Affording Remicade in Europe? please help!

[junebug]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone has had experience like this and could really use any advice you could offer!

I'm having a bit of a dilemma in that I will be moving to Hungary in a month. I am hitting every brick-wall-face-first-at-100mph trying to find a way to afford Remicade or Humira in Europe. (preferably Remicade, as I'm not quite willing to rule it out permanently since the Humira does not work as well. I'll put up with the annoying reactions for a more effective drug)

My insurance company won't pay for anything abroad. I've looked in to international medical insurance, but none of them will cover prescriptions for a pre-existing condition. The insurance the school provides does not cover prescriptions. The drug manufacturers are of absolutely no help as they know nothing about obtaining the drug internationally or contact information for an international office. The pharmacy will not release the Remicade to me to personally carry over to have infused at the medical center I will be affiliated with. The pharmacy also cannot ship Remicade from the US to Hungary as it is a drug available there and no courier or shipping service is able to guarantee delivery in less than 3 days (because of customs) which is just long enough for the medication to go bad and become useless, even on dry ice. I can't pay in to the national health care system because I am not a Hungarian citizen. I am unable to receive treatment through the national system without paying for all services in cash, up front. Well, needless to say, as a student, I can't afford the $5k a month for Remicade and am really really really hoping someone can help!! ANY thoughts, suggestions would be appreciated SOOO much!!

all the best,

 

[scoutfinch]

That IS a huge dilemma. How long are you going to be in Hungary? Is it just a study abroad semester or is it long term? Can you afford to fly back and forth between Hungary and the US for Remicade injections?

 

[junebug]

I'll be there for 10 months returning once in December. Unfortunately, with the infusions every month I cannot afford to fly back and forth. Thanks for the thought though! I do appreciate it! Has anyone else had any experience with this?

 

[Scifimom]

I dont live in Hungary but I live in Greece. Here if you need a remicade infusion the admit to at the hospital for a day. You can complete a form saying that you dont have any income and the welfare pays for the infusion.

You can ask the hungarian social services for this option.

Also Remicade in Europe is supplied by the same company as in USA, Schering Plough. I dont have their number in Hungary, but I have the one in Greece

+302109897300 you can call and ask about your problem they will give you advise, phone numbers etc. (They speak English, almost everyone in Greece speaks)

In Greece when you travel abroad you go toyour local insurance office and make a statement that you will be traveling abroad and they cover your expences for emergency or continuing health care. Our insurance is public, but I think you have some form of public insurance also (Medicaid?). Did you ask them?

HTH

 

[Scifimom]

Ps I think Hungary has public health care, if it does you dont have to go to a medical center for Remicade, Public hospitals do infusions and if you dont have an income or if it is an emergency then it may be free

 

[sharid]

I am a Canadian planning to spend 8 months in Europe in 2013 and am working on the same issue. I have worked with an agency called Bio Advance and I understand they are based in the USA. They are able to assist me in providing me with all the Remicade I will require for the duration of my travel. They will bill it to my province at 6 week intervals as required and it will essentially appear that I am receiving it in my home, therefore the costs of the drug are covered. If you let me know your town & state I can check with my contact for a local Bio Advance ph number for you.

The trouble I am having, however, is finding a country in Europe that will adminster the drug if I bring it in. So far it has bee no in England, Italy and France. It has taken 7 months to learn this much, so it has been very frustrating. I will tell you that one of the French hospitals stated the total cost for me to receive 400 mg of Remicade at their facility was only 800 euro. While this is of course still very expensive, it is 1/3 the cost in Canada - and of course in Canada I don't have to add in the hospital fees.

In speaking with my hospital pharmacy, should a foreigner to Canada wish to bring a drug in to be administered, the approval process takes place at the federal level through Health Canada.

While Bio Advance continues to work on my behalf searching countries who will let me bring in the drug, I have also sent emails to all the Canadian embassies in Europe I could locate to see if anything shakes out that way. One of these countries was Hungary. It is rather a shot in the dark. I also have a pharmacist friend with researcher contacts in Europe who is thinking out possible solutions.

In some reading I did recently, while Schering Plough originally was the only producer of Remicade, there are now 4 companies that produce it and one is in Europe. My understanding is that all European countries get it in Europe, not from USA anymore. The other 2 producers were in Japan and China.

As a side comment, my Remicade will be packed with a temp sensor that the receiving pharmacy is able to analyze to demonstrate the cold chain was accurately maintained through the journey.

 

[Meg89]

Did anyone figure this out? I would like to study in Germany for 10 months, but my health insurance doesn't cover me abroad to any great extent.

 

[sharid]

I am en route home from 8 months in Italy and was able to work out my treatment there, but only because of a doctor's good will. It worked well for Bio Advance to provide me with all 5 treatments and I took these without much difficulty to the Milan hospital where I received treatments. Italy was one of the countries that said I could not 'officially' bring the drug in with me, however I was able to make contact with a rheumatologist in charge of his hospital dept and he agreed to administer the drug for no fees every 6 weeks. All went smoothly and his department stored all my remicade treatments for me in their fridge. It was a casual arrangement - much less formal than our process in Canada. Once the doctor was away at a conference and told me to go ahead and it would not be a problem for me to receive the treatment, but when I arrived at the hospital, it was a problem. Essentially no other doctor was willing to take responsibility for any problems that might occur. I stayed a few extra days in Milan and had the treatment when my doctor returned. I only had blood work completed once, however, and this was a bit of a trick for my doctor to arrange, and again there was no fee. Essentially my treatments were off the hospital's radar.

During my search I had contacted about 20 Canadian embassies in various countries in Europe and had very good responses from them. There were a few countries that stated they would be willing to accept the drug. I believe I have saved the list on an email that I should be able to access in a week or two. Let me know if you are interested and I can post it.

The doctor I saw in Milan has helped 2 of us in this way, but stated he would not be available to continue to assist others. Otherwise I would pass along his name to you.

 

[Borms]

Has anyone worked this out without bringing your own drugs? Our Daughter has just landed in UK to try and stay 8 months, but none of the hospitals would administer it if you brought your own (legal reasons, I guess) and Medicare in Australia would not pay for it unless we had a letter from a hospital in the Uk that would write a letter confirming they would administer it, sort of like a catch 22 situation. The hospital in Uk quoted GBP 3,300 to prescribe and administer, which is about 3 times the cost of a return airfare London-Sydney, where she currently receives 8 weekly infusions for the cost of a government subsidized prescription ($AUD36.50). I don't want to ahve to make her endure a 20+ hour flight each way. Has anyone found a hospital or ER in Europe that will provide and administer it as an emergency to stop a patient's condition deteriorating further?

 

[kjkenny45]

Maybe try an affordable approach.........consider using LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone)......

I have used it for 6 months and am starting to see awesome results such as the following: no more pain, able to eat more food without vomiting, absorbing nutrients, sleeping better, having normal bowel movements, more energy and less cancelling invitations from friends who want to go out and do normal things that non-sick folks do.

My only regret was not starting it sooner as my 2 doctors refused to write the prescription when I came across LDN back in 2011. I went the alternative approach and it has helped greatly.

Cost is very low as I spend $112USD for a 90 day supply so it is less than a cup of coffee a day.

Just my suggestion since it worked for me and I have finally started gaining weight after 5 months of use.......before the use of LDN back in Sept 2013 my colonoscopy results were the worst ever and I was being pitched the Humira as a solution........I prefer not using a needle or a medicine with more side-effects than benefits.....plus it is very expensive!

Good luck!

 

[Borms]

Thanks for the suggestion. We had suggested changing drugs before she left Australia, but the hospital said that she has to deal with crohns for life and eventually the body may become used to one particular drug, so they wanted to keep alternatives up our sleeve for later in life. The only other alternative in Aust is Humira, LDN isn't available..our PBS is even stricter than US FDA. She might try in UK, the challenge will be to see a symptomatic doctor

 

[kjkenny45]

that's quite lame. sorry to hear that. The LDN movement started in Europe and I am sure there is a way to get what you need with a little pushing......or a lot of pushing forward to give it a go. If I was a doctor this would be my first approach to crohns..but I am not.

Here is a website that may be able to direct you.

http://www.ldnresearchtrust.org/

best wishes!

 

[sharid]

Until your daughter is in drug failure, I would be reluctant to advise her to change. As we all know, what works for one person does not often work for another. It would be so much simpler if I took any other drug than Remicade, but my compliance is one of the main reasons I am able to ski moguls, play tennis and travelled Europe for 6 months (with all the weird and wonderful foods and water to challenge my gut). I met a woman who stopped her meds and when her illness came back, nothing would interrupt it's course. I won't forget her bitterness and the lesson taught, even during those dark days when I could not find an answer to my own health issues. Eventually it came. Anyway...

I gather your preference is to send the drug from your country, as the costs will then be covered (as was the situation in my case as well). As mentioned in an earlier post, I did have good luck when I sent out requests to all the Canadian embassies in various countries through-out Europe, trying to learn where I could receive Remicade treatments. Unfortunately, I did not save the emails and cannot tell you which countries would allow me to bring the drug - there were a few, however, at much closer distance to England than Australia, so I would recommend you try to contact Australian embassies in the European countries. Some of the doctors I heard back about offered the treatments privately and I did not explore the costs, so it will take some work on your part. I was very pleased with the quick response I had from the Canadian embassies though and hopefully you will have the same with your counterparts.

There was a doctor in Greece who I believe is an English ex-pat, who was willing to assist. Unfortunately, I do not have his name or contact info anymore, but it is a ray of hope...

I heard of a girl who is studying this year in Seville, Spain (a country that said no to bringing Remicade in). She was attending school and she managed to work it out through the school's medical center. The drug was provided in Spain, but the costs to her were manageable. Might be an option for your daughter to explore in England, if she's attending university.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Borms]

Thanks for your input. We couldn't get the drug dispensed here before she left without a guarantee that someone would give it to her, so she has gone without it. She will make enquiries over in London and will go to emergency if she has to at the end of her 2 month period, but I'm getting ready for her to have to come home without infusion. We even have friends in London who have a son with Crohns and they can't a clear answer from their own clinic.

 

[kmarie]

I just got off the phone with HTH Worldwide to see if remicade is covered so my daughter can go to Italy for a semester. It is and the maximum benefit is $250,000 - so no concerns with a low limit. Their phone # is 610/254-8769 or toll free 1.888.243.2358 This system won't allow me to post the link but google HTH Students International for the website... Good Luck!!!