makes, after ABOUT the age of 50. Theoretically

that would mean older folks don't NEED allergy treatment once

their body stops making IgE. WE've got plenty of allergic people

in this group for whom that seems not to be true.

Bottom line is that we still don't know enough about the immune

system. I guess Mayo is taking a very conservative route with

Xolair - it is VERY expensive and carries the black box warning,

but so do a lot of other meds.

Addy

Group co-owner

>

> The Mayo Clinic ID told me that in people over 50, their STUDIES have shown

that there is a significant risk of hardening of the cardiovascular system. 

> I have few if any problems so far with getting things approved except for the

generic formulation of zofran.

> I am getting my allergy injections locally...I need house dust, cedar, grass

and ragweed and that is all I am taking. 

> But I am sort of mad about them telling me that the Mayo Clinic does not have

anything to do with xolair.

> LM

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: " pteropus.seychellensis@... " <pteropus.seychellensis@...>

> Leigh McCall-Alton <mccallalton@...>;

> Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 6:10:26 AM

> Subject: Re: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

>

>  

> Could you give us the Cliff Noted version of why they said:

>

> -no allergy shots after 50?

>

> I'm guess the reason for no Xolair or IVIG is because of $$$$.

>

> It is so extremely hard to get IVIG covered by any insurance, and that is with

iron clad documentation that you need it. My friend's young daughter has cancer,

and they had to fight tooth and nail for coverage.

>

> Nan

>

> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm the original poster on this topic. Thanks for the helpful comments and I

thought I'd give you a quick update.

I was *finally* able to get 2 vials of Xolair for $1152 (total). My pharmacy

would not give me a price without a prescription and it took me 4 days of

prodding to get my doc to fax a prescription to my pharmacy.

Had my first injection last Thursday. Was tired and feverish for a couple of

days after. Haven't seen any positive results yet, but hoping to after my 2nd

or 3rd injection.

Very good information on this board -- more than I've found from my doc or any

other place. Thanks to all that responded to my post and for all who have

previously posted their thoughts and information.

cheers,

Jake P

> >

> > The Mayo Clinic ID told me that in people over 50, their STUDIES have shown

that there is a significant risk of hardening of the cardiovascular system. 

> > I have few if any problems so far with getting things approved except for

the generic formulation of zofran.

> > I am getting my allergy injections locally...I need house dust, cedar, grass

and ragweed and that is all I am taking. 

> > But I am sort of mad about them telling me that the Mayo Clinic does not

have anything to do with xolair.

> > LM

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> > From: " pteropus.seychellensis@ " <pteropus.seychellensis@>

> > Leigh McCall-Alton <mccallalton@>;

> > Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 6:10:26 AM

> > Subject: Re: [ ] xolair retail price / best pharmacy to purchase

> >

> >  

> > Could you give us the Cliff Noted version of why they said:

> >

> > -no allergy shots after 50?

> >

> > I'm guess the reason for no Xolair or IVIG is because of $$$$.

> >

> > It is so extremely hard to get IVIG covered by any insurance, and that is

with iron clad documentation that you need it. My friend's young daughter has

cancer, and they had to fight tooth and nail for coverage.

> >

> > Nan

> >

> > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >