Enbrel and new Medicare insurances

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2006
Enbrel and new Medicare insurances
13
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

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2006
Thu, 01-12-2006 - 5:45pm
Thank you so very much Molly for your message. I am sorry you are in the same 'boat' and believe there are a lot out there that are having problems with these presp. plans. I really feel for the elderly who have no clue what to do and are on a lot of meds. This plan will be good for someone who only has abut $2,200 of drugs a year, but how many are like that?
Good idea to write our congressman. I will also do that and if anybody else that reads these messages write their congressman, it just may help. You gotta try. I still have not found anything--still trying--I am probably on the phone 6 hrs. 2-3 days a week. You have to call one place several times to even get a answer and you wait forever a lot of times. It will cost a person around $4,500 or more a year for their meds and if you got a loan for that amount and had to pay it off you probably could not in a year and then the next year it starts again. It just doesn't end!
Also, I will be having my 3rd hip replacement on the same right hip on Jan. 30--another financial concern. I seem to wear hips out for some reason. ha. They don't know why this one has moved because it is only 6 yrs. old and should have lasted another 10 or more years. Again, thanks for your concern and messages. It is good to hear from you and anyone else. Judy
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2003
Fri, 01-13-2006 - 2:14pm
(((((((((((((((((((( Judy ))))))))))))))))))), good luck on your hip replacement.

Molly

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2006
Fri, 01-13-2006 - 11:06pm
I did call the Indianapolis Arthritis Foundatiion and the lady there knows somewho who works in the manufacture of Enbrel and she is going to talk to them, but really don't think that will do anything because I have a letter from the foundation that says they are taking me off of their program because I can get presp. insurance with the new medicare insurances but at least she is trying to help which I appreciate.
Thank you thank you very much for your help and support. Have a very good weekend also. Judy

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