These meds are expensive!

sandilee

Xgeva and Faslodex at $1300.00 a month ($650 ea.)  is quite a hit. The charge, before the insurance pays it's part, is $1900.00 for each med.  Wow.  That's a lot for a little shot.

  My husbands company is changing insurance companies at the end of the year- I think I'll be on Athem at that point, and maybe it will be better.  I'm busy trying to come up with ways to make up the difference, as I so hate to eat up our savings with this dang disease.  All I can say, is at these prices, I sure hope it's working.  Anybody else suffering sticker shock?

  

susan_02143

No. Health Insurance in Massachusetts is all good, and mostly not-for-profit. I have no co-pay on treatment. I understand that California is amongst the worst states for out of pocket expenses. You can try contacting the drug company, but if you have any insurance generally you don't qualify for assistance.

Sorry this is so hard financially. We shouldn't have to worry about that in addition to everything else.

*susan* 

chele

Oh ya. You should see my bill for Halaven. $2400. Even the Aloxi for nausea isn't cheap. Plus I get Neulasta, and then once a month I get Xgeva. Lucky me, I've met my deductible and coinsurance limit so my treatment is "free". bleh.

sandilee

"No. Health Insurance in Massachusetts is all good, and mostly not-for-profit."

 Good for you.  My daughter lived in MA for awhile, so I know how helpful it can be. Your past Governor and current Pres. candidate should be bragging about his state insurance accomplishment, not running from it.  We sure could use a little of that here. 

chele-- lol, yeah, at some point mine will be "free", too, but I'll be a lot poorer!

jenn3

Contact the social worker at the hospital/clinic and ask them what programs they have to help patients with medical expenses.  A lot of times the hospital/clinics will have in-house one time only payments they give you to help with various medical or household expenses and they also have information on different programs for cancer patients ranging from non-profit organizations to the drug companies.  Good luck and I'm so sorry you have to worry about paying for much needed medicine - it just doesn't seem right.

(((hugs))) Jenn 

sandilee

  Thanks, Jen.  Don't misunderstand, though. We do have the money right now to pay, so  I doubt very much that we'd be able to get assistance.  But... even so, it really cuts into our savings and our budgeting for my H's retirement. I think I'm feeling guilty because I don't want to leave him with nothing, having used up everything fighting this stupid cancer. And I don't want him to have to work until he drops to make up for it.

  But I'm luckier than many, in that we technically can afford it.  It just hurts more than I'd like it to.