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5 dollar copay coupons
I was denied meds. Doc said I need a liver biopsy and ins. Doesn't cover that either. so plan 2 has anyone use support path 5 dollar copay for solvaldi? Does the Pharmacies actually accept them as payment for meds. AlSo HAve panf foundation card . Please let me know if anyone has used them and if it worked
He said fibroscan AND/OR the blood assays and clinical exam. He speaks all over the country and has his finger on the pulse of what is going on. You are right that fibroscan is not available all over. I personally haven't had a liver biopsy since 1993 and I've treated over and over agin. My insurance company has never asked for a biopsy. In fact some insurance companies are no longer requiring them in late stage patients who,want to treat as they consider the risk too big.
Fibroscan is not available ever where and if they are insurance doesn't want to pay for them. Also, insurance companies don't want to except simple
blood assays. Insurance companies do want to know the stage of your
liver.
Your Doctor Jacobson works where there is a fibroscan. Doctors aren't much
concerned who pays for your procedure. Or if you have to drive to another
state to find a fibroscan. This is new FDA approved and not available to everyone. Would be nice if it was.
http://www.fibroscan502touch.com/find-a-facility
blood assays. Insurance companies do want to know the stage of your
liver.
Your Doctor Jacobson works where there is a fibroscan. Doctors aren't much
concerned who pays for your procedure. Or if you have to drive to another
state to find a fibroscan. This is new FDA approved and not available to everyone. Would be nice if it was.
http://www.fibroscan502touch.com/find-a-facility
If fibroscan is not available, your doctor can use fibrosure and/or fibrospect and clinical exam. Using fibrosure, fibrospect and any of the simple blood assays is now recommended above biopsy which often UNDER estimates the amount of scar tissue. Dr. Ira Jacobson of Cornell has said he has not done a single biopsy in the last 6 months as the combination of other non-invasive tests gives just as good information with less risk. And cure rates are so high it is no longer a priority to know the stage of liver disease unless cirrhosis is suspected. This is wht Dr. Jacobson said last night at a seminar I attended on the new treatments.
doc doesn't recommend liver needle biopsy it's too invasive and risk of bleeding the places I called for scan doesn't escort hmo for payment so itshould out of pocket from me. I font have the money. Just waiting on Gilead for assistance
Hi there. I read on another threat that you are still trying to see if your co- pay coupon works at the pharmacy. All these treatment drugs come from a specialty Phamacy. When you are cleared for treatment the speciality pharmacy will contact you to set up delivery. At that time you can tell them about your coupons and those arrangement will be made. Your insurance company knows the name of your speciality pharmacy if you are concerned.
It doesn't seem to be an issue using the coupon. Many have and do use them. I have saved thousands for expensive medications by looking first for an online drug coupon. The manufactures coupons are the ones to have.
Apparently, some specialty pharmacies are asking for you to sign a document that you are treating your hepatitis C with these prescribed drugs. There is a process getting drugs delivered to you. It's not like going to the local drug store and picking up your prescription.
Hope this is helpful
It doesn't seem to be an issue using the coupon. Many have and do use them. I have saved thousands for expensive medications by looking first for an online drug coupon. The manufactures coupons are the ones to have.
Apparently, some specialty pharmacies are asking for you to sign a document that you are treating your hepatitis C with these prescribed drugs. There is a process getting drugs delivered to you. It's not like going to the local drug store and picking up your prescription.
Hope this is helpful
One would think that fibroscans are readly available.
_________________________________
Teaching hospital have 3 locations in California with Fibroscans. Total in California - 9. California has many compared to other states. Many states don't even have one and others have one for the intire state. This is newly FDA approved technology. It's not available everywhere.
_________________________________
Teaching hospital have 3 locations in California with Fibroscans. Total in California - 9. California has many compared to other states. Many states don't even have one and others have one for the intire state. This is newly FDA approved technology. It's not available everywhere.
" with a Dr that IMHO is not quite up to speed with current SOC"
My thoughts also. I would show him this and ask for a reason why. Remember he works for us... I hope DB only the best and having to be stressed is not helping her.
My thoughts also. I would show him this and ask for a reason why. Remember he works for us... I hope DB only the best and having to be stressed is not helping her.
Wow that is a great article. Thank you for sharing with DB. She's been hitting a wall for about 3 wks now with a Dr that IMHO is not quite up to speed with current SOC. She lives in my area and have met. Truly a sweet person. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed like we all were.
Thx again Cando
Peace to you
Deb
Thx again Cando
Peace to you
Deb
Only your doctor can answer why he thinks a biopsy is needed. But as a few has said biopsy's are not being done as often as before mainly because cure rates are so high. As for the Fibroscan one would think if you live near a teaching hospital that has Hepatologists by now they have the Fibroscan.
This post below is from a well known doctor and I have read where many others are saying the same thing. Since you have the co-pay coupons I would question my doctor why he thinks a biopsy is needed. Lab work, and exam and even a Fibrosure or Fibrospect blood test will indicate liver damage and give an ideal on the length of treatment that's needed. Best to you.
------------------------------
The Age-Old Debate of Whether to Biopsy in HCV: My Answer for 2013
Mark S. Sulkowski, MD - 1/23/2013
"Advising the Patient
In a nutshell, my answers were: 1) no, a biopsy is not essential, and 2) maybe you will need interferon, but if your liver is in good shape, then you can wait. My response may seem a bit paradoxical—I care very much about the liver disease stage when making a decision to treat or wait but I don’t think we need a piece of liver tissue to get the information. I still recommend a fair number of liver biopsies but, with interferon-free, all-oral therapies on the near-term horizon (2014?), I am increasingly comfortable relying on patient history, physical exam, routine laboratory tests, and liver imaging as well as noninvasive serum markers to obtain a picture of liver health. In the United States, we do not yet have routine access to transient elastography but, in many regions, this would also be a mainstay of liver staging.
http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis/Treatment%20Updates/ClinicalThought/Thought11.aspx
----------------------
Note this was two years ago Before these interferon free meds was available.
This post below is from a well known doctor and I have read where many others are saying the same thing. Since you have the co-pay coupons I would question my doctor why he thinks a biopsy is needed. Lab work, and exam and even a Fibrosure or Fibrospect blood test will indicate liver damage and give an ideal on the length of treatment that's needed. Best to you.
------------------------------
The Age-Old Debate of Whether to Biopsy in HCV: My Answer for 2013
Mark S. Sulkowski, MD - 1/23/2013
"Advising the Patient
In a nutshell, my answers were: 1) no, a biopsy is not essential, and 2) maybe you will need interferon, but if your liver is in good shape, then you can wait. My response may seem a bit paradoxical—I care very much about the liver disease stage when making a decision to treat or wait but I don’t think we need a piece of liver tissue to get the information. I still recommend a fair number of liver biopsies but, with interferon-free, all-oral therapies on the near-term horizon (2014?), I am increasingly comfortable relying on patient history, physical exam, routine laboratory tests, and liver imaging as well as noninvasive serum markers to obtain a picture of liver health. In the United States, we do not yet have routine access to transient elastography but, in many regions, this would also be a mainstay of liver staging.
http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis/Treatment%20Updates/ClinicalThought/Thought11.aspx
----------------------
Note this was two years ago Before these interferon free meds was available.
Your doctor wants you to have a liver biopsy. He wants an accurate and best possible look at the condition of your liver. If you haven't had a liver biopsy or fibroscan you can't be approved for treatment. How do you know the insurance company is going to deni treatment drugs when they need a fibroscan or biopsy to approve treatment. It's important you have this done.
If your not near a clinic or hospital that provide testing for fibroscan then I expect your doctor will appeal for a liver biopsy. You know it's not that bad.
I've had two and it's really a very simple procedure. In fact both times I went back to my normal activities the very next day.
If you want to treat your hepatitis C....you have to get a biopsy or fibroscan.
If I were you I would want to know. Most people do want to know the condition of their liver. The insurance company wants to know so they approve the right amount of treatment drugs for you.
These drugs are very very expense. Insurance companies want to see that you are committed and want to treat your Hepatits C. They can't afford to send you treatment drugs and have you change your mine. They are not returnable.
Your doctor and your insurance can't treat you accurately without this information.
If your not near a clinic or hospital that provide testing for fibroscan then I expect your doctor will appeal for a liver biopsy. You know it's not that bad.
I've had two and it's really a very simple procedure. In fact both times I went back to my normal activities the very next day.
If you want to treat your hepatitis C....you have to get a biopsy or fibroscan.
If I were you I would want to know. Most people do want to know the condition of their liver. The insurance company wants to know so they approve the right amount of treatment drugs for you.
These drugs are very very expense. Insurance companies want to see that you are committed and want to treat your Hepatits C. They can't afford to send you treatment drugs and have you change your mine. They are not returnable.
Your doctor and your insurance can't treat you accurately without this information.
denied because the insurance company wants this fibroscan done which will show that I don't have any fibrosis which the insurance company will deny based on that info. ITs BS they want me to have stage 3 before approval. what happened to Preventive medicine that no longer exists, so they rather pay more in the long run when im sicker than pay now to prevent me from getting sicker, Im fighting Im not giving up
I believe that there are only 7 places in the USA you can get a fibroscan.
Fibroscan is newly approved technology although its been around for awhile.
Here is a link that tells about biopsy vs fibroscan
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3594956/
Fibroscan is newly approved technology although its been around for awhile.
Here is a link that tells about biopsy vs fibroscan
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3594956/
FibroScan isn't offered everywhere. This may be why your doctor is asking
for a liver biopsy. Here is a link explaining FibroScan and the purpose for
getting the results.
http://www.fibroscanlosangeles.com/
I hope this helps you get exactly what you need to start treatment.
for a liver biopsy. Here is a link explaining FibroScan and the purpose for
getting the results.
http://www.fibroscanlosangeles.com/
I hope this helps you get exactly what you need to start treatment.
I agree with the above, liver biopsy's are not done anymore, I just had a fibroscan. Same thing.
Go to "HepC.com" and sign up for the action plan. There you can get assistance walking through the process. The process can be complicated depending on your situation.
Looking at your comments you said you had a fibroscan. What was the results of the scan?
I am with kOkO, Why? Saying that it was because you needed a biopsy sounds crazy!
APPEAL AT ONCE! It is almost as if they were grasping at any reason to deny. Call them. Point out that protocols have changed, as they, themselves don't even approve payment for biopsy, so how can they require it?
Outrageous!!, And here I was assuring you that there would be no problem getting approval! Never mind protocol for tx, what's best for the patient, what the latest studies show, OR the fact that they save fist fulls of money in the long run! You need to talk to a live human, probably above the entry level of person making that decision. (can you tell I am outraged?)
Pat
PS. I believe Dee or AWorriedMom have a 'back door' telephone number that they listed to call in situations like this. I will see if I can find the thread with that info --- or one of them might see this and list it.
Hang in there - but go ahead and appeal to get the ball rolling. P
APPEAL AT ONCE! It is almost as if they were grasping at any reason to deny. Call them. Point out that protocols have changed, as they, themselves don't even approve payment for biopsy, so how can they require it?
Outrageous!!, And here I was assuring you that there would be no problem getting approval! Never mind protocol for tx, what's best for the patient, what the latest studies show, OR the fact that they save fist fulls of money in the long run! You need to talk to a live human, probably above the entry level of person making that decision. (can you tell I am outraged?)
Pat
PS. I believe Dee or AWorriedMom have a 'back door' telephone number that they listed to call in situations like this. I will see if I can find the thread with that info --- or one of them might see this and list it.
Hang in there - but go ahead and appeal to get the ball rolling. P
Liver Biopsies aren't done anymore. It's too invasive. They do fibroscans now and Ins allows that. What Ins do you have? Any? You can't do Solvadi alone. It must be done as a combo. Are you trying to get just Solvadi? This is a process. Get your ducks lined up. Get your tests done. Get your Insurance. Then your doc will apply for your approval.
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