Re: Self injections? Must be nice

February 18, 2006

Doug,

Pat has given us info before on how you can get Xolair if you don't

have insurance without having to pay the full price. I wonder if

the people who run this plan would work with you or your doc's

office to somehow provide it to you at lower cost. Also, maybe the

specialty pharmacy would work with you. Another thing to think

about would be to find out if you can get it administered through a

home health agency? I.,e., a nurse comes to give it to you at your

house. That can't be any more expensive then what you are going

through now.

Just thinking out loud.

Addy

>

> After reading all these posts about self injections, I had to jump

> into the convo. sigh!

>

> have been hesitant to share this with the group for several months

> now for fear that people considering taking xolair might change

their

> minds. Addy and Pat already know my story and have been a big

support

> for me. Thanks ladies You are great friends!

>

> First, the good news!

>

> After being on Prednisone off and on most of my life, It effected

my

> pancreas which made me type II Diabetic. With the Xolair, I am pred

> free almost all year long. When I do have to take it, it is just

> a mild 5-10 mg dose.

>

> While I was on pred, my blood sugar was up around 275 and my A1C

> (Special Diabetic blood test. Anything under 7 is safe) was 8.3.

> Now after over 2 years of Xolair, my asthma is VERY MUCH under

control

> and my daily fasting blood sugar is 98. A1C is 5.2 NORMAL!

>

> Ok, here comes the fun part:

>

> My doctor's medical group will NOT under ANY circumstance allow

him to

> let me give myself ANY shots at home, Xolair or regular allergy

shots.

> It doesn't matter that I have myself regular shots for 20 years.

>

> What is worse is that the medical group that owns his practice and

> sets the fees and files the insurance got mad at blue cross and

> stopped being a provider December 31, 2004. This year his medical

> group started charging 114.00 just to give one shot. At 2 shots,

> that's 228.00 every two weeks, 446.00 a month!!! On top of that, I

pay

> 125.00 in copay every 3 months to my specialty pharmacy for the

Xolair

> itself.

>

> Even worse than that, his medical group does NOT cooperate with my

> blue cross so its only paid at 70% after an 800.00 deductible.

> Can you believe it gets even worse??? When they file my insurance,

the

> shot is listed as a CHEMOTHERAPY INJECTION! HEY, I DON'T HAVE

CANCER!!!

>

> Nope, I am not kidding at all about any of this.

>

> I have NO choice but to see this doctor. He is the ONLY one who

gives

> Xolair within 125 miles. The doctors 125 miles away do not allow

self

> injection either. I have looked into it. I don't have the time or

the

> money for the expensive gasoline to drive that far just to let my

> insurance cover 90% of the cost.

>

> My doctor himself is trying to give me a break by kocking off some

of

> the cost. He spoke with his superiors about my situation and tried

to

> get them to help but they wouldn't budge one bit. I hope he doesn't

> get in trouble. He and his staff are one of the nicest dr's

offices I

> have ever been to. The medical group that

> owns his office is the problem.

>

> No, there is NOTHING I can do but spend most of my monthly salary

just

> for xolair and its administration. I pay 1000.00 a month just for

my

> blue cross premiums and NO way I can change insurance companies

with

> my pre-existing conditions. I have tried every angle I can think

of to

> get out of this situation but with no avail.

>

> Next time you give yourself that shot, just remember how fortunate

> you are to be able to give your shots at home!

>

> Yes, Xolair works! I am living proof but because of my doctor's

> medical group, it is still expensive for me even with insurance.

>

> Thanks for letting me rant!

>

> Doug

> Group Founder

> Co/owner/moderator

> Broke person

>

February 18, 2006

>

> Doug,

>

> Pat has given us info before on how you can get Xolair if you don't

> have insurance without having to pay the full price. I wonder if

> the people who run this plan would work with you or your doc's

> office to somehow provide it to you at lower cost. Also, maybe the

> specialty pharmacy would work with you. Another thing to think

> about would be to find out if you can get it administered through a

> home health agency? I.,e., a nurse comes to give it to you at your

> house. That can't be any more expensive then what you are going

> through now.

>

> Just thinking out loud.

>

> Addy

>

Thanks Addy My dodctor has tried to get them to lower the cost.

They won't budge. Around here, home health is only for senior adults

who can't get out of the house. hmmmmmm I am 51. Old enough to be an

AARP member and get free checks at the bank, but thats about it LOL!

Doug

February 18, 2006

you mean, if you're under 50, you have to pay for checks too?? i get free checks

at my bank whenever i need them. oh man! i didn't realize how good i had it!!!

heather

Thanks Addy My dodctor has tried to get them to lower the cost.

They won't budge. Around here, home health is only for senior adults

who can't get out of the house. hmmmmmm I am 51. Old enough to be an

AARP member and get free checks at the bank, but thats about it LOL!

Doug

February 18, 2006

hi doug,

i tell ya, every time i go for my xolair, i think of you and others who have

to go through such great lengths just to be healthy. health should not be a

priveledge.

as an aside, my xolair injections are listed on my EOB from BCBS as chemo

also. i asked the secretary about it at the dr, and she said that b/c of the

classification that xolair is in (injectable biologic) it can also be put in

the classification of chemo. i'm not sure the difference though.

i hope that somehow, a new dr starts a practice in your area that will allow

you to get your xolair at a more affordable price without so many hoops.

thinking of you,

heather

uca79iii <uca79iii@...> wrote:

After reading all these posts about self injections, I had to jump

into the convo. sigh!

have been hesitant to share this with the group for several months

now for fear that people considering taking xolair might change their

minds. Addy and Pat already know my story and have been a big support

for me. Thanks ladies You are great friends!

First, the good news!

After being on Prednisone off and on most of my life, It effected my

pancreas which made me type II Diabetic. With the Xolair, I am pred

free almost all year long. When I do have to take it, it is just

a mild 5-10 mg dose.

While I was on pred, my blood sugar was up around 275 and my A1C

(Special Diabetic blood test. Anything under 7 is safe) was 8.3.

Now after over 2 years of Xolair, my asthma is VERY MUCH under control

and my daily fasting blood sugar is 98. A1C is 5.2 NORMAL!

Ok, here comes the fun part:

My doctor's medical group will NOT under ANY circumstance allow him to

let me give myself ANY shots at home, Xolair or regular allergy shots.

It doesn't matter that I have myself regular shots for 20 years.

What is worse is that the medical group that owns his practice and

sets the fees and files the insurance got mad at blue cross and

stopped being a provider December 31, 2004. This year his medical

group started charging 114.00 just to give one shot. At 2 shots,

that's 228.00 every two weeks, 446.00 a month!!! On top of that, I pay

125.00 in copay every 3 months to my specialty pharmacy for the Xolair

itself.

Even worse than that, his medical group does NOT cooperate with my

blue cross so its only paid at 70% after an 800.00 deductible.

Can you believe it gets even worse??? When they file my insurance, the

shot is listed as a CHEMOTHERAPY INJECTION! HEY, I DON'T HAVE CANCER!!!

Nope, I am not kidding at all about any of this.

I have NO choice but to see this doctor. He is the ONLY one who gives

Xolair within 125 miles. The doctors 125 miles away do not allow self

injection either. I have looked into it. I don't have the time or the

money for the expensive gasoline to drive that far just to let my

insurance cover 90% of the cost.

My doctor himself is trying to give me a break by kocking off some of

the cost. He spoke with his superiors about my situation and tried to

get them to help but they wouldn't budge one bit. I hope he doesn't

get in trouble. He and his staff are one of the nicest dr's offices I

have ever been to. The medical group that

owns his office is the problem.

No, there is NOTHING I can do but spend most of my monthly salary just

for xolair and its administration. I pay 1000.00 a month just for my

blue cross premiums and NO way I can change insurance companies with

my pre-existing conditions. I have tried every angle I can think of to

get out of this situation but with no avail.

Next time you give yourself that shot, just remember how fortunate

you are to be able to give your shots at home!

Yes, Xolair works! I am living proof but because of my doctor's

medical group, it is still expensive for me even with insurance.

Thanks for letting me rant!

Doug

Group Founder

Co/owner/moderator

Broke person

February 19, 2006

Wow, what an amazing story. I thought the 120 per month I pay for the shot was

a lot. Be sure to keep all your receipts because you have a nice medical write

off on your taxes.

uca79iii <uca79iii@...> wrote: After reading all these posts about self

injections, I had to jump