Re: Cost of Hepatitis C Treatment

October 20, 2008

OH Penny, I'm sorry! I hope they are able to settle it all and you can start

your treatment pronto! As much as I abhore the thought of socialized medicine

and all its imperfections, I know what we are doing now does not work either!

There has to be something better!

Let us know when you start treatment so we can be praying for you.

Hugs,

Pamela

Cost of Hepatitis C Treatment

Hi everybody,

I was supposed to start the treatment for Hep C tomorrow, but my meds

haven't come in yet. My coordinator called today to tell me she

finally got the pre authorization from my insurance company, and I

will have to pay $1800 copay a month for the treatment. What???!!!

My husband doesn't even make that much in a month, and I just have my

little SSDI which is less than $700 a month, so how can we do that,

with all the other insurance premiums, mortgage, bills, etc.?

Anyway, the drug company that makes the meds for the treatment has a

program to help patients who can't afford it. The social worker at

the hospital was on the phone with them starting my application

process. She said not to worry, that I should be able to get the

treatment at no cost. The drug company just has to check with

Medicare to be sure that is how much they say I have to pay, and then

I should be qualified. I sure hope so. There's no way we can pay

that kind of money every month for a year or more. Holy balls!

We'll still be going up to the hospital tomorrow to the class to be

shown how to do the shots, etc. I've been taught that before, but it

has been a while before my transplant, and I never got the chance to

do it because I was too sick at that time. I have a friend who has

done the treatment two times and she will come over and help me the

first couple of times so I shouldn't have to go back up to the

hospital again when the meds to come.

Anyway, I just needed to vent. We'll be venting about it for a

couple of days! It's crazy!

I hope everyone is doing well.

Penny

P.S. My father in law is still in the hospital, but they're not

completely sure why he is so weak and can't walk yet, but they think

it has something to do with his spine. He had bone cancer and did

chemo two years ago and has been in remission since.

October 20, 2008

wow penny that is crazy, and scary, i wonder what it will be for

bobby? does the drug comp. help even if we have ins. ?? not telling

him again lol, he would surely freak out! who makes the meds. maybe i

should call and get facts before i tell him that lol. crazy world,

people cant even afford to get sick!!!! still praying for your father

in law!!! much love girl ,keep us posted good luck tommorrow girl!!

barby

>

> Hi everybody,

>

> I was supposed to start the treatment for Hep C tomorrow, but my

meds

> haven't come in yet. My coordinator called today to tell me she

> finally got the pre authorization from my insurance company, and I

> will have to pay $1800 copay a month for the treatment.

What???!!!

> My husband doesn't even make that much in a month, and I just have

my

> little SSDI which is less than $700 a month, so how can we do that,

> with all the other insurance premiums, mortgage, bills, etc.?

> Anyway, the drug company that makes the meds for the treatment has

a

> program to help patients who can't afford it. The social worker at

> the hospital was on the phone with them starting my application

> process. She said not to worry, that I should be able to get the

> treatment at no cost. The drug company just has to check with

> Medicare to be sure that is how much they say I have to pay, and

then

> I should be qualified. I sure hope so. There's no way we can pay

> that kind of money every month for a year or more. Holy balls!

>

> We'll still be going up to the hospital tomorrow to the class to be

> shown how to do the shots, etc. I've been taught that before, but

it

> has been a while before my transplant, and I never got the chance

to

> do it because I was too sick at that time. I have a friend who has

> done the treatment two times and she will come over and help me the

> first couple of times so I shouldn't have to go back up to the

> hospital again when the meds to come.

>

> Anyway, I just needed to vent. We'll be venting about it for a

> couple of days! It's crazy!

>

> I hope everyone is doing well.

>

> Penny

>

> P.S. My father in law is still in the hospital, but they're not

> completely sure why he is so weak and can't walk yet, but they

think

> it has something to do with his spine. He had bone cancer and did

> chemo two years ago and has been in remission since.

>

October 20, 2008

Thanks, Barby! I know, the cost is outrageous! It sounds like, I'm

hoping, that if your insurance requires you to pay a high copay that

you can't possibly afford, the drug company will pay it for you.

The company is Schering-Plough.

http://www.schering-plough.com/schering_plough/pc/commitment_care.jsp

Penny

> >

> > Hi everybody,

> >

> > I was supposed to start the treatment for Hep C tomorrow, but my

> meds

> > haven't come in yet. My coordinator called today to tell me she

> > finally got the pre authorization from my insurance company, and

I

> > will have to pay $1800 copay a month for the treatment.

> What???!!!

> > My husband doesn't even make that much in a month, and I just

have

> my

> > little SSDI which is less than $700 a month, so how can we do

that,

> > with all the other insurance premiums, mortgage, bills, etc.?

> > Anyway, the drug company that makes the meds for the treatment

has

> a

> > program to help patients who can't afford it. The social worker

at

> > the hospital was on the phone with them starting my application

> > process. She said not to worry, that I should be able to get the

> > treatment at no cost. The drug company just has to check with

> > Medicare to be sure that is how much they say I have to pay, and

> then

> > I should be qualified. I sure hope so. There's no way we can

pay

> > that kind of money every month for a year or more. Holy balls!

> >

> > We'll still be going up to the hospital tomorrow to the class to

be

> > shown how to do the shots, etc. I've been taught that before,

but

> it

> > has been a while before my transplant, and I never got the chance

> to

> > do it because I was too sick at that time. I have a friend who

has

> > done the treatment two times and she will come over and help me

the

> > first couple of times so I shouldn't have to go back up to the

> > hospital again when the meds to come.

> >

> > Anyway, I just needed to vent. We'll be venting about it for a

> > couple of days! It's crazy!

> >

> > I hope everyone is doing well.

> >

> > Penny

> >

> > P.S. My father in law is still in the hospital, but they're not

> > completely sure why he is so weak and can't walk yet, but they

> think

> > it has something to do with his spine. He had bone cancer and

did

> > chemo two years ago and has been in remission since.

> >

>

October 20, 2008

What I don't understand is how can the drug company can give it for nothing and

the insurance charge $1800. Somewhere in between is the real price.

Maybe the same thing that caused the housing crisis should happen to the drug

and insurance companies! Then all of their prices would tank. Jeeez! That just

gets under my skin. Because I have a gut feeling the treatment is nowhere near

$1800 and they just mark it up to get more money.

Sorry for venting. I just hate the whole pharmacutical/drug company insurance

thing. They charge what 95% of us can't pay.

MaC

preciouspenny3 wrote: Hi

everybody,