Oh my good Lord, I received my EOB on my first infusion today, and my balance due after insurance has paid is $904.00. I nearly had a heart attack. That's for only 1 infusion. After I calmed down I remembered that Remicade had some type of reimbursement program and went to their website and am making application. Now wondering why Dr. office did not set me up with that, or at least give me fair warning about the cost of these infusions. Thank goodness I read so much and am such a computer geek.
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- Thread starter JudithC
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Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:
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Yes, the infusions are pretty costly. I think the program is Remistart possibly? I haven't used it, but I did with Humira back when I was on it. I think the two programs are very similar. I ended up paying $5 a month, it was really easy to sign up. My GI's office had given me a brochure.
Good luck getting the coverage, it definitely helps!
Good luck getting the coverage, it definitely helps!
Jessi
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Judith, you're right. Your GI should have let you know about the RemiStart program. The doctors are very aware of the cost of this drug. And I'm sure they're also aware that people just don't have that kind of money.
I'm glad you found the program online. :hug:
I'm glad you found the program online. :hug:
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INdeed, strange that the office said nothing.
My doctor put me in touch with a sales rep for Remi and they did all the paperowrk for me and check with my insurance company to see if I needed help with the payments.
All I had to do is sign a letter and I was done.
My doctor put me in touch with a sales rep for Remi and they did all the paperowrk for me and check with my insurance company to see if I needed help with the payments.
All I had to do is sign a letter and I was done.
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It is infuriating that no one wants to tell you how much something costs. I have asked Humana flat out "how much will my co-payment be?" and not gotten a straight answer.
I don't know what they are thinking. It's absurd. I've been on a little bit of a campaign - my guess is that the front line people have orders not to get into discussions about cost.
I know I have a couple of thousand dollars worth of medicine sitting on my counter that I cannot take. If I had known a few little tiny details, I would have purchased a smaller amount.
I don't know what they are thinking. It's absurd. I've been on a little bit of a campaign - my guess is that the front line people have orders not to get into discussions about cost.
I know I have a couple of thousand dollars worth of medicine sitting on my counter that I cannot take. If I had known a few little tiny details, I would have purchased a smaller amount.
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Judith's will be free once she gets the Remistart program. The drug manufacturers actually pretty much give their drugs to people who really need them and can't afford them - unless we have government insurance - then we aren't allowed to accept the help from the manufacturers.
Hi Everyone. I have a question...... last year each of my remicade infusions cost $4,400 (before insurance) and this year it has GONE UP $400. Has anyone else's gone up this much or is this my Dr's Office charging the extra $400? How can a drug cost THIS MUCH? It just seems unreal. Anyone have any answers?
Really? Mine cost $6,500 and that does not include the medical equipment, and medical care...the total is $6,804.14.
How can it be a $2,000 difference between Missouri and Maine. It would be cheaper if I flew to Missouri, rcd the infusion and flew home.
How can it be a $2,000 difference between Missouri and Maine. It would be cheaper if I flew to Missouri, rcd the infusion and flew home.
Mine is $1300 billed to my insurance (I pay $12). The difference must have to do with the facility used for infusion and the amount the doctor's office/hospital bills the insurance.
Was it the Remicade that went up $400 or the total bill? I can see why the cost would go up yearly since the cost of everything (supplies, heating bills, building costs, etc) goes up every year. So it doesn't seem odd to me that the cost of an infusion would go up with inflation.
Was it the Remicade that went up $400 or the total bill? I can see why the cost would go up yearly since the cost of everything (supplies, heating bills, building costs, etc) goes up every year. So it doesn't seem odd to me that the cost of an infusion would go up with inflation.
Holy cow Judith! I think I will stop bitching now. That's just insane that it cost 2,000 more.
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Contact their patient assistance if you can't afford to pay the copayment. http://www.jjpaf.org/
I applied today for this.............thank you so much
I also applied for another one called Patient Advocate Foundation: Co-Pay Relief and was approved. They will pay $2500 a year. Every little bit helps.
http://www.copays.org/
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Fantastic! They are very helpful!
Feel soooooo lucky after reading this. All my medications are paid for by the government, I have a $3 prescription charge at the pharmacy but that's it. I can't imagine going through all of this AND having to worry about finances too! Could they make it any harder for the patient?
Lily
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It's great you're doing research and reading up..you HAVE to be your OWN advocate! seriously! never forget that! and you shouldn't have a problem getting assistance with Remicade, they're great about that. I'm just so sorry your doctor wasn't proactive about that first!
One of the reasons your Remicade cost went up may have to do with the dose. It's given by weight, and if you've gained weight, perhaps you're getting more of it, which would explain the rise in cost. My son's been on Remicade for nearly five years and it gets more expensive every year as he grows! Fortunately, our insurance covers everything but a hefty annual deductible.
Actually I lost 8 pounds since my last infusion, so I guess it wasn't that !
I applied today for this.............thank you so much
I also applied for another one called Patient Advocate Foundation: Co-Pay Relief and was approved. They will pay $2500 a year. Every little bit helps.
http://www.copays.org/
If any one tried the Co-pay relief fund I mentioned above, I've got some bad news about that one...........I applied and was approved to receive $2500 a year, so I went ahead and scheduled my next infusion, the next day after infusion I got a letter from Co-Pay Relief and they have stopped paying out any money for auto-immune diseases because they ran out of money in that funding
Oh my how shall I pay for this one> yikes !!!!
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Call your insurer. I was pleasantly surprise to discover that Humana has somehow managed to lower my co-pay to less than $100 for my Humira. I don't know how they're doing it, but it makes me think that insurers may be stepping in to help people who can't afford the co-payments.
If that doesn't help, call Abbott.
If that doesn't help, call Abbott.
