Update on Barb Need Some Advice

[MikeF]

I have two reasons for posting today, 1st Barb is still doing great on Perjeta she was in today for her third. Blood counts all look good and shes feeling really good. We were blessed by some people in our church with two free passes to the Biltmore House in Asheville. We went yesterday with our two daughters a son in law and our two grandsons and had a great day in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina (Gods Country) IMHO. Secondly we need some advice from someone whos been there and done that kind of thing. Regarding federal assistance such as MDCD or MDCR or Disability. Im told that if Barb were to sign up for disability she would only get back what shes put in and she hasnt worked a paying job in 30 years so there cant be a whole lot there. We recently recieved a notice from our hospital regarding a shot of Aranesp Barb was given on the 6th after her last treatment was over. We wondered why at the time they sent her upstairs to the hospital for the shot now we know. 21,000.00 for a shot ?????????????????
Im sure theres a contract price that will be sent to our ins. but come on people 21K really is this stuff made from gold or what. Needless to say Im very concerned about the financial direction we are headed. Barb is pretty insistent on avoiding MDCR and MDCD because she feels there are too many people out there taking advantage of the programs now. This may be true but I feel we are much more entitled to help than many who are getting it now. My main concern is this do any of you out there that are reciving assistance feel like your care has been in any way compromised. The last thing I want to do is shoot us in the foot. We have copay assistance from Genentech for Herceptin and Perjeta but we would loose that if on Public assistance of any kind. Hopefully Barb doesnt need Aranesp any time soon she didnt need it today thankfully. Our hospital used to be willing to work with us by rolling acct # into each other creating one acct but they will no longer allow this. So everytime Barb has something done by the hospital, EKG, Cat Scan, Blood transfusion, or the dreaded Aranesp it creates a new acct # that requires a minimum payment on top of all the other payments that need to be made. Im sorry I guess Im venting slightly but I really was hoping for some advice form those of you who might been in our shoes financially. Are there any downsides to MDCD or MDCR as far as treatment goes? Do they pay it all? How far back in time will they go?