I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Medicare/Insurance => Topic started by: sullidog on January 07, 2012, 08:47:49 PM
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Under my employers new drug plan, my binders are going to be really expensive. I take renvela and the amount that I take is estimated that I will have to pay 150.00 for a 30 day and 250.00 for a 90 day, when you work part time and have to pay other bills, that is quite expensive for both of those. I did look up the generic brand of this binder and my insurance doesn't cover that one at all. Now I did look up phoslo under the new drug plan and it is much cheaper, however I can't take it because of my calcium levels always being on the high side of normal,
and also I can't swallow it. I tried phosrenal and my plan doesn't even cover that. Also I take zofran which is even worse! they want me to pay 200.00 for just a 10 day supply! That is rediculous! I'm alergic to phenergan so can't take that either. So yes as you can see I'm kind of in a bine. If I do start back on phoslo my calcium will go through the roof again, that's why they took me off of it in the first place, anyone know what I can do? I know that the makers of renvela offer financial assistants but because I do work they may not help me, and what about the zofran. I would hate to stop taking these drugs just because I can't aford them because the dietition will start screaming at me for high phos.. If anyone out there can give me some resources, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks.
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Go to needymeds.org. Click on "brand name" then go to "R", look for Renvela. Click on pharmacy coupon. It allows you to purchase Renvela for $5, for the next 12 mpnths.
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Same thing happened to me. I have Medicare Part D, and my co-pay for Renvela was nearly $200! So I kept asking my doctor, and the dietician, and the social worker for free samples. Ask them, the manufacturers give them lots.
Mine got sick of handing Renvela out, and the patient assistant plan has to be applied for by October for the next year, so they switched me to Fosrenol, who has a very generous plan for those on Part D.
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I pay 50.00 for 18 days for Renvela. I finally cried to my clinic that that was too much and they gave me the coupon for $5 a month. I have yet to turn it in and see if it works, however, they told me it was only for people with private insurance(no medicare D) so they were sure it would work.
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Same thing happened to me. I have Medicare Part D, and my co-pay for Renvela was nearly $200! So I kept asking my doctor, and the dietician, and the social worker for free samples. Ask them, the manufacturers give them lots.
Mine got sick of handing Renvela out, and the patient assistant plan has to be applied for by October for the next year, so they switched me to Fosrenol, who has a very generous plan for those on Part D.
How do I get info on the plan you mentioned here for the Fosrenol?
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I pay $65 for Renvela until I hit the doughnut hole then I pay $120 for 30 days. Sucks. I also can't take PhosLo because of calcium levels.
As far as swallowing them, for large pills put the pill in your mouth and some water. Then when the pill is kind of floating in the water, swallow. Works well.
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Just as a follow-up on previous posts...I've been dealing with the company that makes Fosrenol and after giving them every detail about my life including income and medical expenses it looks like they are going to give me the Fosrenol for free for 1 year (they re-evaluate every year). They said I should get my first shipment in a few weeks.
For those who don't want to go back and read previous posts, Fosrenol is a phosphorus binder with no calcium. It is chewable and tastes exactly like Tums. However, at the pharmacy a 30-day supply would have cost over $700 and was not on my Part D formulary so Humana would not cover it. My doctor has been giving me her samples for the last month or so and it seems to have worked to bring down both my calcium and phosphorus dramatically. Thank God for small favors!
:yahoo;
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Sullidog you should apply for the discount plan. Some ask for a statement about why you need help. As long as you do not have Medicare you may qualify. You won't know till you try. Good Luck and look at how Willis got his, this maybe you too!