Hi, the test for neutralizing antibodies is done only by a few labs in the country and not all of them give reliable results. My neuro will only use Athena Laboratories in Boston. The test costs $800 (as of last August). Sometimes insurance won't pay for it. I am on Medicare and had no problem.
The test is not done routinely, but should be run if there is a suspicion that a medication has stopped working.
Are you including government health insurance, such as medicaid and medicare in your list?
There are so many different types of insurance as well. Policy coverage can range from excellent to minimal. The out-of-pocket expenses might be an intersting poll for you to put together as well.
This is a great question.
) and still have a safe and fulfilling sex life. Your best bet is to discuss this with your doctors and possibly and Infectious Disease Doctor. The doctors may recommend vaccinating your partner. They may also consider the risk of contracting HPV to be a low risk exposure and do nothing.
Most people with MS can be vaccinated with "non-live virus" vaccines. Gardasil is a VLP (Virus Like Partials) vaccine (so it is safe) protecting against infection by HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11.
If you have Medicare and Medicaid, you will usually get your drugs covered by the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Part D) and the Extra Help program. Extra Help is the federal program that pays for most of the costs of Medicare drug coverage if you meet the eligibility requirements. In some limited cases, Medicaid may cover drugs that Medicare does not cover.
As long as you have Medicare Part D your drugs will be covered.
Call Medicare if you have questions.
This is already the situation for me and my Medicare coverage, so be prepared if you are going onto Social Security Disability Income and then Medicare. I have to pay $4000 out of pocket before going to 10% of my (now $1715 Avonex).
Right now I am in my "donut hole" where Medicare doesn't pay a thing. Our legislators really screwed us with the Medicare Drug deal!
Hello Everyone :)
I haven't been around on the forum or a while due to a string of horrible bad luck, but things are starting to look up so here I am :). I have a question about DMDs I have been on Avonex now for 5 weeks and have noticed a huge difference in my muscle spasms. It's as if the off switch got flipped! I went from having them literally 24/7 literally. My neuro said she hadn't really seen anything quite that severe she could see muscle spasms everywhere during my exams.
Besides Liver Transplant Centers (where you MUST be treated to have your cirrhosis and portal hypertension managed) usually take both Medicaid and Medicare for payment so there is no advantage to Medicare. In fact Medicare is very expensive. You say you have one doctor. Any one doctor can NOT treat all of your health conditions and certainly not your liver disease. You will have to make sure the liver transplant center takes Medicaid. This should be the first think you do.
I DONT GIVE MYSELF THE INJECTIONS EACH WEEK, MY HUSBAND DOES BUT THEY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AVONEX HAS IS GREAT. WE PAID 10 A MONTH AND WHEN HE CHANGED JOBS AND WE LOST INSURANCE I HAVE BEEN GETTING IT FOR FREE. I DO STILL GET ACHY, EMOTIONAL BUT FEEL LIKE I AM ADJUSTING TO THE MEDICATION. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CHOICE. HOPE THINGS GO WELL WITH YOUR INSURANCE.
I have medicare in California I will enroll in it next month,I have liver transplant with hcv and cirrhosis ,I need to find out how medicare and if medicare pay for sovaldi and olysio.
This is random i know. So i faxed over my new adress and stuff for medicare and its been literally almost a month since and still waiting for approval and i was just wondering if im not sure if i have it yet that i can just go into the hospital in the outpatient section for treatment because im literally almost 4 months preg and still have not seen a doc. even for an ultrasound for christ sake.... can somebody tell me how i can get immediate care?
//www.rxlist.com/avonex-drug.htm) and, like other proteins, can only work within a very small range of conditions (ie pH, temperature). As the stomach is a fairly acidic environment, proteins will denature (fall apart) and so Avonex would be rendered useless.
That said, there is a therapy available in pill form (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429205613.htm). Called "cladribine", it may very well be the first treatment for MS that does not involve regular injections.
I am close to Medicare age, and have a low viral load, so my doctor says my insurance won't cover Harvoni. Anyone know what Medicare's guidelines are? Do I have to be sympomatic to qualify? It's pretty frustrating knowing that there is now an easy cure, that I can't get. So I'm hoping the cost will come down soon, or Medicare will be more generous than my insurance!
I called Gilead and the person there told me that Gilead will NOT give any financial assistance to ANYONE on Medicare Part D. I did some research and found out that most Part D plans DO NOT cover Solvadi and even if you do get approved through an appeal, you will still be responsible for 5% of the total cost which is exceedingly high (5% of $84,000). PAN will only pay at most $7500 of this total.
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