Re: Re: Copay $865.33 : -)

[Guest guest]

For whatever it may be worth, I decided to experiment. A few months ago, I

discontinued Xolair after about three years - with the blessing of my new pulmo

doc. It wasn't so much that I minded the shots - it was that I hated having to

go to that house of disease and infection, a hospital, to get the shots. As the

proud victim of MRSA three times, along with who knows what else (if there's any

kind of a bug going around, it'll find me), I just hated going to the hospital

outpatient dept. New pulmo dude said, " Get thy heiny to the apothecary and

score thee some Spiriva and Symbicort. " I did like the man said, and I believe

I'm better off than I was on Xolair - and I had 1900 iggies when I started

Xolair, and I still had about 600 at last count before I discontinued Xolair.

On the other hand, Xolair cost me nothing (I'm on Medicare with BCBS

supplementary), while Spiriva and Symbicort are both a bit pricey - about $225

each for a 30 day supply. However, I can get Spiriva from my Canadian source

for $125 for a 90 day supply, so I'll do that and relegate Symbicort to Plan D,

where it has a $45 copay for 30 day supply. Hopefully the damned Republican

boneheads won't screw up the changes to Medicare, so I won't have a doughnut

hole fall into.

Ohldepharte

----- Original Message -----

From: mpink1000

Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 12:23 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Copay $865.33 : -(

Carol, I am also on Medicare, so can appreciate your situation. I am very

concerned about the same thing happening to all of us that are on Medicare. I

did read on another xolair site about healthwell foundation. There were people

posting who had gotten help, but it seemed to be for people with minimal

insurance. I know Medicare limits the amount that can be charged - perhaps you

could get a supplemental policy to cover the rest. Do you get your shots in the

hospital? Hope you are able to work this all out!! Marilyn

>

> I just got the word that my copay is jumping from $200 every 3 months to the

above number. That, of course, means I have to give up the shots.

> I appreciate someone's suggestion to inquire about Xolair Assist. I did.

Apparently it's only for young people. They told me it's against federal law to

offer it to anyone on any type of Medicare product, effectively exclusing

assistance to anyone over 65 who is a U.S. citizen.

> Thanks for all your help over the years.

> Carol

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Terry,

What were you on while on xolair? You added spiriva and symbicort after you

stopped xolair? Just curious.

________________________________

From: Terry <onabeach@...>

Sent: Wed, February 2, 2011 1:56:41 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Copay $865.33 : -)

For whatever it may be worth, I decided to experiment. A few months ago, I

discontinued Xolair after about three years - with the blessing of my new pulmo

doc. It wasn't so much that I minded the shots - it was that I hated having to

go to that house of disease and infection, a hospital, to get the shots. As the

proud victim of MRSA three times, along with who knows what else (if there's any

kind of a bug going around, it'll find me), I just hated going to the hospital

outpatient dept. New pulmo dude said, " Get thy heiny to the apothecary and

score thee some Spiriva and Symbicort. " I did like the man said, and I believe

I'm better off than I was on Xolair - and I had 1900 iggies when I started

Xolair, and I still had about 600 at last count before I discontinued Xolair.

On the other hand, Xolair cost me nothing (I'm on Medicare with BCBS

supplementary), while Spiriva and Symbicort are both a bit pricey - about $225

each for a 30 day supply. However, I can get Spiriva from my Canadian source

for $125 for a 90 day supply, so I'll do that and relegate Symbicort to Plan D,

where it has a $45 copay for 30 day supply. Hopefully the damned Republican

boneheads won't screw up the changes to Medicare, so I won't have a doughnut

hole fall into.

Ohldepharte

----- Original Message -----

From: mpink1000

Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 12:23 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Copay $865.33 : -(

Carol, I am also on Medicare, so can appreciate your situation. I am very

concerned about the same thing happening to all of us that are on Medicare. I

did read on another xolair site about healthwell foundation. There were people

posting who had gotten help, but it seemed to be for people with minimal

insurance. I know Medicare limits the amount that can be charged - perhaps you

could get a supplemental policy to cover the rest. Do you get your shots in the

hospital? Hope you are able to work this all out!! Marilyn

>

> I just got the word that my copay is jumping from $200 every 3 months to the

>above number. That, of course, means I have to give up the shots.

>

> I appreciate someone's suggestion to inquire about Xolair Assist. I did.

>Apparently it's only for young people. They told me it's against federal law to

>offer it to anyone on any type of Medicare product, effectively exclusing

>assistance to anyone over 65 who is a U.S. citizen.

> Thanks for all your help over the years.

> Carol

>

[Guest guest]

- I was on Foradil and Pulmicort - which are essentially the same as

Symbicort.

----- Original Message -----

From:

Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 1:40 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Copay $865.33 : -)

Hi Terry,

What were you on while on xolair? You added spiriva and symbicort after you

stopped xolair? Just curious.

________________________________

From: Terry <onabeach@...>

Sent: Wed, February 2, 2011 1:56:41 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Copay $865.33 : -)

For whatever it may be worth, I decided to experiment. A few months ago, I

discontinued Xolair after about three years - with the blessing of my new

pulmo

doc. It wasn't so much that I minded the shots - it was that I hated having to

go to that house of disease and infection, a hospital, to get the shots. As

the

proud victim of MRSA three times, along with who knows what else (if there's

any

kind of a bug going around, it'll find me), I just hated going to the hospital

outpatient dept. New pulmo dude said, " Get thy heiny to the apothecary and

score thee some Spiriva and Symbicort. " I did like the man said, and I believe

I'm better off than I was on Xolair - and I had 1900 iggies when I started

Xolair, and I still had about 600 at last count before I discontinued Xolair.

On the other hand, Xolair cost me nothing (I'm on Medicare with BCBS

supplementary), while Spiriva and Symbicort are both a bit pricey - about $225

each for a 30 day supply. However, I can get Spiriva from my Canadian source

for $125 for a 90 day supply, so I'll do that and relegate Symbicort to Plan

D,

where it has a $45 copay for 30 day supply. Hopefully the damned Republican

boneheads won't screw up the changes to Medicare, so I won't have a doughnut

hole fall into.

Ohldepharte

----- Original Message -----

From: mpink1000

Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 12:23 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Copay $865.33 : -(

Carol, I am also on Medicare, so can appreciate your situation. I am very

concerned about the same thing happening to all of us that are on Medicare. I

did read on another xolair site about healthwell foundation. There were people

posting who had gotten help, but it seemed to be for people with minimal

insurance. I know Medicare limits the amount that can be charged - perhaps you

could get a supplemental policy to cover the rest. Do you get your shots in

the

hospital? Hope you are able to work this all out!! Marilyn

>

> I just got the word that my copay is jumping from $200 every 3 months to the

>above number. That, of course, means I have to give up the shots.

>

> I appreciate someone's suggestion to inquire about Xolair Assist. I did.

>Apparently it's only for young people. They told me it's against federal law

to

>offer it to anyone on any type of Medicare product, effectively exclusing

>assistance to anyone over 65 who is a U.S. citizen.

> Thanks for all your help over the years.

> Carol

>