money

[PinkGirl]

I have noticed that in some of the posts there is mention of insurance companies not paying for some treatments. Being a good Canadian, I have no idea what chemo treatments cost. Can anyone give me a ball park figure of what a year of herceptin costs? Anyone know what my chemo would have cost? I think I better give my little red and white health card a big kiss !!!

[Believe51]

....and then sing "O Canada"..LOL!! We have had no health insurance since September 1 and it is not like he can get billed for infusions; as my hospital would be gracious enough to do that to help. My Sweet is on a regime of Tykerb/Xeloda, of course we are not going to get into how I am getting his chemo meds for him right now!!! Uggh!!!

So All Together Now: "O Canada"....giggle, giggle!!

Believe51

[hutchibk]

Believe - I hope you are going through the Roche assistance program for Xeloda and GSK Commitment to Access for Tykerb!! That's how I get mine.

[Believe51]

As for the Tykerb, I did go through the 'Commitment to Access' program and things should be okay. The Xeloda I was able to get filled before 9/1 by the doctor rewriting the prescription a little different, we are set until the first week of November.

Question: He is out of Tykerb starting today. Is it alright to go a few days maybe a week without it?? (like we have a choice!!)

The disturbing thing about this was we refilled the prescription twice before they refused the next bulk drop!!

PS>Brenda, do you know the words to 'O Canada', because we could use you in our choir?? That is if you can put down the cheddar cheese and sesame crackers for a bit!! LOL...Love 'ya Brenda!!

Believe51

[hutchibk]

I think they prefer that you don't go without... call Commitment to Access right now and tell them that he is out! They should be able to help you coordinate with the pharmacy to overnight it. (McKesson is the pharmacy who I receive it from, if it is yours as well, ask for Melinda there and she is very compassionate and will get it overnighted to you.)

I was instructed to call Commitment To Access about 10 days before my Rx runs out every month to be sure that I don't run out...

Hope this helps!

P.S. I always thought the words were 'No Canada'... or 'Blame Canada' - I guess I watch too much South Park, LOL.

[PinkGirl]

I didn't get the part about No Canada, Blame Canada, and I don't know what South Park is .... probably because I am too busy paying my high, high taxes to cover our universal health care !!! Do you know how much herceptin and chemo drugs costs??? I really am curious - I have no idea what the price tag would be, or how much a mastectomy costs. I had back surgery in 1991 and only had to pay for the little TV in my room. I think Canadians should know how expensive health care is, and then we wouldn't abuse the system so much.(Canadians go to a doctor for absolutely every little ache, pain, cough, sneeze, itch ) We just go and never give a thought to how much it costs.

[Sheila]

Pink Girl
Love the name, love the Popeye saying!!!
I can tell you that Herceptin here in the USA varies by where you live...I know this because I filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General on the price my hospital/clinic was charging for Herseptin...3 times what others in this country were paying...after a big investigation, they did lower the price, and had to back pay the insurance and people for the charges that were TOO high....it is still more than alot of areas in the country...I can tell you that mine is $9,500 every 3 weeks, and $5200.00 every other week....just to let you know, my Avastin, Taxol and Herceptin every 2 weeks runs over $100,000 a month....and I don't pay a dime. I not only kiss my insurance card, I sleep with it!

[Brenda_D]

My lumpectomy surgery was over $12,000, surgeon fees were over $1200.
My port placement cost over $6000, not including the doctor fees (another $1000). Then take into account pathologist, anesthesiologist, fees.
My chemo was over $1200 every 3 weeks (A/C), and Herceptin was $3745 the first time. Now it's $3100 plus $200 "other" and $115 doctor visit fees. That's every 3 weeks.
The rads were over $31,000.
I had a Pet/CT scan that cost $4700, a bone scan and a couple ct scans.
Add to that the cost of my medicine. Even the co-pay has totaled over $500 so far this year.
I am so glad I have insurance!

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

I swear my husband just told someone recently that H was $15,000 ev 3 wks (inclding bld tests). I know Aranesp is up to $8,000 an injection. My doc, and I, believe Medicare is denying Aranesp to ca patients unless they are under 10 (new rule was under 11, which was under 12 to begin w/) because of the cost! Insur co are following the example. 13-15 is my normal, when I feel best. Yet I have lived in upper 11s w/Aranesp to boost when it drops to mid 11s and it last mnths. My red bld cells are boosted and so am I! Now I am 11.1 and feeling sluggish. I do take my nut/onc guru's supplements for energy and that helps big time. I'd be in bed otherwise. They did tell me last wk that if I spend more than 50% of my time in bed, I'm eligible. Isn't that a great criteria?

Then the nurse whispered that I could buy it in Canada and self-inject. That some do that. Well I can't imagine what that costs but I have no doubt it's not in my ballpark. And, thank goodness, I'm not on Taxotere, when my #s were in the toilet regularly. I could barely speak, my tongue weighed 50 lbs at least. I shuffled vs walked. Kept tripping on my own toes, while leaning on a wall, or Paul's arm. What of the chemo patients who are being ravaged????? SOMEBODY HAS TO FIX THIS.

I know about the scary studies re Aranesp and the like, but still, my onc and I feel it's really all about $$$. I've been on the drug since '98. Works for me. I think the fear tactics are mostly hype! And my onc concurs. Sad. So, it keeps the troops quiet. No one is fussing and protesting, too scared to demand tx for their flagging bld counts. Do we have to be crawling, or in need of a transfusion, dangerously low and prone to all kinds of infection and worse?????? Personally, I'm outraged.

I remember when the Procrit was $800 for the injection. That was astounding. I understand the need to stand up to the ?drug co's, the ?cancer center's, ridiculously rising charges, but meanwhile the ca patient in falling through the crack in the floor! At least I can keep on getting my Vit H w/o protest since '98. That is huge. And I treasure my insurance card, believe me. I don't leave the house w/o it! That + my driver's license, 2 credit cards and a $50 bill are my essentials. Oh, and some tissues. I have a YOU NEVER KNOW mentality, w/spares of everything. Wish I'd stockpiled Aranesp.

Andi

[hutchibk]

Sorry to digress Pink -
* Tri-weekly charges from my cancer center to insurance for Herceptin alone (with the anti-emitics, streroids, benadryl, etc, etc) were apx $7000 usd.
*Taxol/Herceptin, tri-weekly charges were apx $11,000 usd.
*Taxol/Carbo/Herceptin tri-weekly charges were apx $17,000 usd.
*Tri-weekly labs and Dr. visit co-pays range between apx $200 - $500 usd.
*Aranesp is apx $4000 usd as charged by my ca cntr to ins.
*Neulasta is apx $6500 usd as charged by my ca cntr to ins.
*I think one month of Xeloda is apx $3500 usd - which is provided to me through an access program
*I think one month of Tykerb is apx $5000 usd - which is provided to me through an access program
*Day surgery to put in new port was apx $6000 usd. (then add anesth & surgeon fees)
*I can't remember what my mastectomy and reconstruction costs were 3 1/2 years ago, but I am guessing about $20,000 usd +.

Just to explain the 'Blame Canada' and SouthPark - it is an adult cartoon here in the US where the ficitonal characters (Stan, Cartman, Kyle, Kenny - all about 7 years old going on 40) got mad at the fictional Canadian govt for fictionally prosecuting their favorite fictional Canadian TV stars (for what I can't remember), Terrence and Phillip (who are flatulently profound and just totally goofy) - and wrote a song called 'Blame Canada'.... it is an absurd and often quite hilarious TV show... so no direct offense was intended from me to you or Canada. It was a direct reference to South Park.

[PinkGirl]

That's a lot of money. When I started herceptin, I thought someone told me that the total cost of it was going to be $54,000 Cdn. That sounds low now that I've seen your estimates. I know the drug companies aren't as bad here as in the States - maybe that accounts for the difference.

Brenda - no offense taken - I just have never heard of South Park. Sounds a bit like the McKenzie Brothers - they drink beer, fart a lot, and say eh? Have you ever seen the Canadian bumper sticker: "When opportunity knocks, Canadians complain about the noise." We are a bit different up here !!!

Seriously, I can't imagine having to live with this nasty disease and also have to worry about paying for treatments. I really feel for those who do not have private insurance. I know if I ever need to have "pill" chemo, it is not covered the way the infusion kind is. I will have to buy the pills and submit the bills through my private drug/dental plan. I will get the money back, but I'll have to put out the money first (CREDIT CARD). If I didn't have a private drug/dental plan, there is a Foundation that would pay for the chemo pills.

Thanks for your replies. I think I will give my red and white card an extra kiss tonight.

[hutchibk]

How much do you pay in taxes in Canada per year? Specifically to pay into the national health system?

[sherri]

Brenda,

In Canada richer people pay more tax: up to $30,000 income for a family of 4 (parent + 2 kids) pay a very little tax almost zero. up to 40,000 you pay 26% tax. then anything after $40,000 is about 33% and it goes up. Of course there are ways to lower your tax, like buying RRSP, investment etc.. But the the truth is that the people that have the opportunity to make more money pay more tax and take care of the unfortuate ones, but there is no child or anybody in Canada that is worried about paying bills for medical (hospital, drugs etc..)
In my case I would benefit more if we had private insurance, my tax rate with all those accounting tricks end up at about 40% of my income. But I like to tell you that I don't mind and sleep better at night, thinking all the children in this country get the best of the health care and no one has the right to send back a patient wandering on the street, even though that person is a drug addict.
Don't you think that is human nature to take care of the poor and unfortunate ? Maybe I'm naive?! ..... but I'm proud to think this way.

[mrsd]

I am just a lurker here usually but this thread is very interesting, and yes we do have excellent health care here in Canada but it is not without faults. For example each province uses it's health care money differently, I live in Nova Scotia and therefore my treatment options available under our government health care system may be different that say someone living in Alberta, for example our province does not cover the drug Avastin and this is currently a hot topic here right now. People who can afford the drug recieve the treatment and those who cannot afford the drug are having to drain savings and rely on community support to help pay for the treatments. Any form of other assistance from the cancer society and numerous others are limited by your income. So yes we do not pay for many many things and are not limited to who will treat us we are not without our faults............ sorry I don't mean to rant but it's just that I get upset by government determining treatment, I would rather be in the care of a doctor. But still very happy to be a Canadian in our strange system. And again sorry I didn't mean to rant but just wanted to point out the not so great points too, and I am amazed everyday when I read the post here how great everyone on this board is and how you all stick together and support each other, as you have been there and done that and you do know what we are going through.......thanks for telling it like it is.

[PinkGirl]

I think that's the way we think because that's the way it has always been in Canada, in our lifetime. I agree with you - my husband and I are taxed in the 40% range and it doesn't bother us at all. Even before my dx., I didn't have a problem with it. I think it's because we can't believe that in a country as wealthy as the USA, there can be people not receiving health care because they can't pay for it. I don't think our system is perfect, but when I see some program on Oprah about parents who have a child needing a portable respirtor and they can't provide one, then I think "bring on the taxes". But there are some Americans who believe that our system is "Socialist". Once, an American tourist told me that Canadians were Communists!!!!!!!!!! There is an opinion that if you have a lot of money, you should be able to push yourself to the top of the line. As you probably know, there are wealthy Canadians who don't like being in our "universal " system; and I'm sure you know where they go when they are seriously ill -- The Mayo Clinic. Anyhow, I could go on and on about this. I am happy with our system, (with all it's flaws) and have always believed that you judge a nation by how it treats it's weakest citizen. I guess I'm a socialist. There's a provincial election coming up in Ontario -- go NDP!!!

[PinkGirl]

We don't actually know how much of our taxes go to health care. We pay Federal taxes to the Government of Canada, and we pay Provincial taxes to our respective provinces. Because some of our provinces are not as wealthy as others, the Federal government gives money to the Provinces to help with health care budgets. Health care is a provincial responsibility, so there are differences between the care given. We also do not have the choices that you have in the States. We cannot just make an appt. with a specialist. Everything starts with a GP or your family doctor. They refer the patient to a specialist. To be cost effective, they are supposed to (but don't always) refer us to the closest specialist. When I was dx. I had my choice of 2 Cancer Centres, and I was assigned to an oncologist. I like my onc. but if I didn't, I would end up with another one at this centre, or start over at the other centre I could have gone to. My cancer centre is 5 hours away from where I live. I receive a travel grant of $265.00 every time I go there (I am there right now) I stay at a beautiful patient lodge, free of charge. It is like a 5 star motel. I am using their free internet right now. If I was so sick that I had to be flown here, the Canadian Cancer Society would fly me here, but I would have to give them my $265.00 grant. If I am flown from one hospital to another hospital, that is covered by our health insurance. I was dx. in August/05, mastectomy Sept/05 and started chemo Oct./05. So.......what can I say...we have excellent health care, but we don't have the choices you have. I'm sure you can't imagine being told who your oncologist is going to be !!! I could go on and on about this..........Gotta go to bed... I have my scans tomorrow.

[sherri]

NDP for sure!

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

$$$$$$$$$$ CORRECTION. For H the cancer center BILLS $8,000 ev 3 wks. They get around $2000. It's a game. They keep billing more and getting more, but the #s don't actually coincide. And then, it's back to the Aranesp issue, which I won't repeat but is above in my post. Apparently not an issue in Canada.

U.S. NEEDS HEALTH CARE REFORM. We all know that. Insurance co's are making medical decisions, even contrary to our docs recommendations. Clerks behind a desk can override him/her, just to save $$$$$. And Medicare leads the way, which is not a good thing to say the least. And yes, you judge a society by how they care for he less fortunate among them. We're in a quagmire of a mess. But I did get to choose 5 oncs on my own, choose my surgeons, etc. And I can purchase Aranesp on the black market, from Canada and self-inject. IF I had a whole bunch of $$$ to afford such a luxury. Our system is badly broken and we all know it.

My neice is uninsured b/c she comes from divorced parents and he won't pay and she can't pay, so my neice hasn't been to a GYN ever, etc... New administration has to fix this + solve Iraq... Meanwhile...

Andi

[dhealey]

It is interesting the different prices for some of the same treatment. My first mastectomy was $10,000 that inculded a night's stay in the hospital and surgeon, pathology fees. My adramycin/cytoxin was $8,500 every other week, lunasta shot $6000 every two weeks, taxol/herceptin was $8,000 everyother week, anarasep $3000 every three weeks and now just on herceptin runs $4,800 every three weeks not including labs. My second mastecomy ran about $7,000 and I did not stay the night this time. Echo run $2,000 every three months and the cardiologist charges $500 to read it. It makes me dizzy thinking of all that money! About 2 months ago I added up my charges to date and I hit over $100,000 and I have only been in treatment 8 months. Mind boggling!!!!

[PinkGirl]

Andi - like your niece, I also have never been to a GYN !!! I have my internals and pap smears done by my family doctor. If she thinks there is a problem, then I get referred to a specialist ( a gyno ). I have normal paps, normal internals, no symptoms of anything, so no GYN. Now, if I insisted, she would refer me to one, because of the BC.

[Becky]

Hey Pink

Herceptin would have cost me about $60,000 USD. 4 rounds of AC followed by 4 rounds of taxol would have cost $75,000 USD.

You can get some discounts if not insured but I am giving the cost to insurance which is discounted. It costs more without insurance because the insurance companies have contracts with the doctors so the docs have to charge you less if you are insured!! Weird system.

I did have a $25 copay before each session - woopdee do. All in all, it was the most expensive haircut I ever had and the style did suit me at all!!!!

[hutchibk]

Even though our system is very problematic in many ways and totally upside down (driven by insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies instead of the consumer) I am personally mortified by a government run health system - talk about inefficiency, beaurocracy and financial waste. And in our current system, insurance companies have already turned beaurocracy into an artform... I know there are solutions out there to transform and turn it all around, however, I don't want another politically formed and mandated department in our govt... I want more time for the real thinkers to rise to the top in our country and forge a solution that is consumer driven. I personally believe that even though our insurance system is expensive and seemingly more and more off track every day, more people can afford insurance than currently carry it. I have many acquaintances who make a lot of money and spend it all on partying, smoking, keeping up with the Jones', and living beyond their means in very wasteful ways. Or they could devote a couple hundred a month for health insurance. There are many who could afford it, but don't make it a priority. I have friends who don't get it because they just believe it should be free, even though they can afford it. I wholeheartedly disagree with that concept. Yes, there are truly needy people in our country who need affordable healthcare. I know that. Now, about national health, I get tremendously pissed off at the concept of people who have lived a life of non-health and riskiness (lifetime smokers, addicts, promiscuity, crap diets/fast food, etc. etc.) and whose eventual catastrophic health concerns I might eventually have to contribute to take care of through my taxes, and that really chaps me. I have no solutions, but I am tremendously skeptical of jumping on a govt. run national health plan in the US. Yikes. And when the govt. decides to mandate how much a doctor's salary can be, then I fear we will quickly lose the finest medical care in the world.

[cafe1084]

I understand alot of you are in larger cities but I am shocked at the difference in price from there to here. My AC was $3200 x 4, TH $2600 x 12, then H $ 1400 a week for 40 weeks, not to mention mastectomy with all the add-ins $12,000, lumpectomy $7000, scans $3000-$6000, $400 per echo, $30 co-pay for onc ofc visits, etc., etc....even at what seems discounted prices I have accumulated at $100,000 worth of bills in 1 year. Insurance pays 80%, and that leaves me with around $20,000 I am responsible for plus $400 family insurance premiums monthly. And YES, they all want their money NOW! my dining room table is covered, so I draw 3 out every week and send them $10.00 each...what else can a single mom of three eating machines do??? BUT.....

The cost of being here with my kids and being cancer-free: Priceless

[fauxgypsy]

I was told that the Herceptin was $5000 for the dose that I received today. My mastectomy bill for the hospital alone was over $16,000. I had to stay 4 days because of a fever. I am on medicaid (and thankful for it) through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. I have yet to receive a Neulasta shot although I have had Arinesp twice and Procrit twice. I have noticed that you are more likely to get Neulasta if you have private insurance. The cost of these varies a lot from clinic to clinic. Of course billing and reimbursement are apples and oranges. Medicaid reimburses so little that many doctors will not see you if that is all you have. I have been fairly lucky so far, but my latest oncologist said at the beginning that he might as well be seeing me for free. It is not a good system. but it is all I have right now.

Leslie

[hutchibk]

Leslie - you can get Neupogen instead of Neulasta. It requires more injections, but it runs in the $hundreds instead of the $thousands. It's what they used before Neulasta, and my doc still uses it depending on the blood counts.

[Esther]

All this talk about healthcare motivated me to chime in. I know health care here in California, and the low income folks, making about 30k for a family of 4 qualify for free medi-cal.

Other than that, you are expected to provide for your own healthcare. I have spent a life time with NO health issues, yet always made it a priority to have top health insurance coverage.

Now, I have no problems getting any test, seeing any specialist or receiving treatment anywhere I want. I have great coverage.

After years of paying into the healthcare system, I'm getting the rewards. It's similar to car insurance, the years of no accidents would make it seem like a waste of money, but if you total your car and have no car insurance, will anyone feel sorry for you when you have no car?

Anyone who has the foresight to plan ahead in US has the opportunity to buy a healthcare policy. But like Brenda said, many don't make it a priority until the health need is there, and then it's too late.

Just my 2 cents---but I like the US healthcare system.

[hutchibk]

I have to agree Esther - I have always had my own insurance. (only for a few years did I have employer ins, and a couple of those years were with a really lame HMO). It has always been a priority in my life. I have had amazing coverage since my tip-top health took a turn that day after my gyn exam... I honestly cannot complain with our current system for the most part. At least my personal experience with it. I do believe that ins co's and pharm co's are running a bit off the rails these days, and that we should be focusing on solutions to rein them in and shift the direction to a consumer driven system... but it should be left to the private sector. The needy and under/un-insured should potentially be dealt with on a state level as in California and other states. Just MHO.

I have used the car ins example for years when talking about this. I am totally perplexed why people will buy a sporty car they can't afford, that costs $400/500 a month for insurance (just to be cool or impress their friends), yet they claim they can't afford health ins. Often it seems to be an issue of personal responsibility and proper priorities...

[Bev]

Hi all, the figures quoted all seem to be in the range of 3 to 5K per plus lab, plus this and that. Then you see what the insurance company actually pays, Usually 1/4 to 1/3. The Onc gets $36 for an office visit. That's the real cost if you have insurance. Lord help you if you have an income and no insurance.

We pay for our family insurance and it's 11K per year. No vision or dental, and our dental fees come close to that 11K for family of 5.

I have to say if you have a very low income, things will be done for next to nothing. I had a friend w/ pnuemonia in the hospital for 3 weeks on a ventilator and they settled for $750. There are plenty of clinics where she can get free mammos etc. But you are basically on a greyhound bus, no choice.

Because they're are so many uninsured they're upping our bill to pay for it. On the other hand I am really glad they treated my friend. So in a way it's a hidden tax.

Don't know about universal Health care. I love being able to pick my docs and dumping the ones I don't like, those that keep me in the waiting room forever.

I don't know if we're going to solve this one, but I am thankful for all the treatment options that were developed, out of greed maybe, in the USA. BB

[Joanne S]

My insurance company is charged for Herceptin separately, (not for the administration of the drug, nurse, IV solutions, lab work , supplies, flushing the IV, etc---those are all separate charges). One Herception dose charge every three weeks is a whooping $10,500. My insurance pays approximately $4,000 per dosage, not the charged amount. I count my blessings that I have insurance.

Sounds quite high for Chinese Hamster Ovary proteins.

[Catherine]

I have not read all of the above posts. My insurance is luckily paying for my Herceptin. One year is approximately $100,000 USD. I go every 3 weeks. I have good insurance, but a high deductible. Last year with surgery, etc our out of pocket was about $12,000 for me. It will be about the same in 2007.

Yes, I think we should all buy pharmaceutical (sp) stocks.

Catherine

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

My Pink one, I did not forget our conversation. Last night, around ?9:30 I got a blank screen trying to SUBMIT my response to you. Then I went to WRITE and tried to remember what I was then talking about. Here it is...

Interesting. That puts a great onus on your GP to be super knowledgeable in every area. In my niece's case -- she has not been to a doc, period. Not covered. Can't afford it. I am esp concerned as she is a young woman, plus has an aunt who had met bc. I told both my dghtrs to get a base line which they did when I met (at ages 28 and 30). They were then advised not nec to follow up unless a problem. I don't approve. I have advised them to self exam mnthly and remind them that what I had was never a lump. It was a genl hardness, or sponginess, of the entire breast. I have explained other ways I've heard of it presenting. I have told my girls, now 37 and 39, that if I were them I'd go to a breast surgeon at least annually. I feel no one examines your breast as this experts. I never had a GYN examine me quite as thoroughly. My son-in-law is an OB/GYN and he answers all my many questions well. But he tells me generally he knows most everything about what goes on down there. Funny but not.

Here's my PS, after reading posts from last night to now. Leslie, you are so in my thoughts. What are your white and red bld cell counts at? Now you're on top of your case and thank goodness for that!

I am told that I am no longer considered a *chemo* patient. I am on a monoclonal antibody, so a whole set of OTHER rules apply to me re things such as Arnaesp. My low counts don't count as much as a CHEMO patient's, it seems. I find that rude. I am grateful not to be a CHEMO patient, and yet -- I do ev 3 wks to the chemo room to be accessed by a chemo nurse w/my infusion and I have a real issue w/my red bld #s and my enormous fatigue.

BTW, I LOVE my port. Finding a vein in my one good arm is a horror. Multiple sticks, veins collapsing, rolling over, blowing out. I have one in my wrist that works and that is it. I know H is as caustic as other chemos I have had, but my battered, bruised arm can't take the reg insult.

And once my wonderful insur co gave me approval for a brain MRI but denied contrast as ordered by my onc. Said, IF they find something they will let me go back and repeat the MRI with contrast. The report, of course, said, they see nothing, but stated clearly that it is very difficult to find met disease w/o contrast. Leaving me happy, nothing seen, but wondering... Doc exasperated, said something about a catch 22 and wasn't up to fighting, waved his hand and told me I'd be fine. That was a yr ago. Now, doc says if I was going to have brain mets I'd have had them long ago... WHAT A MESS HEALTH CARE IS IN, w/us falling in the cracks...
Andi

[Believe51]

We too had the best of coverage when my husband was working. After he was deemed disabled we did loose it and were left to depend on the state. Imagine that, 15 years of paying for insurance 'he' never used because he was the poster man for health and he is left there in the cold with a disease that is even colder. This is not to whine for it is my life, just amazing the turns life can make in a matter of moments.

Since he provided the household with medical and he turned into the patient, we are out to fend for ourselves. Again not complaining. Guess it is my way of yelling out loud. All I want is for him to get what he needs to have the fairest shot possible to beat this monster!!

Right now we are recieving what we need, not with ease but we are able to get billed for services. When we reach our quota he will have state insurance again, I will be without insurance until the next open enrollment at work. It sucks that last year we were driving a Cadillac El Dorado and today I cannot even pick up a prescription. (not a materialistic comment at all!!)

All in all I am just happy to have him here and the rest will work itself out. We are totally happy with the medical team helping us to get a grip on this journey and all of the different resources that have pulled together to help!!

Brenda, "Commitment To Access" is a wonderful program and we are truely blessed to have it here for us!! Thanks Love, your post got me on the phone and he will have his Tykerb tomorrow!!

Big hugs & prayers>>Believe51

[hutchibk]

Great Marie - I am glad you made it happen!

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Marie my sweet, You keep on making stuff happen! Sometimes we just need a little reminder, a nudge, and we snap into action. Stay connected to your spiritual nature. And tell Ed to hold on you and it too. (Hope he wasn't upset by my post to him yesterday. I just felt he was in need of one of those nudges to reset his mental chatter and come back to Life!) My love to you both, along with prayers for DANCING WITH NED! Remember -- delay is not denial. Sometimes we have to be patient, which trust me, is the hardest thing to accomplish in the world! I vote for instant gratification, but then I guess I don't get a vote. Want to sign a petition w/me? SOONER rather than later...!
Andi http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/smi/0201e05fca/06

[hutchibk]

Yeah - I have needed to adjust internal dialogue a little lately, too. Don't know why it's a little off the rails, all is going so well. My counselor will kick me into gear today... that and reading Andi BBs posts!

[mke]

A CBC news release in 2005 said that the cost of herceptin would be about $40,000 CD for a course of treatment. When I started in 2006 I read something like $35-38,000 CD for treatment. I had 18 infusions so that would be about $2000 per infusion. However that would be only the cost of the drug, not the administration.

I think it was on breastcancer.org that there was a discussion of the price of neulasta shots, and there was a great deal of variance - a factor of about 3 if I remember correctly. It seems that drug companies charge what the market will bear.

I agree with PinkGirl that it would be good for Canadians to know the cost of the health services that they access. However I disagree that they abuse the system. I coordinated a study of around 3000 patients of 100+ family doctors over a 2 year period. We found some heavy users, mostly elderly heart, lung, and diabetes patients. There was only one clear abuser, a woman who was driving her doctor nuts. There was nothing wrong with her, but she was in to see the doctor about every 10 days. We picked patients randomly and he was horrified that this patient would be audited.

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Brenda, It makes me happy to know you don't think I'm an utter fool, all glowy and positive all over the place. I am sincere if nothing else. And then I have my moments. Don't we all??? My younger daughter Pami tells me at such times, after sighing, fully hearing my despair and pausing -- You need to get back in touch w/your spirituality. It works its' magic every time. I see that I have temporarily become misaligned! I have forgotten that I AM A SOUL, with a mind and a body. I immediately re-identify myself and my perspective totally changes. I see the world through the eyes of my True Self. Works for me every time.

And then sometimes, I talk to a special friend, one who's been there/done that and I feel I am HOME and understood. I have 2 friends I can rely on to tell it like it is and support me no matter what with love, not I gotta go now, I'll talk to you soon. Be strong, like you always are. Once it came from a friend I'd have never guessed it would. I was on a rant and she happened to call. And she heard me. She explained that growing up she dealt w/a lot of cancer in her close family. And she became this wonderful source of compassion and strength. Canser didn't scare her, like it does so many *normal* pp. I could feel her arms around me, her strong shoulder there for me, and I poured out my heart and then I felt a whole lot better. Brenda, guess your counselor can do that for you. I had 5 yrs of *shrinkdom* and was w/the wrong man from the getgo. But he kept convincing me to stay w/him to get WELL. Said I wasn't in a position to make that call, to leave him. I fell for it every time. Now, older and wiser, I tell every one, if you're w/the wrong counselor move on. You have to feel that click, that chemistry. Glad you've got a good one.

Rambling again, as I am prone to do. Thoughts come flooding my brain and my fingers start dancing on the keyboard. Oh, and I just have to tell you one more thing... BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. Glad to hear you're not thinking BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...!!!

With love. Here's to staying NED.
Andi http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/smi/0201e05fca/06