Can anyone give me a list of IVIG Brands? We are trying to find our insurance for the transition to Medicare which is coming up this year and I need to know what names IVIG goes by nowdays. I found an old list but I need a current one.

Thanks for any help.

Billye

First off I heartily recommend that you check out the magazine [yep a mag] called IG Living. It's free, secure and the staff are very, no super helpful. [At least to me and to several others I know about] Sign up for the free 'e-zines' which is the magazine on-line, so there's no extra paper to clutter our lives. Lots of info, and also perspectives from all kinds of folks who rely on IVIG to just LIVE let alone get by. No junk mail either!
http://www.igliving.com/
Another source about brands and costs - to the trades is the following:
http://www.fffenterprises.com/Email/...html?WT.mc_id=
It keeps you up to date on the costs sort of? When I first started IVIG 4 years ago it was $40+ a gram and now, much more. It does list the brands available tho. And it mite pay for you to web up the 'prescribing information' on each brand....mainly for possible solvents and/or dilution solutions that you mite not get along with. Reading the stuff tho can be mind-numbing, but it's key to be fully informed about the treatment, process and any side effects.
This is enough for now I think? Don't hesitate to ask questions. I believe that Your medical condition should be fully covered by Medicare, but the hoops your DOCTOR will have to go thru can vary state by state and by your insurance[s]. Let the doc and his staff do that work. Brand issues are often based on doc's preferences and/or availability. Side effects to some cheaper brands can/do occur[but they can with the 'brand' names too], this is not a time or place to try and go 'generic'!
At this point, for you, and all the pain you've endured....why not give it a try? You'll either get along and well with it, or you won't! 's in heaps! - j

Hi - on the IVIG brands - finding the right plan to go with is critical (assuming Plan D?) - as some brands are covered under certain plans, and others not..... as Dahlek said - your doc prescribes the type specifically for you - so you want to be sure that it is covered... also, and very important when getting IVIG under Medicare, there are only certain home care companies that will supply infusions to Medicare patients as Medicare does not reimburse for the nursing, only the medication -opening all kinds of issues of just how altruistic your company is going to be as they absorb the cost of the nursing....... (if you receive as an inpatient in the hospital then covered under part B of Medicare - but that does include most of us with PN)

You also need to talk to the home care company to be sure they have a contract for next year with your drug plan - on the medication with their home pharmacy.

IG living is a good source - but you must then talk to each plan individually also to be sure your brand is covered..... another glitch - the catastrophic range for Medicare still means you the insured will have to pay a percentage of every infusion if you have drug plan D (if you have a Medicare HMO then all changes and I'd talk directly to them)... the catastrpophic percentage varies from 15 to 30% of the drug for infusion and does not cap out during the year.... there is usually financial aid avaialble from infusion companies - but they usually require you to sign up with them, pay thru the coverage gap which you'll reach in about a month - then apply for the aid.....

I also ran into my Drug Plan cancelling their contract with my home care company mid-year and was stuck - this is something that was unforseable to me - but again - IG Living may be able to help you with...

http://www.medprorx.com/ref_ivig_manuf.php

phone #s of companies in a PDF format:
http://www.pptaglobal.org/patient/ivig.aspx

I have signed up for the paper and computer version. That way I can share it with people who need it. They have not elected yet to put me on IVIG. But being on a fixed income we are looking at all the options and future options. Of course the insurance game changes from year to year. I appreciate your work to give me the brand names.

Billye

I hope they give you at least a trial of IVIG. I know we have similar issues, and it has helped me. I am on Gammagard. I got pretty sick on the loading dose this time, which didn't happen when I had it in 2004. I think they infused it too fast and it was cold.

My gosh, I never anticipated all the hassles you go thru on Medicare to get IVIG.