The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a peer support community for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends! CSN is a safe place to connect with others who share your interests and experiences.
Maintenance Chemo Pills
MRI shows the liver tumor is gone and the chemo shrunk the cancer in many of the lymph nodes including the aorta lymph node. The doctor wants to do maintenance chemo pills but says they are very, very expensive and insurance does not treat it the same as intravenous chemo. Has anybody had experience with the maintenance chemo pills? He still goes in for chemo every other week but no longer getting oxaliplatin and irinotecan. He received 10 treatments with the oxaliplatin and irinotecan and has a lot of neuropathy......hoping, it isn't permanent.
Comments
-
Pills
I took the capecitabine pills and they were covered by insurance on the same terms as IV chemo. But without insurance, I imagine they would have been very expensive. Before I met my out of pocket maximum my copay for two weeks was about 1,100USD. After that, I hit the OOPM and did not need to make the co-pay.
-
-
-
Capecitabine
I also took the capecitabine pills for my neo-adjuvant chemo and then neo-adjuvant chemo/radiation. For the neo-adjuvant chemo, I was on a pre-ACA plan which did not cover prescription drugs and it was, therefore, not covered by insurance. However, the 5FU would have been. I elected to go with the capecitabine due to convenience and the recommendation of my doctor, but it was very expensive. It was going to be $2500. for 14 days. I utilized the GoodRx app and was able to get it for $1250. Currently it is $900.+ on the app. There is some need based help out there from different organizations which may be worth looking into.
For my neo-adjuvant chemo/radiation and adjuvant chemo, I was on an ACA plan and the capecitabine was covered with a $10. copay. As mentioned, you should discuss your options with your oncologist as they may be able to help or recommend an alternative.
-
aiming for lower costs, better results
Capecitabine prices are lower now if you shop around. Capecitabine is the generic name of Xeloda, Assume you needed 120 - 168 tablets per month, that would be $600 - 824 at the lowest prices with the coupons from www.goodrx.com/capecitabine (today)
My wife has used customized forms of daily maintenance chemo for 8 years with better results by including other mild drugs like celcoxib, targeting, and high potency supplements. It is possible to improve inhibition and reduce side effects this way but you have to search out information beyond ordinary oncologists. Her oral chemo, tegafur-uracil, not available in the US because of FDA failures, is cheaper and milder, but capecitabine would be the US replacement.
-
Xeloda cost
Hi -
In terms of insurance companies coverage of Xeloda, many (not all) do treat them as prescription drugs and so your prescription drug copay applies. When I was on Xeloda it cost me $30 every 3 weeks as a "Tier 3" drug. Medicare, for example, uses regular Part B to cover oral chemo and so the cost ranges anywhere from 20% of the cost down to $0 if you have a Supplement) - I'm sure some other ins works that way also. You should check with your own insurance provider and not take your onc's blanket statement as truth for your situation.
Take care,
Betsy Stage 4 - NED since 2009)
Discussion Boards
- All Discussion Boards
- 6 Cancer Survivors Network Information
- 6 Welcome to CSN
- 122.5K Cancer specific
- 2.8K Anal Cancer
- 456 Bladder Cancer
- 312 Bone Cancers
- 1.7K Brain Cancer
- 28.6K Breast Cancer
- 408 Childhood Cancers
- 27.9K Colorectal Cancer
- 4.6K Esophageal Cancer
- 1.2K Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine)
- 13.1K Head and Neck Cancer
- 6.4K Kidney Cancer
- 681 Leukemia
- 803 Liver Cancer
- 4.2K Lung Cancer
- 5.1K Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- 242 Multiple Myeloma
- 7.2K Ovarian Cancer
- 69 Pancreatic Cancer
- 493 Peritoneal Cancer
- 5.6K Prostate Cancer
- 1.2K Rare and Other Cancers
- 544 Sarcoma
- 743 Skin Cancer
- 659 Stomach Cancer
- 192 Testicular Cancer
- 1.5K Thyroid Cancer
- 5.9K Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
- 6.4K Lifestyle Discussion Boards