Anyone get financial assistance from drug makers?

Christine Louise
Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi, I've posted some here but never introduced myself. I'm 56, had a double mastectomy Jan. 25, immediate expanders placed, will start chemo on March 23 followed by estrogen blocker/inhibitor, genetic testing and probable removal of ovaries and uterus.(Goodness, have I just described myself as a medical case?! I'm much more than that, but I'm sticking to the facts for now.)

My oncologist wants me to take Arimidex instead of Tamoxefen because of Tam's side effects and my good bones. But, Tam is $26/3 months' supply and Arimidex is $400/1 month's supply. I do not have prescription insurance.

Has anyone had any luck with drug makers' financial help programs? We make too much income for help with Arimidex. I heard that makers of similar drugs (aromatase inhibitors) like Aromasin by Pzifer and Femara by Novartis have financial programs. I'll seek information about these, but I wonder if any of you have had experience and success with getting lower prices for these medicines? Thanks for any help you can give!

Comments

  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #2
    Hi, Christine, welcome. I
    Hi, Christine, welcome. I have not gotten any financial assistance but also starting taking Arimidex about 2 months ago. My onco indicated that there will be a generic for this drug and it should be out in the next month or so. Once the generic comes out, the price will reduce substantially. Maybe your onco can give you a couple of months of samples in the meantime. Mine did give me the first month in samples, just to make sure I could take it. Good luck.

    P.S. I haven't had any side effects so far (knock on wood).
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #3
    MyTurnNow said:

    Hi, Christine, welcome. I
    Hi, Christine, welcome. I have not gotten any financial assistance but also starting taking Arimidex about 2 months ago. My onco indicated that there will be a generic for this drug and it should be out in the next month or so. Once the generic comes out, the price will reduce substantially. Maybe your onco can give you a couple of months of samples in the meantime. Mine did give me the first month in samples, just to make sure I could take it. Good luck.

    P.S. I haven't had any side effects so far (knock on wood).

    Thanks for the info
    Thank you for the great information! Love that you haven't had side effects!
  • Deb1969
    Deb1969 Member Posts: 165
    #4
    Christine Louise said:

    Thanks for the info
    Thank you for the great information! Love that you haven't had side effects!

    Try this website.
    Try this website. www.needymeds.org
    Hope this helps.
    Deb
  • sunny_girl
    sunny_girl Member Posts: 33
    #5
    financial assistence
    Here is the web site for the manufacturer of Arimidex (AstraZeneca). This link puts you onto their financial assistence page which should answer many of your questions. They provide assistence for women who qualify, and recommend other routes to get assistence.

    http://www.arimidex.com/paying-for-treatment.aspx

    Good luck with everything.
  • ppurdin
    ppurdin Member Posts: 1,181 Member
    #6
    Financial help
    I don,t know what state your in,I am from ohio.We have a program called perscripion hope.I pay 22 dollars a month for the same medicine.I don,t know what states they cover other then Ohio.I hope this helps.if you need their phone number let me know.Good luck. Pat.
  • Sher43009
    Sher43009 Member Posts: 602 Member
    #7
    ppurdin said:

    Financial help
    I don,t know what state your in,I am from ohio.We have a program called perscripion hope.I pay 22 dollars a month for the same medicine.I don,t know what states they cover other then Ohio.I hope this helps.if you need their phone number let me know.Good luck. Pat.

    I received free Emend from
    I received free Emend from the manufacturer. Talk to you doctor's office. Mine handled all the paperwork for me.

    Sher
  • quiltnut1950
    quiltnut1950 Member Posts: 4
    #8
    drugs
    hi
    yes i got help

    go to your doctors insurance person they should know of all the programs. most drug companies do have help'

    Mary
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #9
    quiltnut1950 said:

    drugs
    hi
    yes i got help

    go to your doctors insurance person they should know of all the programs. most drug companies do have help'

    Mary

    I don't know about this,
    I don't know about this, but, it would be great if the drug companies would help. Treating bc is so expensive. Good luck!
  • Cairmaid
    Cairmaid Member Posts: 64
    #10
    Femara assistance from Novartis
    My oncologist asked me to find out first which medications were covered by my Rx insurance, then she prescribed Femara so they must all 3 be about the same (all three she listed are covered...Femara, Arimidex and Aromasin). She also sent me a card from Novartis which lets me pay only $10/month of my $25 co-pay. I think the card is good for a year, and will let you pay only $10, regardless of whether or not you have insurance. I didn't have to "qualify" as far as I know.

    Check with your doctor on getting a card from the manufacturer. As far as I know, Femara is the aromatase inhibitor with the least side effects, so maybe s/he will prescribe that so you can afford it with the card. Definitely ask for free samples, whatever s/he says.

    My doctor said that both Femara and one of the others (can't remember which one) will be generic by June, which will bring the cost down. I didn't start Femara until a month after my radiation treatments ended, so maybe you can delay a bit to buy some time until the generics are available.
  • GayleMc
    GayleMc Member Posts: 311 Member
    #11
    Cairmaid said:

    Femara assistance from Novartis
    My oncologist asked me to find out first which medications were covered by my Rx insurance, then she prescribed Femara so they must all 3 be about the same (all three she listed are covered...Femara, Arimidex and Aromasin). She also sent me a card from Novartis which lets me pay only $10/month of my $25 co-pay. I think the card is good for a year, and will let you pay only $10, regardless of whether or not you have insurance. I didn't have to "qualify" as far as I know.

    Check with your doctor on getting a card from the manufacturer. As far as I know, Femara is the aromatase inhibitor with the least side effects, so maybe s/he will prescribe that so you can afford it with the card. Definitely ask for free samples, whatever s/he says.

    My doctor said that both Femara and one of the others (can't remember which one) will be generic by June, which will bring the cost down. I didn't start Femara until a month after my radiation treatments ended, so maybe you can delay a bit to buy some time until the generics are available.

    Thanks Cairmaid, for this
    Thanks Cairmaid, for this info. I still have to finish chemo and the rads, but I have been worrying about the cost of the drugs I will take after as my RX coverage is very little. This info sure helps.
  • Cairmaid
    Cairmaid Member Posts: 64
    #12
    GayleMc said:

    Thanks Cairmaid, for this
    Thanks Cairmaid, for this info. I still have to finish chemo and the rads, but I have been worrying about the cost of the drugs I will take after as my RX coverage is very little. This info sure helps.

    Rx coverage info
    GayleMc...my Rx plan uses the "tier" system, as I think many do since the tier list is a nation-wide determination. I was surprised to learn that all 3 brand-name aromatase inhibitors are in Tier 2, which means they are covered by my plan at a slightly higher co-pay than generics, but I don't have to pay the highest co-pay of the Tier 3 brand-name drugs. When the drugs become generic, I'm not sure what happens to the status of the brand-name versions.
  • Cairmaid
    Cairmaid Member Posts: 64
    #13
    GayleMc said:

    Thanks Cairmaid, for this
    Thanks Cairmaid, for this info. I still have to finish chemo and the rads, but I have been worrying about the cost of the drugs I will take after as my RX coverage is very little. This info sure helps.

    Update on Novartis assistance for Femara
    I read the literature again that was attached to my drug-assistance card for Femara. Self-payers (those without Rx insurance) can still use the card, but there is a limit of $800 a year assistance from Novartis. That's only two months worth of Femara at full price. Other meds may have different plans/limits.

    The ACS offers financial assistance, as well. Call your local chapter to find out how they can help you.
  • Cairmaid
    Cairmaid Member Posts: 64
    #14
    Cairmaid said:

    Femara assistance from Novartis
    My oncologist asked me to find out first which medications were covered by my Rx insurance, then she prescribed Femara so they must all 3 be about the same (all three she listed are covered...Femara, Arimidex and Aromasin). She also sent me a card from Novartis which lets me pay only $10/month of my $25 co-pay. I think the card is good for a year, and will let you pay only $10, regardless of whether or not you have insurance. I didn't have to "qualify" as far as I know.

    Check with your doctor on getting a card from the manufacturer. As far as I know, Femara is the aromatase inhibitor with the least side effects, so maybe s/he will prescribe that so you can afford it with the card. Definitely ask for free samples, whatever s/he says.

    My doctor said that both Femara and one of the others (can't remember which one) will be generic by June, which will bring the cost down. I didn't start Femara until a month after my radiation treatments ended, so maybe you can delay a bit to buy some time until the generics are available.

    Correction on the generics schedule
    I saw my onc yesterday. She mentioned the generics again, and said Arimidex is going generic by June but Femara not until next year. Sorry for the confusion.

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