CVS-Caremark to stop covering Xtandi in 2017

[Dr_WHO]

Just an FYI...

It was announced that CVS-Caremark (that pays for my drugs) will stop covering Xtandi starting in 2017. They site the "hyperinflation" for this and 131 other drugs. This is followed that there are "acceptable alternatives" to it. They say that they will continue to cover it for those that currently on it. They will not cover new parents starting in 2017. While I do not currently use Xtandi, it is unsettling news.

[Hidden]

Is it covered by Medicare?

[erjlg3 in reply to Hidden]

It's covered by Magellan....who lg has I think through Medicare all except the 2,106.00 Copay.

[donnacgorman in reply to Hidden]

Xtandi, enzalutamide is covered by Medicare. We pay a small co-pay ($12.00). My husband took it for almost two years. We get it thru Diplomat Pharmacy in Michigan.

[erjlg3]

Thank you for the info Dr_WHO. We're waiting for it to arrive.

[Charlean]

I have a full bottle and one that is nearly full. I sure wish I could send it to someone to use rather than it get thrown away. It was rather costly!

Charlean

[Ronba in reply to Charlean]

I could certainly use it. I just paid $3000 for the first month Charlean! Is there some way I could reimburse you a little?

Ronba

[Charlean in reply to Ronba]

please email me Ronba, [e-mail]

[Chubby42]

Dam in the UK you can have either Xtandi or Abiraterone but not both i guess if the time comes I could fly back to Perth in Australia and hopefully get it.

[bryson43 in reply to Chubby42]

Same in Australia cannot have both

[Magnus1964 in reply to Chubby42]

You mean if you have had Abiraterone and it stops working you can not move on to Xtandi? That seems very arbitrary on the part of you health system.

I suppose you can get it if you can pay for it yourself?

[Cancer09]

Our Xtandi came from accredo speciality med which was a Walgreens I believe ..Zytiga was from Caremark speciality meds ...we had Harvard pilgrim back then for insurance ..The oncologist in Florida have there own med company for theses specially meds ....our Drs in mass do not supply and that is why we went thru speciality co Walgreens and cvs ...insurance coverage and states differ ....they make it so diff for us ...and the cost is out of site !!!

[Doofusthefirst]

I was on Xtandi for eleven months and saw no benefit from it. In the eleven months, my PSA went from approximately 58 to 212. I am now on my first treatment of chemo.

[irwinb3 in reply to Doofusthefirst]

Hi, I was on Zytiga, it quit working as well. Probably getting ready for chemo depending on my scans. PSA is 75. What type of chemo and how are you tolerating it? Thanks Bill in Ohio

[tomhawk88]

I, like Charlean have a full bottle. Dr. said to bring it in and he would give it to his lab. I would rather give it to someone who needs it.

[maack1]

This somewhat explains, but this does not mean that Xtandi will not be available elsewhere:

tinyurl.com/jd34tjs

[bb66hotflash]

I was on Xtandi for 34 1/2 cycles, 138 weeks, before I had to come off it. Held my PSA to 0.7 for 19 months. My PSA when I got off was 1.17. It worked for me.

[Chubby42]

You can buy it cheapest ive seen is Australia or Canada but still about $3000 for 120

[NCrocker]

tomhawk88, not sure if you still have that bottle of Xtandi, but just yesterday I realized to my horror that my latest monthly bottle mailed to me must have gotten mistakenly disposed of (!!!). I hate to go a month without it as it has helping a lot.