Re: Have not posted here in a while- questions concerning enzymes

[Guest guest]

The WalMart pharmacy here in Ohio also claimed that we had to use

generic enzymes. We contacted the CF Clinic to see if it was okay

and they said " absolutely not! " The CF Clinic wrote a new

perscription for the enzymes and noted " No Generic Substitutions "

right on the perscription.

Have you thought about getting your meds through the CF Pharmacy on

the CFF website? www.cff.org We don't use this service, but it

might be worth checking out.

Maybe your clinic can give you some free samples until you get this

straightened out?

Good Luck,

Gale

> Hello Again All : )

>

> Although I have kept reading the posts here as much as I was

able ,I

> have not posted myself in a while. My name is Deborah and I have 3

> children- ages 10, 7, and 4- the youngest- Elisabeth with CF. This

> afternoon when we went to the pharmacy to pick up Elisabeth's

> prescriptions, including her Enzymes- our pharmacist had a long

talk

> with us. Now Elisabeth takes Ultrase MT12- enzymes- he told us

that-

> the makers of this enzyme- " Axcan Scandipharm " have raised thier

> cost of the enzymes and that Medicaid- which is what Elisabeth has-

> is refusing to pay for them now- He says they will pay for a

generic

> form or some other enzyme but not the ones we currently use. He

said

> it is not just the Medicaid program that is causing trouble- He

said

> insurance companies of other CFr's he gives the same enzymes to are

> requiring more of a copay for these same enzymes. Elisabeth just

> switched to these particular enzymes about 6 months ago.

> We think they work wonderfully and her weight has increased- not

to

> mention the added bonus of getting the Scandishakes and ADEK for

free.

> I am wondering if anyone else has encountered this yet- should I

call

> Scandipharm and ask them why the sudden rate increase in the cost

of

> thess enzymes ? The pharmacist did fax something to the doctor to

> fill out for Medicaid asking if these were the " only " enzymes she

> could use or could she use others- I hope he tells them " these: are

> the ones she needs!!!!

> Deborah- homeschooling mother of 3- the youngest

> Elisabeth-4 with CF

[Guest guest]

The WalMart pharmacy here in Ohio also claimed that we had to use

generic enzymes. We contacted the CF Clinic to see if it was okay

and they said " absolutely not! " The CF Clinic wrote a new

perscription for the enzymes and noted " No Generic Substitutions "

right on the perscription.

Have you thought about getting your meds through the CF Pharmacy on

the CFF website? www.cff.org We don't use this service, but it

might be worth checking out.

Maybe your clinic can give you some free samples until you get this

straightened out?

Good Luck,

Gale

> Hello Again All : )

>

> Although I have kept reading the posts here as much as I was

able ,I

> have not posted myself in a while. My name is Deborah and I have 3

> children- ages 10, 7, and 4- the youngest- Elisabeth with CF. This

> afternoon when we went to the pharmacy to pick up Elisabeth's

> prescriptions, including her Enzymes- our pharmacist had a long

talk

> with us. Now Elisabeth takes Ultrase MT12- enzymes- he told us

that-

> the makers of this enzyme- " Axcan Scandipharm " have raised thier

> cost of the enzymes and that Medicaid- which is what Elisabeth has-

> is refusing to pay for them now- He says they will pay for a

generic

> form or some other enzyme but not the ones we currently use. He

said

> it is not just the Medicaid program that is causing trouble- He

said

> insurance companies of other CFr's he gives the same enzymes to are

> requiring more of a copay for these same enzymes. Elisabeth just

> switched to these particular enzymes about 6 months ago.

> We think they work wonderfully and her weight has increased- not

to

> mention the added bonus of getting the Scandishakes and ADEK for

free.

> I am wondering if anyone else has encountered this yet- should I

call

> Scandipharm and ask them why the sudden rate increase in the cost

of

> thess enzymes ? The pharmacist did fax something to the doctor to

> fill out for Medicaid asking if these were the " only " enzymes she

> could use or could she use others- I hope he tells them " these: are

> the ones she needs!!!!

> Deborah- homeschooling mother of 3- the youngest

> Elisabeth-4 with CF

[Guest guest]

The WalMart pharmacy here in Ohio also claimed that we had to use

generic enzymes. We contacted the CF Clinic to see if it was okay

and they said " absolutely not! " The CF Clinic wrote a new

perscription for the enzymes and noted " No Generic Substitutions "

right on the perscription.

Have you thought about getting your meds through the CF Pharmacy on

the CFF website? www.cff.org We don't use this service, but it

might be worth checking out.

Maybe your clinic can give you some free samples until you get this

straightened out?

Good Luck,

Gale

> Hello Again All : )

>

> Although I have kept reading the posts here as much as I was

able ,I

> have not posted myself in a while. My name is Deborah and I have 3

> children- ages 10, 7, and 4- the youngest- Elisabeth with CF. This

> afternoon when we went to the pharmacy to pick up Elisabeth's

> prescriptions, including her Enzymes- our pharmacist had a long

talk

> with us. Now Elisabeth takes Ultrase MT12- enzymes- he told us

that-

> the makers of this enzyme- " Axcan Scandipharm " have raised thier

> cost of the enzymes and that Medicaid- which is what Elisabeth has-

> is refusing to pay for them now- He says they will pay for a

generic

> form or some other enzyme but not the ones we currently use. He

said

> it is not just the Medicaid program that is causing trouble- He

said

> insurance companies of other CFr's he gives the same enzymes to are

> requiring more of a copay for these same enzymes. Elisabeth just

> switched to these particular enzymes about 6 months ago.

> We think they work wonderfully and her weight has increased- not

to

> mention the added bonus of getting the Scandishakes and ADEK for

free.

> I am wondering if anyone else has encountered this yet- should I

call

> Scandipharm and ask them why the sudden rate increase in the cost

of

> thess enzymes ? The pharmacist did fax something to the doctor to

> fill out for Medicaid asking if these were the " only " enzymes she

> could use or could she use others- I hope he tells them " these: are

> the ones she needs!!!!

> Deborah- homeschooling mother of 3- the youngest

> Elisabeth-4 with CF

[Guest guest]

Hi Deborah,

We had our insurance company try to substitute generic enzymes a few

times. We got a letter from the doctor explaining the likelihood of

blockages (and hospitalizations) by using substitutes.

The thing about generics as I understand it is that the requirements

followed by the brand names are not adhered to by the generics

because they were developed before the ADA guidelines were set.

Here is kinda how our doctor explained it:

If a capsule of Ultrase is made, it is made with a certain shelf life

so that whenever you received the capsule and took it, even if you

stored it for awhile, the dose would be what they promised.

The generics do not have to follow these guidelines, so when the

generic capsule is made, it has the right amount of Lipase and

whatever it should have, there is no guarantee that it will have the

right amount hen it actually reaches you and you take it.

Studies have shown the doses to be irregular and you wouldn't want to

mess with that in a child.

Now, may adults report good success with generic. I figure their

system is slightly less sensitive, due to size. Also, they are more

likely to notice and mention when something is wrong, I think.

So, I would ask the doctor to send the letter and also any research

he/she may have. I may have a copy of our info. I can look for it if

you want. My house is just a little bit trashed right now.

Our insurance company had a doctor look over the letter and determine

that it was okay to give the brand name enzymes. We have to

pay a slightly higher co-pay I think, but nowhere near what they

wanted to charge us initially, which was the difference between the

bracn and generic price.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Lenora

>Hello Again All : )

>

>Although I have kept reading the posts here as much as I was able ,I

>have not posted myself in a while. My name is Deborah and I have 3

>children- ages 10, 7, and 4- the youngest- Elisabeth with CF. This

>afternoon when we went to the pharmacy to pick up Elisabeth's

>prescriptions, including her Enzymes- our pharmacist had a long talk

>with us. Now Elisabeth takes Ultrase MT12- enzymes- he told us that-

>the makers of this enzyme- " Axcan Scandipharm " have raised thier

>cost of the enzymes and that Medicaid- which is what Elisabeth has-

>is refusing to pay for them now- He says they will pay for a generic

>form or some other enzyme but not the ones we currently use. He said

>it is not just the Medicaid program that is causing trouble- He said

>insurance companies of other CFr's he gives the same enzymes to are

>requiring more of a copay for these same enzymes. Elisabeth just

>switched to these particular enzymes about 6 months ago.

>We think they work wonderfully and her weight has increased- not to

>mention the added bonus of getting the Scandishakes and ADEK for free.

>I am wondering if anyone else has encountered this yet- should I call

>Scandipharm and ask them why the sudden rate increase in the cost of

>thess enzymes ? The pharmacist did fax something to the doctor to

>fill out for Medicaid asking if these were the " only " enzymes she

>could use or could she use others- I hope he tells them " these: are

>the ones she needs!!!!

> Deborah- homeschooling mother of 3- the youngest

> Elisabeth-4 with CF

>

>

>

>

>PLEASE do not post religious emails to the list.

>

>

>-------------------------------------------

>

>

>The opinions and information exchanged on this list should

>IN NO WAY

>be construed as medical advice.

>

>PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE CHANGING ANY MEDICATIONS OR TREATMENTS.

>

>--------------------------------------------------

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Deborah,

When our daughters' Medicaid and insurance tried to switch us to the generic

brand of enzymes all we had to do was get a note from them, and a script that

stated " No Substitutions " and that took care of it. We have problems off and on

with various meds and I can generally call the numbers that they provide if

there is a question and explain our situation, occasionally I do have to write a

letter, but overall they have never forced us to switch a medication or pay

extra if it is documented that this is the only one that is effective for the

child.

This has worked for me so far, hope it helps.

Kris in Idaho

Morgen and Eme bwcf

[Guest guest]

Deborah,

When our daughters' Medicaid and insurance tried to switch us to the generic

brand of enzymes all we had to do was get a note from them, and a script that

stated " No Substitutions " and that took care of it. We have problems off and on

with various meds and I can generally call the numbers that they provide if

there is a question and explain our situation, occasionally I do have to write a

letter, but overall they have never forced us to switch a medication or pay

extra if it is documented that this is the only one that is effective for the

child.

This has worked for me so far, hope it helps.

Kris in Idaho

Morgen and Eme bwcf

[Guest guest]

Deborah,

When our daughters' Medicaid and insurance tried to switch us to the generic

brand of enzymes all we had to do was get a note from them, and a script that

stated " No Substitutions " and that took care of it. We have problems off and on

with various meds and I can generally call the numbers that they provide if

there is a question and explain our situation, occasionally I do have to write a

letter, but overall they have never forced us to switch a medication or pay

extra if it is documented that this is the only one that is effective for the

child.

This has worked for me so far, hope it helps.

Kris in Idaho

Morgen and Eme bwcf

[Guest guest]

Deborah,

Where do you live? I am in Iowa and that is what my daughters take to but

have not heard of any increase or had any problems with my insurance not

paying for them. Deb A