Well done ammie.

I have sent a message to my Representative.

My IVIG has been shipped for three months from a large pharmecutical company. The IVIG had been $ 100 per gram and this company charges $ 165 per gram….Medicare had been acccepting it straight from Baxter but not through this private company-it’s the same drug. It’s now considered a NON-drug and Medicare doesn’t see it on its list of approved treatments for CIDP.

My neuro just couldn’t get it and so went with this new supply. I just realize by recent med statements that it was being denied by Medicare….I can’t have it go all toward my secondary BCBS.They are taking the full hit and I have a lifetime cap.It’s over $ 30,000 a month on my BCBS—whew”” 😮

Anyone had luck asking BCBS to have the IVIG considered as a pharmacy drug?? Thanks.

[QUOTE=limekat]My IVIG has been shipped for three months from a large pharmecutical company. The IVIG had been $ 100 per gram and this company charges $ 165 per gram….Medicare had been acccepting it straight from Baxter but not through this private company-it’s the same drug. It’s now considered a NON-drug and Medicare doesn’t see it on its list of approved treatments for CIDP.

My neuro just couldn’t get it and so went with this new supply. I just realize by recent med statements that it was being denied by Medicare….I can’t have it go all toward my secondary BCBS.They are taking the full hit and I have a lifetime cap.It’s over $ 30,000 a month on my BCBS—whew”” 😮

Anyone had luck asking BCBS to have the IVIG considered as a pharmacy drug?? Thanks.[/QUOTE]

I hope I don’t sound too ignorant, but when is Obama’s “no lifetime maximum on benefits” going into effect? Hopefully when that takes effect, you won’t have to worry about BCBS….. You have enough to worry about just keeping yourself healthy!

The lifetime limits were eliminated on 23 September 2010 for new or renewed policies. Annual limits are being phased out and will be eliminated by 1 January 2014. There is a government-supplied insurance for people with pre-existing conditions that have no other insurance. It is effective now and will continue until the Exchanges are up and running in January 2014. You might want to check out [URL=”http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions”%5Dwww.healthcare.gov/law/provisions%5B/URL%5D

~MarkEns

Hi there,
Can anyone please give me the 411 on this article. I cannot for the life of me open the site!!!!! What is the emergency??? are the IVIG batches in good shape???? Please help and advise!!
Thanks!
Flo

Hi Flo,
The initial post is really old, 06 I think. If you are denied ivig, the writer for patient advocacy from the ig living magazine, Kris Mcfalls can help you.

Limekat, gammunex IS approved for cidp. They were the ones who put up the money to meet the fda criteria, I imagine, to insure that they can reach a broader scope of people whoose insurance tries to deny ivig because it is off label for cidp. How stupid!! All ivig works the same with the exception of course of the difference in stabilizers. It’s all about money!!! As usual!

My post is from 2006. I switched from Medicare to BCBS as opted not to have Part D and my BCBS Pharmacy covered it all at that time.
Now BCBS considers IVIG to be under its non-pharmacy section.

I started a great CIDP thread on “IVIG Denied” December 2010 and once again having same insurance company trip me with coverage. Sigh….
We may get unlimited coverage but what if our insurance company just says NO and/or drags their feet?

[QUOTE=Dawn Kevies mom]Hi Flo,
The initial post is really old, 06 I think. If you are denied ivig, the writer for patient advocacy from the ig living magazine, Kris Mcfalls can help you.

Limekat, gammunex IS approved for cidp. They were the ones who put up the money to meet the fda criteria, I imagine, to insure that they can reach a broader scope of people whoose insurance tries to deny ivig because it is off label for cidp. How stupid!! All ivig works the same with the exception of course of the difference in stabilizers. It’s all about money!!! As usual![/QUOTE]

Thanks Dawn! I was thinking “great! Now what wrench is being thrown into our CIDP”? The heading freaked me out, now I can relax:o
Thanks again…. I hope Kevin is feeling better. You brought tears to my eyes when you wrote “He is so young but feels like a 90 year old”. So true and so sad.
Be well.

Thank you..thank you for posting this information and for the link to the House members — I emailed my representative with a long note about CIDP, my experiences and urging full Medicare coverage for IVIG medication and flexibility in choosing medication.

Cathy:)

I got this back from tn bart gordon

Thank you for contacting me regarding
Medicare reimbursement for intravenous
immune globulin (IVIG). Hearing from you
helps me better serve Middle Tennessee.

As you know, a number of members have
sent a letter to Health and Human Services
Secretary Mike Leavitt, urging him to
declare a public health emergency so patient
access to intravenous immune globulin (IVIG)
crisis can be resolved. As a member of the
House Energy and Commerce Committee, I am
following this issue closely.

Again, thank you for your input.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I
can ever be of assistance to you or your
family.

Stay in touch,
/s
BART GORDON
Member of Congress

Thank you for posting. I forwarded it to my US Rep whose name was not on the list.

Thanks for this information. I emailed my rep, John Kline, in Minnesota. He was not on the list.

Jan B
CIDP Jan 2006

I would like to add my thanks and I have also forwarded the info to my representative who was not on the list.

Keep the faith and may we all live long and prosper.

Rich ò¿ó