it's official

[Proactive]

after 52 weeks of treatment, my scumbag insurance company- BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
denied further med coverage..No peg in the fridge, but luckily doc has samples and I have an appointment tomorrow...Spoke to C to C and I can get a 1 month emergency supply..Next step it to appeal BCBS's denial...highly stressed, this sucks!!!

[Proactive]

Thank you Shelly, you have mail..........;^)Pro

[ponyshel]

I have about 3 extra injections left and a bottle of riba..i.e.. copeg..email me on my profile an we'll hook up..call the peg asst program also and they are really great with helping you out..:)

[Proactive]

Outside of the "top docs" (vbg) I haven't read to many compliments on the medical treatment we here have gotten throughout our ordeals..Not talking insurance co's-they suck, but the medical care we have received...I really can't say enough about how well I feel I have been cared for. Starting with my regular doc, who I had only seen once prior and during my physical decided to test me for hep, knowing that I had toxic hep as a youth, he was curious and took the intiative to test me... bingo, hep c..My hat is off to him.. referred to the hep doc..
I got lucky, I decided where I would treat (from the choices I had) and was assigned a hep doc, he's a no nonsense, progressive, aggressive, on top of his craft doc and I couldn't be happier. My np is an ace, a bit older than I and sharp as a tack, and seems to be able to real me in when I get out there a bit to far (I didn't choose the name proactive by accident (lol))...and the free drugs samples to continue my extension, I mean unreal....Kudo's to all these people...it ain't an easy job...;^)pro
(who is ready for a nap,,,by the by my hgb held at 11.2 from last month, but I still fell that almost 7 pt drop!!!)

[Proactive]

good news, a months worth of  juice is in the fridge and we're loaded up with both copegus and rebetol (always got generic from the pharm (g)) Been doing 120 @ .5 setting on the redipen, but they only had 150's, so I do them @.4 setting....which I think might be a tad higher dose (I (not my doc) toyed with the idea of doing the full .5, but decided not to @ 75 kg...I'm agressive, but I am getting  tired (vbg)..Also was promised, come hell or highwater I'd get my meds...yea!!! Hopefully I will get an emergency shipment from C2C this week or next, so I should be in good shape..
friole (how are you?), I loved CO as well, I'm still in the mountains but nothing like there..
a much happier Pro today....:^)

[frijole]

When will I learn -- press the "post comment" button , not the "back to forum " button.  THat's twice now I lost my post.

That is the pits, pro.  When will these insurance companies come off SOC.  Liver transplants are a heck of a lot more expensive than extended treatment or higher doses of meds.  I had a case manager at BCBS and he was really helpful.  If I tretreat, I will visit with him on options.  No sense in retreating if 72 isn't a guarantee.  Good luck on getting meds.

On a lighter note, I lived in Alma, CO from 1973 - 1976.  I love that town and Colorado.  We didn't get down to big D much - maybe a Dead concert or two .  I wouldn't mind retiring in Salida or Buena Vista (Alma, at 10,360 feet with 20 not consecutive frost free days was a bit much).
take care, frijole

[FullOfHope77]

Your comments on CO are similar in aspects to my first years here in 84 and on (Omaha before that). Orange crush was before my time as we were the Elway era, but we got up to LittleBear  in Evergreen 'see / hear' good music there and i too stopped the associated life style only to find out that I got a gift 'back in the day' that I'm paying for now. Oh well, hoping that I'll get svr this time... and be around to maybe encourage others to consider differently than I... :)

[Proactive]

thanks everyone for your support, this place is the best!!!!
(fullofhope, I see your from CO, I lived in Denver on federal st in my young wild days,right across from the stadium, back in the "orange crush" times, also lived at the Keystone mountain employee complex....wild times(late 70's-early eighties), trips to the Morrison cafe near redrocks for upside down margaritas in the barber's chair, riding up to the Little Bear bar in Evergreen to raise caine and eat nacho's...spending a few days in the hoosegow in Golden for not being a model citizen....ah the memories of youth (lol)) thank goodness I quit drinking 15 years ago!!!!
:^)Pro

[FullOfHope77]

I'm at week 20 and feeling sorry for myself and see you warriors battling at 52 to 72 weeks! Impressive... I went 48 and relapsed and then got the good fortune, with cirrohosis, to get in the Prove 3 study but it's kicking my butt at 20 and find myself playing mental games to try to rationalize a shorter regime sometimes. Thanks for you guys that really fight as it makes me encouraged to do the same... (NYGirl you are tough too and appreciate the spirit of facing the enemy and fighting it). Glad to hear that C2C has you covered and likely alternatives available too.
Onward!

[BThompson4]

Commitment to Care has sent me 26 weeks worth of peg and riba at no cost so I can get to 72 weeks.  Great program!

[ladywhy]

I'm sorry for this unneeded stress. It will all work out...I've been there. My INS. (Aetna) dropped the bomb at 7 wks. of tx. They "decided" to put the pegasys under "Medical" and not the copegasys. That would have to come outta my pocket. ($400.00 a mo.) Got in touch with pegassist, after all the paperwork and denial...Pegassisit has been great.

Wishing you the best!
Y

[wyntre9]

I am so sorry you have to go through this but glad to hear you're making progress and are gonna get the meds.

This makes me furious.  These friggin' insurance companies . . .

Luckily we have forum to give one another suggestions and solutions.   I would have never known about C2C without people here.  

Hang in there, Pro,

wyntre

[nygirl7]

I put the denial through and never heard a word from my insurance company about it.  As long as you have that letter saying you sent it in C2C will never bother you again for anything and cover the extension.  They paid six months worth when it was really not heard of.

Just to reiterate in case anybody else gets worried that an extension isn't possible...they are great and will put it through for you.

Insurance companies...they don't want to spend money on us and look for ANY way out they can find.  I tell you, you learn a LOT being sick it's a shame.

[GrandmaA]

I'm so sorry you are having so much trouble getting more meds. We have to fight this virus, then we have to fight the insurance companies. We only have so much energy. What a terrible plight.

[Proactive]

It's a valid enough reason for me!..........:^)

[zazza]

This is so stressful! I just went through that anguish until my doc finally released my prescription for the last 24 weeks. Now I am filling up my refrigerator and cupboard with all the meds I can get my hands on. Security blanket, you know.

Hey, tell them guys I need you txing ahead of me! Isn't that a valid enough reason?

Za

[Proactive]

"When did you do your last shot?" I do them Thursday am, so that is why I'm a bit (to say the least) stressed (G)...I've been working on the backup plan for a few weeks, even though bcbs covered a month past soc, I kind of expected they would deny sooner or later...But who knows, maybe they will approve on receipt of the appeal, but my hopes aren't high. I was reassured and thankful of the fact that I had access to samples, but you know how it is---until they are in your hands. The time involved in forms flying back and forth is the killer

...A can't do anything about B until C sends a form, and then D will review it, if denied it goes back to A and you start all over!!!!!

Ha,ha, ha!!! they ain't gona to take my sense of humor!!!!!......:^)

[nygirl7]

Thank you so much!   :)

I was just shocked at how really nice C2C people were - they couldn't make it easier for a person to continue!  If everything about treatment that easily we'd all have it MADE!

Now you keep up the good run of luck and get that SVR too!!!!!!!

[Proactive]

Thanks everyone...Think I have the situation under control W/samples at the docs office, 30 day emergency supply coming from commitment to care (Nygirl-they are nice to deal with), and it appears I will qualify for further meds from C to C...Just a stressful process, especailly with a foggy brain (g)......
And to Ladybug and Nygirl, congrats on your fantastic pcr/svr news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been waiting for the right time to congratulate both of you....Now take back your lives and make up for lost time!!!!!!!
;^) Pro

[ladybug52]

I believe that when Pro said "spoke to C to C" he meant Commitment to Care....

[nygirl7]

PS Just read the end sentence as long as you have the doc send them a letter over at the insurance company and CC you you give it to them and they will continue to pay your meds.  NO problem. That is what they did for me. It was VERY easy  - came right to my house in advance all you do is call their pharmacy and they send them right away for you at NO cost not even a copay!!!!!!!!!!!11

[nygirl7]

Mine denied me after 48 weeks.  Committment to Care paid for ALL of my peg and riba for the next six months so I was FINE and able to do 72 weeks no problem.

They will send you a months worth of the meds RIGHT AWAY while you get the denial form in to them from the insurance company. They were AWESOME.

Just google them up.  If you are on pegasys then use Pegassist - they will do it for you too!

The insurance company kept paying my doc visits AND for the ambien and epogen and everything just wouldn't cover any more hep meds (although they WOULD pay for a transplant if I need it), nice huh?

Please call them up right away - they'll take care of you, really!!!!!!!!!!

[ladybug52]

Sorry, BSBC appears to have a monopoly of sorts in the helath ins field. How soon can Commitiment to Care get you a one month supply? When did you do your last shot? Try not to stress, you just have to continue to be proactive in your healthcare and it'll all work out I'm sure.
Take care,
Bug

[mremeet]

Call the drug companies too. You know about the free drug/committment to care etc programs right?