Sculptra List- let the gouging begin

[Guest guest]

I was glad to see Dermik finally post a link of Sculptra-using

doctors at last. Unfortunately, what I've found when I called local

Docs with questions was less encouraging.

I called two Seattle docs on the list. Neither would try to work

with insurance to attempt to get it covered. One Doc was on my

PPO's list of " In-Network " doctors, the other took no insurance for

anything-- i.e. all " out-of-network " ... so HE was out.

The second doc is in my PPO network. Nonetheless, she wouldn't try

to work it " in network " -- so it was ca$h only. She is charging $900

per VIAL. (not per kit, per vial). That means 2 vials administered

at once is $1800. THus, a mild case of Lipo requiring only 3

treatments would be $5400 (cash only). Keep in mind that 3

treatments is pretty minimal. For more severe wasting it would need

more 5 or more treatments of probably 2 vials each time.

Even if you have insurance, and even if you try to work " In-

Network " , it we're going to be a long time getting Sculptra covered

at this pace. Especially if the doctors won't try to help with the

process.

Looks like the only people who can afford it at this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't care what it costs.

If this is the way things go, Dermik can expect a lot of us in the

middle to look closer at Bio Alcamid-- cuz this just ain't gonna get

it. Not for me, anyway.

[Guest guest]

Like I said many months ago, I foresee the use of Sculptra for HIV lipoatrophy to eventually die off and the use of silikon 1000 and Bio-Alcamid to start increasing due to better cost effectiveness and durability, even if you get Sculptra for free. Most Sculptra docs will make most of their money in "off label" non HIV cosmetic use, as predicted by most of us who were involved with the approval process of Sculptra. Dermik knows that and is welcoming it also! You guys are starting to see how doctors are price gauging now. They are not thinking about us, really.

I hope that Polymekon (the maker of Bio-Alcamid) gets smart about this and really takes care of the HIV lipoatrophy market here in the US by moving fast in their application process. Silikon 1000 is already available off label in the US and it will take is more extensive training of doctors for it to spread. Sculptra will not be the long term answer, no matter how much publicity they got prior and post approval.

I also think that a more permanent solution that only requires one or two sessions will be better accepted by the insurance industry.

As you all know, you can fly to Tijuana, Europe or Canada to get Bio-Alcamid. But most people with HIV do not have that kind of money, so we still have to get active at pushing for reimbursement.

In health, VergelDirectorProgram for Wellness Restoration, PoWeRA 501 © 3 non profit national organizationpowerusa.orgsalvagetherapies.orgRemember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something.DisclaimerThis information (and any accompanying printed material) is not intended to replace the attention or advice of a physician or other health care professional. Anyone who wishes to embark on any dietary, drug, exercise, or other lifestyle change intended to prevent or treat a specific disease or condition should first consult with and seek clearance from a qualified health care professional.

[Guest guest]

Like I said many months ago, I foresee the use of Sculptra for HIV lipoatrophy to eventually die off and the use of silikon 1000 and Bio-Alcamid to start increasing due to better cost effectiveness and durability, even if you get Sculptra for free. Most Sculptra docs will make most of their money in "off label" non HIV cosmetic use, as predicted by most of us who were involved with the approval process of Sculptra. Dermik knows that and is welcoming it also! You guys are starting to see how doctors are price gauging now. They are not thinking about us, really.

I hope that Polymekon (the maker of Bio-Alcamid) gets smart about this and really takes care of the HIV lipoatrophy market here in the US by moving fast in their application process. Silikon 1000 is already available off label in the US and it will take is more extensive training of doctors for it to spread. Sculptra will not be the long term answer, no matter how much publicity they got prior and post approval.

I also think that a more permanent solution that only requires one or two sessions will be better accepted by the insurance industry.

As you all know, you can fly to Tijuana, Europe or Canada to get Bio-Alcamid. But most people with HIV do not have that kind of money, so we still have to get active at pushing for reimbursement.

In health, VergelDirectorProgram for Wellness Restoration, PoWeRA 501 © 3 non profit national organizationpowerusa.orgsalvagetherapies.orgRemember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something.DisclaimerThis information (and any accompanying printed material) is not intended to replace the attention or advice of a physician or other health care professional. Anyone who wishes to embark on any dietary, drug, exercise, or other lifestyle change intended to prevent or treat a specific disease or condition should first consult with and seek clearance from a qualified health care professional.

[Guest guest]

For $5400, someone with mild-moderate

lipoatrophy could buy a flight to Toronto, stay in a hotel for a couple of nights and have their facial

wasting corrected with Bio-Alcamid.

(which won’t go away in 2 years time) You choose where you want to spend

your cash.

www.faceforward.ca

I can refer to you a qualified doct if you

like.

Christie

Sculptra

List- let the gouging begin

I was glad to see Dermik finally post a link of

Sculptra-using

doctors at last. Unfortunately, what I've

found when I called local

Docs with questions was less encouraging.

I called two Seattle docs on the list.

Neither would try to work

with insurance to attempt to get it covered.

One Doc was on my

PPO's list of " In-Network " doctors, the

other took no insurance for

anything-- i.e. all

" out-of-network " ... so HE was out.

The second doc is in my PPO network.

Nonetheless, she wouldn't try

to work it " in network " -- so it was ca$h

only. She is charging $900

per VIAL. (not per kit, per vial).

That means 2 vials administered

at once is $1800. THus, a mild case of Lipo

requiring only 3

treatments would be $5400 (cash only). Keep

in mind that 3

treatments is pretty minimal. For more

severe wasting it would need

more 5 or more treatments of probably 2 vials each

time.

Even if you have insurance, and even if you try to

work " In-

Network " , it we're going to be a long time

getting Sculptra covered

at this pace. Especially if the doctors

won't try to help with the

process.

Looks like the only people who can afford it at

this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient

assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't

care what it costs.

If this is the way things go, Dermik can expect a

lot of us in the

middle to look closer at Bio Alcamid-- cuz this

just ain't gonna get

it. Not for me, anyway.

Welcome to

our PozHealth group!

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Thanks for joining. You will learn and share a lot

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the group.

Forward this email to anyone who may benefit from

this information! Thanks!

In Health,

Vergel (PoWeRTX@...)

List Founder and Moderator

[Guest guest]

For $5400, someone with mild-moderate

lipoatrophy could buy a flight to Toronto, stay in a hotel for a couple of nights and have their facial

wasting corrected with Bio-Alcamid.

(which won’t go away in 2 years time) You choose where you want to spend

your cash.

www.faceforward.ca

I can refer to you a qualified doct if you

like.

Christie

Sculptra

List- let the gouging begin

I was glad to see Dermik finally post a link of

Sculptra-using

doctors at last. Unfortunately, what I've

found when I called local

Docs with questions was less encouraging.

I called two Seattle docs on the list.

Neither would try to work

with insurance to attempt to get it covered.

One Doc was on my

PPO's list of " In-Network " doctors, the

other took no insurance for

anything-- i.e. all

" out-of-network " ... so HE was out.

The second doc is in my PPO network.

Nonetheless, she wouldn't try

to work it " in network " -- so it was ca$h

only. She is charging $900

per VIAL. (not per kit, per vial).

That means 2 vials administered

at once is $1800. THus, a mild case of Lipo

requiring only 3

treatments would be $5400 (cash only). Keep

in mind that 3

treatments is pretty minimal. For more

severe wasting it would need

more 5 or more treatments of probably 2 vials each

time.

Even if you have insurance, and even if you try to

work " In-

Network " , it we're going to be a long time

getting Sculptra covered

at this pace. Especially if the doctors

won't try to help with the

process.

Looks like the only people who can afford it at

this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient

assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't

care what it costs.

If this is the way things go, Dermik can expect a

lot of us in the

middle to look closer at Bio Alcamid-- cuz this

just ain't gonna get

it. Not for me, anyway.

Welcome to

our PozHealth group!

If you received this email from someone who

forwarded it to you and would like to join this group, send a blank email to

PozHealth-subscribe and you will get an email with instructions

to follow. You can chose to receive single emails or a daily digest (collection

of emails). You can post pictures, images, attach files and search by keyword

old postings in the group.

For those of you who are members already and want

to switch from single emails to digest or vice versa, visit

www.yahoogroups.com, click on PozHealth, then on " edit my membership "

and go down to your selection. The list administrator does not process any

requests, so this is a do-it-yourself easy process !

Thanks for joining. You will learn and share a lot

in this group!

NOTE: I moderate, approve or disapprove emails

before they are posted. Please follow the guidelines shown in the homepage. I

will not allow rudeness, sexually explicit material, attacks, and anyone

who does not follow the rules. If you are not OK with this, please do not join

the group.

Forward this email to anyone who may benefit from

this information! Thanks!

In Health,

Vergel (PoWeRTX@...)

List Founder and Moderator

[Guest guest]

For $5400, someone with mild-moderate

lipoatrophy could buy a flight to Toronto, stay in a hotel for a couple of nights and have their facial

wasting corrected with Bio-Alcamid.

(which won’t go away in 2 years time) You choose where you want to spend

your cash.

www.faceforward.ca

I can refer to you a qualified doct if you

like.

Christie

Sculptra

List- let the gouging begin

I was glad to see Dermik finally post a link of

Sculptra-using

doctors at last. Unfortunately, what I've

found when I called local

Docs with questions was less encouraging.

I called two Seattle docs on the list.

Neither would try to work

with insurance to attempt to get it covered.

One Doc was on my

PPO's list of " In-Network " doctors, the

other took no insurance for

anything-- i.e. all

" out-of-network " ... so HE was out.

The second doc is in my PPO network.

Nonetheless, she wouldn't try

to work it " in network " -- so it was ca$h

only. She is charging $900

per VIAL. (not per kit, per vial).

That means 2 vials administered

at once is $1800. THus, a mild case of Lipo

requiring only 3

treatments would be $5400 (cash only). Keep

in mind that 3

treatments is pretty minimal. For more

severe wasting it would need

more 5 or more treatments of probably 2 vials each

time.

Even if you have insurance, and even if you try to

work " In-

Network " , it we're going to be a long time

getting Sculptra covered

at this pace. Especially if the doctors

won't try to help with the

process.

Looks like the only people who can afford it at

this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient

assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't

care what it costs.

If this is the way things go, Dermik can expect a

lot of us in the

middle to look closer at Bio Alcamid-- cuz this

just ain't gonna get

it. Not for me, anyway.

Welcome to

our PozHealth group!

If you received this email from someone who

forwarded it to you and would like to join this group, send a blank email to

PozHealth-subscribe and you will get an email with instructions

to follow. You can chose to receive single emails or a daily digest (collection

of emails). You can post pictures, images, attach files and search by keyword

old postings in the group.

For those of you who are members already and want

to switch from single emails to digest or vice versa, visit

www.yahoogroups.com, click on PozHealth, then on " edit my membership "

and go down to your selection. The list administrator does not process any

requests, so this is a do-it-yourself easy process !

Thanks for joining. You will learn and share a lot

in this group!

NOTE: I moderate, approve or disapprove emails

before they are posted. Please follow the guidelines shown in the homepage. I

will not allow rudeness, sexually explicit material, attacks, and anyone

who does not follow the rules. If you are not OK with this, please do not join

the group.

Forward this email to anyone who may benefit from

this information! Thanks!

In Health,

Vergel (PoWeRTX@...)

List Founder and Moderator

[Guest guest]

If you know of a way for a Medicaid consumer to afford the treatments let me

know! I (and I'm sure many others like me), qualify for the patient

assistance program on income basis, but there's now way I can handle the

typical $400 per session for the treatment. It's a difficult dilemma finding

a doctor to do it if you don't have the cash.

Maybe if more doctors participate in grant programs to cover their training

and some sliding scale work?

BG

>>>

Looks like the only people who can afford it at this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't care what it costs.

<<<

[Guest guest]

If you know of a way for a Medicaid consumer to afford the treatments let me

know! I (and I'm sure many others like me), qualify for the patient

assistance program on income basis, but there's now way I can handle the

typical $400 per session for the treatment. It's a difficult dilemma finding

a doctor to do it if you don't have the cash.

Maybe if more doctors participate in grant programs to cover their training

and some sliding scale work?

BG

>>>

Looks like the only people who can afford it at this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't care what it costs.

<<<

[Guest guest]

If you know of a way for a Medicaid consumer to afford the treatments let me

know! I (and I'm sure many others like me), qualify for the patient

assistance program on income basis, but there's now way I can handle the

typical $400 per session for the treatment. It's a difficult dilemma finding

a doctor to do it if you don't have the cash.

Maybe if more doctors participate in grant programs to cover their training

and some sliding scale work?

BG

>>>

Looks like the only people who can afford it at this rate are those

with very low income (getting it from the patient assistance

program), or those with lots of money who don't care what it costs.

<<<