Re: Xolair being shipped directly to my home

[Guest guest]

I've done my last four shots at home. It is such a pleasure to be able to do

it that way; when I had to drive to boston, it was a seven or eight hour

ordeal, between driving and waiting after the shots. Also, I've not been well

enough to drive myself, so my partner is grateful too.

I did have about 16 shots in my doctor's office before I started doing it at

home.

Best,

Meryl

Due to some insurance issues, I have been off Xolair since sometime

in May, 2005. The insurance that I'm on now - my hubby's plan -

uses Accredo Novafactor as its specialty pharmacy. I assume this is

the same Novafactor that I was working with at first over two years

ago before my then insurance company made a bargain with another

specialty pharmacy. At any rate, Accredo Novafactor told me that

they are sending Xolair directly to my home. I am welcome to call

at any time with questions. In addition to generous hours of

operation, they have an on-call pharmacist 24-7. I was impressed

with them and still am. The " other " specialty pharmacy I was

getting my Xolair from for a long time was a " no frills " operation

and I never had any personal contact with them.

In terms of being off Xolair, I felt like I was still getting

benefit from it until the end of October. My allergy symptoms

started increasing then, including and especially my allergic

headaches. I am REALLY glad to be going back on Xolair.

FYI - more and more Xolair patients must be doing self-

administration b/c the folks I talked with this evening acted like

it was no big deal that I'd be administering it to myself.

Take care all,

Addy

PS - my first shipment arrives next week!

[Guest guest]

Steve

You are partially right. MD's can purchase Xolair for about 10-15% less.

They can give the injections in office and bill SOME insurance companies for the

medication and injection cost. Medicare allows buy & bill. If your ins. co.

does not allow this & your MD purchases it for you, you are liable for the

complete cost. Most MD's won't put out the cost of the medication up front and

wait for the ins. co. to reimburse. Sometimes they are waiting 4 months or

longer for reimbursement. This means they actually have put out 4 months of

money for the medication and are waiting for 1 month reibursement. This adds up

for them and most of them won't do it.

Pat

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[Guest guest]

So far in my experience with three different pharmacies and two

different insurance companies, the MD is not allowed to bill for

administering the med. I have never heard that it is cheaper for

Xolair to go to the MD rather than to my house. I will check into

that...

>

> Steve

>

> You are partially right. MD's can purchase Xolair for about 10-

15% less. They can give the injections in office and bill SOME

insurance companies for the medication and injection cost.

Medicare allows buy & bill. If your ins. co. does not allow this &

your MD purchases it for you, you are liable for the complete cost.

Most MD's won't put out the cost of the medication up front and wait

for the ins. co. to reimburse. Sometimes they are waiting 4 months

or longer for reimbursement. This means they actually have put out

4 months of money for the medication and are waiting for 1 month

reibursement. This adds up for them and most of them won't do it.

>

> Pat

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Bring words and photos together (easily) with

> PhotoMail - it's free and works with .

>

>