Thanks to everyone who has been adding their comments and answers during this past week. Today's questions deal mainly with the ugly side of treatment - money!
Kindly number your responses.
1. How did you/your doctor begin the copay assistance process and how long did it take?
2. What are your out of pocket expenses associated with Ocrevus?
3. If under NHS (National Health Service), how long did approval take for Ocrevus? Have there been any delays or problems with continuing your infusions due to bureaucracy ?
4. What kinds of routine monitoring (e.g. labs, MRIs, physical exam, etc.) does your doctor perform prior to infusions?
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greaterexp
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I have no idea. Apparently the NHS will be given the go ahead in June to implement Ocrevus for PPMS patients. My name has been put forward by my nurse to my neurologist but there are 15000 to deal with, so I wait.
1. Idk, I called Genentech and they got me on board
2. Infusion center copays for oncologists, labs, infusion center services
3. N/A
4. MRI yearly, complere blood count with differential, comprehensive metabolc panel, and just added CD19 (lymphocytes) yearly —along with T-SHIRT, 25 OH Vitamin D, B12 not assoc. with monitoring Ocrevus
1) After googling, I contacted Genentech and began the process and it took just a week or two for approval.
2) Prior to medicare- Less than $250 for infusion administration and non Ocrevus meds like benadryl and solumedrol. Note: Per advice from MS society, infusion administration costs are much lower at free standing infusion center than at a hospital. Next infusion will be after medicare - Hoping for minimal cost.
3) NA
4) Lympocyte panel one month prior to each infusion and annual MRI.
1. No copay assistance on Medicare as primary and Medicare as secondary (Medicare extra help)
2. No out of pocket
(I had to exaust my own resources on prior health care to Ocrevus.)
3. NA
4. Hepatitis B screening and now just my normal labs. My labs come back perfect every time around due to all the changes I've made over the years and other than a CBC I dont know of anything in particular for pre infusion screens.
1- I started on clinical trial which was free then when trial was over I happened to move right after my last trial dose was over and had to establish with new neuro. I was scheduled for my first Ocrevus for less than a month after being seen by the neuro as I was already delayed because of how long it took to get in. I don't remember exactly how long it took to get approved for copay assistance but I would guess less than 2 weeks. It was a very easy process.
2- my insurance has a $5600 out of pocket per year and I had already incurred some out of pocket costs before my first infusion last year but this year I had the infusion mid January and they paid $5500 leaving me only $100 to pay. It was great because I needed a hysterectomy at the end of January and my out of pocket was already covered.
3- n/a
4- blood work 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after. My current neuro doesn't routinely do MRIs every year. I am seen twice a year but not necessarily before my infusion. In January I saw the PA the same day as the infusion but after I had it so was kind of a waste of time since she couldn't really assess me after having the Benadryl and steroids. I get my next infusion at the end of the month and see the doctor in the middle of July
2. None that I’m aware of. I’ve asked my husband twice if we ended up with a bill for it, and he said not yet. We had to pay a lot for the MRI months before the infusion, so that may have been a factor.
4. I have an annual MRI either way. She wanted one at the 6 month mark because I was intending to be pregnant and you can’t have contrast during pregnancy. I have an exam 4 weeks after the infusion. My OB ordered a baseline 3D mammogram before I started and I’ll have another in 2 years, despite not having a breast cancer history in my family she felt it was prudent.
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Ocrevus.
Ocrevus
