Hi,

It's been a while since I last posted. I'm doing very well. Cognitively and physically improving. Energy level is pretty good.

I had a shock the other day. I received the first of the cost breakdowns that my insurance company gets from the hospital. For each treatment of Tysabri, the hospital is charging $13,000. yes, that's thirteen with three big o's on the end. That's almost $160,000 dollars a year yor me to get the treatment.

Thought you might need to know this. Im still gasping and coughing. Yes my insurance company is paying for it, but if I ever lose my insurance I'm going to be in huge trouble--even more so because of the potential for disease rebound on this drug. With MS you never know when you might not be able to work anymore--leading to loss of insurance--eading to loss of treatment--leading to loss of all gains and a three to five times rebound in the disease.

this cost factor is big. Check with your infusion provider before starting the drug. There is only one in my county.

Katty

Katty

I personally think your hospital/infusion center is way overcharging for your Tysabri infusions! It does NOT cost that much. If I were in your shoes, and I have been, I would ask your insurance company to do an audit. The cost is about half that...

I am glad you are feeling better.

(I do have a lot of background regarding this issue!).

Katty,

I wasn't getting any benefit explanations from my insurance company so I went to accounting at my hospital and asked about the charges.

Fortunately for me, my hospital infusion center ( also the only game in my county) is eating what my ins. co. doesn't cover. I was appalled to hear that the charges were over 5 K per month. The accountant broke it down for me and the cost of the drug was around 2500.00 and the rest was for the infusion center.

Glad to hear things are going well with you!! Please keep us posted!

Hey RW --- Don't you think that $5k is more the norm than $13k? I know that through the research that I have done for the presentation that I have given, that $2500 is pretty much the cost across the board for the drug, but the additional $11k for the infusion???? Is she buying a wing for the hospital??? My goodness!!!!

I think it is WAY high. I believe she must be paying a nurse her yearly salary for doing infusions! Course if it was me, I would be gathering information and links and inundating the ins co with emails!

I do recall our lil Mary telling us that she had a rather high bill for her infusion that her insurance was paying too. But hers was for the big city Boston hospital.

Where are you located Katty?

These are ridiculous prices! My neuro's office charges about $500 for the infusion, my meds are from my specialty pharmacy. He said that after all the administrative costs of the infusions, it's really not even profitable for them to do it.

Hi,

I called the insurance company and requested an audit. They were not interested. I called the hospital and was told that I was lucky there was anywhere to go for this. I was also told they charge $20 for an aspirin.

I live in Santa Cruz, California. The costs are high here, but I know from the Elan website that the drug cost is less than $2500. The hospital charges $12,000 for that. They tell me this is because they have to cover the costs of other stuff they do at the hospital. I think that stinks.

I know someone who had a baby recently. It was a normal delivery. The hospital charged them $30,000. For now I'm going to calm down and be happy the insurance is willing to pay this outrageous bill.

Maybe I can convince the Neurologist to start doing the infusions at his office.

Katty