Re: Insurance Provider

[Guest guest]

I don't want to jinx myself, but i have to say that my experience regarding

Xolair coverage with BCBS (of Massachusetts, with a PPO plan) has been great. I

am covered at 100% and with my doctor's permission, they are allowing

Novafactor to ship the drug directly to my house!

Meryl

Hi Everyone,

Some really informative posts the past few days. Great to read!

As I mentioned before, I am starting a new job soon and will be

choosing an insurance provider. Does anyone have any experience with

the HMO Kaiser Permanente? Are they willing to cover Xolair? Any

info. you all have would be great.

I'll steer clear of BCBS since they seem so difficult (I got that

feeling too when I went to their website)

Thanks again,

Joe

[Guest guest]

I think it just depends on which BCBS, I have BCBS of Alabama and they have been

no problem at all.

pipermandycricket <goode100@...> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

Some really informative posts the past few days. Great to read!

As I mentioned before, I am starting a new job soon and will be

choosing an insurance provider. Does anyone have any experience with

the HMO Kaiser Permanente? Are they willing to cover Xolair? Any

info. you all have would be great.

I'll steer clear of BCBS since they seem so difficult (I got that

feeling too when I went to their website)

Thanks again,

Joe

[Guest guest]

Joe,

Call up Kaiser and ask to speak to the person handling your office. Then ask

every question you can imagine that has to do with Xolair, copay for drug,

office copay, self injection coverage, vacation supply, out of network physician

or md office, etc...

I don't want to steer you away from BCBS CA but they really are horrible to

deal with and sometimes after a lengthy approval, they renig and ask the

specialty pharmacies to reimburse them, and ask the pt to pay up on all md

visits etc that they have paid for. Ridiculous really but that is how they

operate.

Look at both ins co positives and negatives side by side before making your

choice.

Pat

---------------------------------

Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze.

[Guest guest]

I simply feel it is a immense disservice to customers to have a BCBS

provider provide medical/pharmacutical coverage in one state that is

radically different on another state. Do the BCBS providers in each

state get their heads together to determine how much they can get away

with and how much they will be able sock customers in each of their

states?

Why do manufacturers set unbelievable high prices for drugs; most of the

time making them unaffordable for most persons of moderate income? I

guess this is not important to them. It is better for them to set the

prices high in order to recoop their expenses as soon as possible and

let the customers duel it out with the providers. It is getting to the

point decisions are going to have to be made; do I eat and pay local

expenses, i.e heat, electical, etc. or pay the high copayments the

providers require. I am not sure who to blame the doctors who schedule

test after test, recommend equipment after equipment or the manufacurers

for charging the high prices for drugs. Unfotunately, I see no solution

in sight.

I guess it is up to customers to contact state representives to ask them

to make a change in their state. Does this really work? Do they really

listen?

________________________________

From: [mailto: ]

On Behalf Of G.

Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:47 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Insurance Provider

I think it just depends on which BCBS, I have BCBS of Alabama and they

have been no problem at all.

pipermandycricket <goode100@...> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

Some really informative posts the past few days. Great to read!

As I mentioned before, I am starting a new job soon and will be

choosing an insurance provider. Does anyone have any experience with

the HMO Kaiser Permanente? Are they willing to cover Xolair? Any

info. you all have would be great.

I'll steer clear of BCBS since they seem so difficult (I got that

feeling too when I went to their website)

Thanks again,

Joe

[Guest guest]

I have had no trouble with BCBS in North Carolina! Thank you, Jesus!

All insurance companies have some kind of appeals process. When

Astelin first came out, my then insurance company wouldn't cover

it. But I called, found out what the procedure was, and got it

covered for a year. By the end of the year, it was part of their

drug plan. Don't be afraid to call your insurance company and ask

questions!

Addy

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> Some really informative posts the past few days. Great to read!

>

> As I mentioned before, I am starting a new job soon and will be

> choosing an insurance provider. Does anyone have any experience

with

> the HMO Kaiser Permanente? Are they willing to cover Xolair? Any

> info. you all have would be great.

>

> I'll steer clear of BCBS since they seem so difficult (I got that

> feeling too when I went to their website)

>

> Thanks again,

>

> Joe

>

[Guest guest]

Pat,

Thanks for the advice. I will contact Kaiser and get all that info.

I would imagine that the price of Xolair will eventually decrease

if/when other Anti-IgE drugs are on the market. Would you agree?

Joe

>

> Joe,

>

> Call up Kaiser and ask to speak to the person handling your

office. Then ask every question you can imagine that has to do with

Xolair, copay for drug, office copay, self injection coverage,

vacation supply, out of network physician or md office, etc...

>

> I don't want to steer you away from BCBS CA but they really are

horrible to deal with and sometimes after a lengthy approval, they

renig and ask the specialty pharmacies to reimburse them, and ask the

pt to pay up on all md visits etc that they have paid for.

Ridiculous really but that is how they operate.

>

> Look at both ins co positives and negatives side by side before

making your choice.

>

> Pat

>

>

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

>

> Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail makes sharing a breeze.

>

>