Have Insurance but still screwed

[Gh2o]

Any ideas for getting started--literally.  I have insurance that will reimburse up to 70% for meds, but I do not have the money to buy the PEGintron and rebetol to even GET reimbursed.  I have talked with Commitment to Care, having insurance takes me out of the running.  I just need the start-up cost of the meds.

[GSDgirl]

Last year I had total coverage @ 1,000.00 per month.  Couldn't afford that so switched to a high deductable HSA @ 539.00. That is for 2 of us.  The 539.00 just went up to 589.00.  I was able to get my pegasys approved and thank goodness for slow billing because I still owe them 2500.00 and about 1,000.00 for other things such as labs & Dr's.  I tried to get help with the cost, no luck.......BUT........If I was homeles & on welfare with no ins everything would have been free.

Gh20, my supplier told me that I had to pay up front also but it didn't turn out that way.  My treatments are over but I still owe a good bit of money  another stress that is not needed

Denise

[fretboard]

Now that truly sux, I've had it hearing about these insurance companies and how they operate.  It's like you have to be totally healthy or you get screwed then you have to get creative.  Well, like was previously mentioned by lab-rat there are the clinical trials, but no rescue drugs.  Good doctor you had there Mr. lab giving you samples, that's creative.  The clinical trials are  what I'm hoping to do, I do have insurance that pays for everything, I'm sure except rescue drugs.  I don't really feel that sick but that don't mean much, anyways here's the link for the trials you can check it out.  Also, I'm sure someone else will chime in with other options.  later  http://clinicaltrials.gov/

[meki]

Check with your local hospital ---- sometimes they have reserves to start you out. Check with the pharmacy - sometimes they have special programs.

Next check with all of the obvious charities and churches.

Then check with someone who might run a spaghetti feed for you....

We do a lot of spaghetti feeds for charity donations... It's fun...

Meki

[lab-rat]

The same thing happened to me...well almost.  Originally, insurance refused me because my LFT's were in the normal range.  I switched to a different insurance plan at the next opportunity. This one approved treatment, but my copay's were around $1100 a month.  So I backed out.  My GI's office wanted me to treat so they arranged to get me free drugs by what they referred to as "free samples".  I believe they communicated with the drug company - not sure if it was "Commitment to Care" or not.  But that all became moot because around the same time I had the opportunity to join a clinical trial so I did that instead. Everything is free, drugs, labwork, etc.  But they don't offer rescue drugs if needed.  So you do have options.  I wish I knew what the Dr.'s arrangement was that allowed them to get the free samples for patients.  Insurance nor income was not a consideration.  Good luck!