Enbrel and new Medicare insurances
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Enbrel and new Medicare insurances
| Sun, 01-08-2006 - 9:03pm |
I would like to ask the people what they are doing that are on Medicare and have to go with the new medicare insurance and who are taking Enbrel?
What help are you getting to pay for the Enbrel? My husband makes a decent salary and, therefore, we are too high for most of the help which is for low incomes but with a $l,500/month drug I need financial help! I was getting it through the Enliven Foundation but since I now have presp. insurance, if you can call it that, they cannot help me with the Enbrel.
If anyone else is having this same problem and you have found some foundation to help you pay for the Enbrel, please let me know. Also, I am so worried about the $3,600 'hole' that you have to pay out in cash for your drugs. Please let me know what you are doing and thinking? Being on the Enbrel, you get to this 'hole' in a month and half.
I take the 50mg. shot once a week now but am thinking about trying the 25mg. because it is half the cost. I tried to stretch the 50mg. shot out to 2 weeks but could only go for l-l/2 weeks. Any comments on the 25mg. shots?
I know I have a lot of questions. Thanks for any help or any feedback. Judy
What help are you getting to pay for the Enbrel? My husband makes a decent salary and, therefore, we are too high for most of the help which is for low incomes but with a $l,500/month drug I need financial help! I was getting it through the Enliven Foundation but since I now have presp. insurance, if you can call it that, they cannot help me with the Enbrel.
If anyone else is having this same problem and you have found some foundation to help you pay for the Enbrel, please let me know. Also, I am so worried about the $3,600 'hole' that you have to pay out in cash for your drugs. Please let me know what you are doing and thinking? Being on the Enbrel, you get to this 'hole' in a month and half.
I take the 50mg. shot once a week now but am thinking about trying the 25mg. because it is half the cost. I tried to stretch the 50mg. shot out to 2 weeks but could only go for l-l/2 weeks. Any comments on the 25mg. shots?
I know I have a lot of questions. Thanks for any help or any feedback. Judy

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Judy,
I also take Enbrel, but declined Medicare coverage (which I became eligible for this month)because currently my husbands insurance covers it 100%. I think that "donut hole" clause is absolutely ridiculous! And it's so true that you'd get there in no time using Enbrel, since it's so expensive. Is there anyway you could get better coverage through your husband's policy? Good luck! I hope you'll be able to find a solution.
Barb
Judy, welcome to the RA board.
Molly
Thanks again for your help and I will let you know what I find out after checking into everything. Judy
Judy,
Actually I had my existing insurance before I was eligible for Medicare. They sent me all the paperwork but I declined, although I'll still get hospitalization regardless - I think they call it Plan A. I can always sign up during their open enrollment period if need be. It was always my understanding that if you got on a group plan, they can't deny you coverage for a pre-existing condition, at least that's how it is in California. If I were to try to get a policy on my own I know I'd be immediately denied, but since I went through my husband's company, it was no problem.
Barb
Molly
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