Cost of Living
Today we learned that Morningstar’s Tarceva is going to cost $4536.99 (about $151 per pill) for a 30-day supply. Her insurance will only cover a portion, making her co-pay $1874.03 each month. The information came by way of a telephone call from the pharmacist who has become a friend over these past months. When I told Morningstar, her first reaction was disbelief, then tears. “We can’t afford that, for a few more months of life… that’s all that we are buying.” That was her initial position.
Wrong. I told her that each day was precious and you can’t put a dollar figure on its worth. After this brief sadness came anger at how unfair our health care system was – how we would find ways around the immediate problem, and we would enjoy whatever time we have. The last dozen years together are a testament to doing things our own way – never backing down because it’s difficult or impractical. Well, that’s us, and we aren’t going to back down now.
... Bob Weimer
Wrong. I told her that each day was precious and you can’t put a dollar figure on its worth. After this brief sadness came anger at how unfair our health care system was – how we would find ways around the immediate problem, and we would enjoy whatever time we have. The last dozen years together are a testament to doing things our own way – never backing down because it’s difficult or impractical. Well, that’s us, and we aren’t going to back down now.
... Bob Weimer
posted by Looking for Hope | 6:18 PM
6 Comments:
I hope you find a way to manage the cost of those meds. I'm wishing you'd stopped at Vancouver on your move south. Not sure if things would be any better for you in Canada with regards to prescription costs, but maybe the other benefits of our health care system would make the sting a little easier to bear.
There are cancer groups that can and will help with the cost of these meds. Often times the drug manufacturer has a program to help as well. Google it and you will find a way.
Doc's Girl
I know of someone who is taking Tarceva for her non-smokers lung cancer. She is able to purchase a 3 month supply for $35.00. It is going up to $70.00 for the same 3 month supply soon. But they do have Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance.
And a web site that a friend told me about that you might check out is www.needymeds.org I notice Tarceva is on their list.
Good Luck, Morningstar and Bob.
I loved your sugar cookie story!
I know of someone who is taking Tarceva for her non-smokers lung cancer. She is able to purchase a 3 month supply for $35.00. It is going up to $70.00 for the same 3 month supply soon. But they do have Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance.
And a web site that a friend told me about that you might check out is www.needymeds.org I notice Tarceva is on their list.
Good Luck, Morningstar and Bob.
I loved your sugar cookie story!
As Kathi says, please check for compassionate care assistance from Genetech (manufacturer) or with your clinic to see if they can get it cheaper by working with your insurance carrier; it may take persistence but it will be worth it.
A friend started Tarceva last January for her stage 4 lung cancer (non-smoking woman -sees Dr. Martins at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance); she's doing very well and has been able to resume many normal activities. She had 30 brain tumors at the start and is down to 5. Those are still shrinking. And the tumors in her hip, back and lungs are also shrinking.
Her local oncologist told her, at diagnosis, that she wouldn't see this Christmas. It was Dr. Martins in Seattle who got her put on Tarceva...and we're all very thankful for that.
She did have some issues initially with the face rash but now uses a specialized creme to control that.
Keep fighting. Life is worth it.
One last thing...
I would encourage you to schedule an appt with Dr. Martins at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. He is a specialist and one of the researchers whose trials let to the discovery that a specific mutated gene can cause this type of lung cancer in non-smoking women.
While my friend receives her PET and MRI scans locally in Vancouver, WA, she travels to Seattle every 4-5 months to review her scans with Dr. Martins and his staff. This is the man who gave my friend the news that she didn't have to be dead by this Christmas...that he would fight the battle with her.
And we do understand that Tarceva won't work forever. We just need it to work until the next follow-on drug to Tarceva is available. And I'm happy to note that one drug currently in clinical trials is showing great promise.
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