Re: Family of RA patient needs support

[Guest guest]

Excellent suggestions Kathe. I¹m now faced with changing insurance and

found out that going from one insurance company to another such as with a

job transfer, there is no waiting period for pre-existing conditions. But

if my husband left a job and the insurance lapsed, we¹d have to start over

with insurance and they could make us wait for pre-existing conditions. My

husband enrolled in the Cobra plan with his old employer until his new

insurance kicks in. If for some reason I lost my insurance, I would

consider some of the clinical trials. They provide testing, medication and

monitoring.

a

> Hi Liz:

>

> It's great that you are so supportive of your fiance

> -RA is a hard disease to deal with, both for those who

> have it and for those who love them.

>

> There are patient programs through different drug

> companies that I am hoping one of our moderators or

> another member in the group has the references for -

> Enbrel has a program for those who have no insurance

> and I am sure some of the other biologics do as well.

> There are also patient drug trail programs that might

> be of help to you - I know that this has been

> discussed here in the group before - maybe you could

> research the archives for sites that could be helpful.

>

>

> Your fiance needs to be on a medication to help

> control the disease progression, not just the pain. I

> worry to think of what the RA has been doing to his

> joints all of these years he has relied only on pain

> meds - I hope that you are able to get the help you

> need.

>

> I don't know about your personal insurance - whether

> through your company or private - but when my husband

> changed jobs and insurance, because it was a large

> group insurance, I was covered immediately for my

> pre-existing RA. There is no way I could have gone

> without medications for 90 days - that is so

> incredible that they demand that.

>

> Good luck - hang in there -

[Guest guest]

Liz, I'm sorry that your fiancé is in so much pain and that he has no

insurance. Is he employed? Has he considered applying for Social

Security disability benefits?

What meds is he on?

In addition to considering trials, there are many

pharmaceutical-sponsored patient assistance programs. Here's one site

with a comprehensive listing:

http://www.helpingpatients.org/index.cfm

For RA clinical trial information:

CenterWatch

Clinical Trials Listing Service:

http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat132.html

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Family of RA patient needs support

> I just need someone to talk to about my fiance's RA. He is extremely

flared up right now and his pain management doses are pretty much not

taking care of his pain. He will not consider increasing the doses, as

he has been on them for 10 years and just accepts the fact that his body

has gotten used to them. The effects of this make me feel so helpless

and sometimes I even get angry that because he doesn't have insurance,

he cannot get any type of new diagnostic help or treatment. Paying out

of pocket for pain meds is going to be a lifelong endeavor and when we

get married my insurance won't cover him for at least a year because of

his pre-existing condition, or to stay completely medication free for

the RA for 90 days. This was what really depressed me this week talking

to my insurance carrier - who doesn't understand that you cannot take

someone off pain management medication cold turkey for 90 days and not

expect them to want to commit suicide from the pain! I just broke down

last

> night and wanted to talk to someone who could make me feel better.

Thanks