Provigil Questions

[SarahL2491]

Anyone on medicare have any experience or enlightenment on provigil financial help?
I've been quoted 33% copay (tier 4) by my drug insurance company which is over $300 for me
The online sources I've contacted no longer cover provigil since the generic came out
and the generic is about the same price...

Looking for financial assistance sources if anyone knows of any
thanks!

[sued1974]

Sorry to hear that..  :(  That really stinks b/c I do not know if I have MS or something else (Lyme, etc...) but I have hypersomnia/narcolepsy but wasn't diagnosed until a few months back.  Normally one is diagnosed young, but my doc was willing to write me a prescription for nuvigil since I qualified under the MSLT part of the sleep test.  It's too bad that these meds that can improve people's lives are not offered. I hope change is made soon...  In any case, if it makes you feel better, I can fall asleep within an hour of taking nuvigil.  Perhaps they can prescribe something else like adderall?  Did Medicare recommend another med?  

I hope you get some relief soon.  :)

[SarahL2491]

I do have part D and that's where the 33% co-pay comes in.  I can't even get to the donut hole with those co-pays!  My co-pay would eat me alive.

sleep study done, nothing needed there, I do sleep good anyway.  

Nuvigil is almost as bad price wise and most of the discount cards, in very tiny fine print, say medicare patients excluded.  My urologist keeps handing me cards for discounts on his expensive medication and I patiently turn them over and hand him my magnifying glass (grin).  He knows I can't fill them, I usually hand them back to the nurse and shrug my shoulders.

Thanks for trying to help guys!

[sued1974]

Is it possible to have a script written for nuvigil?  They are trying to get more people to take it and I pay 5.00 with insurance right now.  It is one of those cards that has limitiations but ensures you have some discount.  I hope that you are able to figure this out soon.

[twopack]

I don't know too much about this (yet) Sarah but...

You have Part D coverage?

Is it the donut hole amount that makes the cost unaffordable?  That is supposed to decrease each year until the provision disappears completely... correct?

If using the generic is a barrier how about using Nuvigil?  That one is still brand name only.

Otherwise, I'm out of pharmaceutical ideas for the moment.

There's still the sleep study (!) and some supplements that could potentially help.  I’d go for the sleep study even if you don’t think you could tolerate CPAP.  It could rule out a sleep disorder as the cause of LOTS of problems.  You could even surprise yourself and decide it is worth wearing the thing for the benefit of being awake for the rest of your life :)  Good luck.

[SarahL2491]

thanks guys but these sites do not recognize medicare patients, I filled out all of their apps and got turned down because of medicare.

back to my drawing board!

[twopack]

Shell investigated this and posted additional info in a separate topic.  It might have been your request Sarah.  I bumped it up but here's the link for you and future seekers.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Topic-Wants-Patient-Assistance-Sites-for-Medicine/show/1739860

[torikat32]

Hi Sarah here is a link that I hope will help you out or at least put you in the right direction

http://www.pparx.org/