[NurseNancy]

this is very distressing.
so i moved from CO to FL 3/21/10. my mail was to be forwarded by the USPS for 1 yr. (try suing them!)

with all that work with the move and the surgery in Oct i didn't think about my financial aid with the Chronic Disease Fund til the 3rd wk in Dec. i called them and obviously didn't get the renewal for the aid they sent in the mail. they sent the forms. i sent it all back. the very end of the yr.

the upshot...i called today to get the status on the application...they approved it but ran out of funds. panic is setting in. i've been on Copaxone since '03. i havn't had a flare altho i've lost function. i'm stable as things go and would like to keep it that way.

i got 2 leads i need to try tomorrow. closed for the holidays.
i thought i could also try the MS society.
does anyone have any other suggestions?

my neuro said he'd try me on the approved oral med but i don't like to try things that are new til they've been on the market for a while. i guess i could DC the C and see what happens. that's scary to me.

thanks guys

[SallyC]

No ideas, just hopes and hugs.

[Dejibo]

NMSS.org
sharedsolutions.com


I hate that this is happening to you. perhaps your neuro knows of a patient that has gone off of it, and has extra, or his nurses may know of other support programs. Starting at the neuro nurse is always a great start.

hang in there.

[wkikta]

One resource that may be of help is The Partnership for Prescription Assistance https://www.pparx.org/en/gethelp

The NMSS doesn't have medication assistance programs, but they may have some ideas. Best of luck with your efforts.

[Jodylee]

I'm so sorry, Judy. I don't blame you for not wanting to try the new med for a while, I feel the same way.

I don't have any better ideas than the ones already suggested.

[NurseNancy]

i made some calls today.

the NMSS suggested i find out what my co-pay would be.
i called my medicare Rx plan. they said about $1300/mo. now the cost of C is a whopping $3104/mo.

then i called shared solutions back.
a woman told me to hang on another wk or so. it sounded like the CDF would be getting $$$ and i would get a call.

i'll just turn over my anxiety to God and wait and see.
thanks for your suggestions.

Judy

[EddieF]

Are you kidding me!!??? Copaxone is 3000!!??? I'm sorry but what the F---!!!
2009 it was $1800
2010 it was $2400
2011 ------$3000?????????????

Jesus Christ this ---- country is DONE! Isreal (Teva) shame on you I hope you all get MS.

[Dejibo]

My last box of Copaxone back in June of 2010 was $3,400.00 When I started back in 2007 it was $1,800.00 and each month saw a $100 increase and then a couple larger bumps. Most folks dont pay attention to the explaination of benefits that come in, but even if you do, there isnt much you can do about it. You MUST take the meds if you choose them, so ...you are stuck!

Shame on you Teva! You need to provide MORE financial aide for this med. You take folks who are on SSDI and then give them the most expensive drug on the shelf. Shame on you.

[Riverwild]

*** Please be advised, effective December 24, 2010 the WAC price for Tysabri (natalizumab) (IV) 300MG/15ML has been increased to $3291.35 per vial.***

That's monthly and does not include administration, infusion setup, supplies, etc. That's just the drug at wholesale price. Add in the costs added on by the pharmacy that gets it from the supplier and it more than doubles for me. I don't even want to tell you what my insurance pays when all is said and done.
Toss in the lab work every three months, the neuro appointment every three months, the MRI yearly or more and what you get is an absolute fear of insurance coverage limits and how soon you will reach your limit once the politicians get through gutting what was supposed to help people like us.

I pray that you find some way to get your Copaxone, Judy. When I got off Copaxone and went on Tysabri I had a 4 month supply in my fridge. I asked my neuro if he could donate it to someone who needed it and he said no, so I made sure it went to someone who needed it myself. I'd send you some if I had it and I don't care what the law says about sharing meds!

[NurseNancy]

thanks riverwild, i appreciate that.

i think things will work out.
seems it's a lot better to keep folks stable than to chance paying for a flare of the disease.

i could pay for it for a couple of months. then i'd be in catastrophic coverage and it would "only" be $157/mo.