Cost of treatement

[amberank]

I have had HCV for several years now. I am considering treatment. I do not have prescription insurance and was looking for a ball park figure on the cost of combonation therapy.

[amberank]

Thnk you everyone. I will definately check out my options b/c I sure can not pay for it out of pocket.

[amirtracy]

me too. no insurance. Commitment to Care is a godsend...


here's links to free rescue drugs, if you end up needing those. i haven't yet but they're saved to my favorites just in case...

http://www.atdn.org/access/pa/filg.html


http://www.procritline.com/patientassist/intro.jsp

again, generous income levels, fast acceptance (my case was 24 hours)...best of luck and read the posts in this forum to educate yourself.  tracy

[amirtracy]

oh. and federal poverty levels DO NOT apply, even tho' some sites say so. In florida, family of 4's income level is $70,000 for assistance w/ meds. A little less for the rescue drugs but not much less.

[jmjm530]

Like Kalio said, the manufacturer's themselves (Roache and Shearing) have assistance programs. My understanding is that they offer some flexibility regarding income. You can also talk to your doctor about any trials that might make sense,  where they usually pick up all or most of the costs. All the best luck.

-- Jim

[friole]

Welcome to the forum, amber.   Sounds like maybe you have medical insurance, just not presciption coverage.  Have you already seen a specialist (GI or hepatologist).  I think the doctor can help you get into some of these help programs from the drug companies.  How long have you been infected?  Do you know your genotype and vl? What about a biopsy?

[FlGuy]

Ckheck with your insurance co. For me, the cost of the interferon and the rescue drugs was applied against my medical insurance, not perscription, coverage.  The cost of the riba was applied against perscription coverage.

[amirtracy]

Good Lord Bobby! You don't know about nygirls fudscicle addiction?

[NYgirl]

The treatment CAN COST up to 100,000 when you add everything in to the cost.

The Interferon is supposedly only $20,000 for tx but then you need to add in the cost of rescue drugs like Epogen/Procrit which is $6,000 for a 5 week supply (at 2x a week) or a 10 week supply of once a week.  Figure that cost is somewhere around an extra $30,000 on it's own.  Then add in Neupogen, Ambien, AntiDepressants (which are a must have) and many other meds that we come to need to help assist us to continue and the cost is at least $100,000. Oh yeah and the Ribavirin too LOL


My doctor was SHOCKED. He thought it only the $20,000 but when I broke it down he was like my GOD you are RIGHT!

Please find out about the assistance programs and try and get your meds via the company.  That way you can perhaps use your money to pay for the additional things....it's not cheap.

[NYgirl]

LOL I get so lonely for my darn fudgicles when I'm here at work...I wish I could figure out a way to bring some in!

I do have the GB with me hahaha.  I tell you wearing a sleeveless shirt today is not that pretty =  these old Ribascars are just so bad it looks like I burned myself over and over with a cigarette or something. I hate them so much ... I wish I found the GB so long ago.

Can't even "tan" to make it look less noticeable. Got to check out the spray tan kind of stuff LOL.

[bobbyullc]

darn, i thougjt i was the only fudgecicle junky.

[sfbaygirl]

Tanning is not okay?  I have been in the sun over the past weeks and no problem.  I will have a problem NOT tanning when I go to Jamacia in July.  I hear the good spray tanning stuff, like at Nordstrom, is good.  Otherwise you turn orange.

Linda

[IwillBeatHCV]

Although I have insurance, I opted to treat with the a local university study (University of Miami). Everything was paid for except for my rescue drugs.

[bobbyullc]

my pills were $1278 a month and the shots were $1600 at the store or $1276 at drugstore.com. do try commitment to care if you need to. they suprised me. i love them.
welcome to our happy group.
bobby