Cost of Enbrel

I finally reached the conclusion that I needed the Enbrel since nothing else (in pill form, i.e. Arava, Imuran, etc.) was working. 

I have Oxford insurance and WITH health insurance coverage, the cost for 4 syringes (1 mos. worth, I'm supposed to take 1 injection per week) is $656!!!! There is NO WAY I can afford that amount per month!

Also, I was recently prescribed Celebrex.  Again, an exorbitant cost.  WITH health insurance, a month's supply cost $100 (60 pills, I'm supposed to take 2 per day).

For those of you on Enbrel and Celebrex, how do you afford it?  Are there health insurance companies that give better coverage?  If so, which ones? I purchase my health insurance privately so I guess I could switch if there was a particular health insurance company that provided better coverage.

I understand there is no generic Enbrel or Celebrex.  Is there any way to purchase it cheaper?  

Also, another question, does anyone know if I will be rejected for AARP coverage because of the rheumatoid arthritis?

This becomes a bigger nightmare by the day.  After I finally convince myself that I need to take stronger drugs because I'm in terrible pain, now I can't afford it.  

Any solutions/options to this ridiculous cost???  Please let me know. 

 

call enbrel, ducky is right your cost should go way down maybe nothing?

leeloo maybe the preauthorization hasnt gone through yet??????? if not call enbrel for help! hey offer to be a test dummy, i mean smartty. lol i too love enbrel almost more than prednisone?

Gosh, my post above as on 12/14 - still no Enbrel.  I called the Pharmacy for about the ninth time today and got yet another putoff.  They were about to send me the wrong stuff!  So, I've been off Enbrel since 12/10 (and off Plaquenil and lowered doeses of Celebrex and MTX!).  In case anyone is wondering if any sypmtoms have come back: not really.  Just a few little irritations in a few joints.  Even my perpetual acne that Enbrel seems to have killed hasn't returned.  Still, it would be nice to get some Enbrel back in my system...

My problems were numerous and persistent communication problems between my doctor, the pharmacies, and the insurance company. I said "were" because the Enbrel is now on a Fed Ex truck and should be here in two more days! Just my luck though - out of coincidence, I have a mild respiratory infection right now! I hope it is gone by the time the stuff arrives...

The shipment I got last month direct from the manufacturer (the first one is free!) came in a disposeable cooler with some sort of frozen chemical in a bag that kept it very cold. I actually told them there was no immediate rush due to me currently having an infection!

I didn't have any luck with calling Enbrel or Humira for assistance in the cost of the drug and my income is minimum. My ins (Humana) pays 75% but 25% is still a chunk of money when the drug cost anywhere from 1500 to 1700 a month depending on the pharmacy (surprizenly Walmart was the highest but maybe they will price match) I finally got help calling "Patient Assistance" who gave me a four thousand dollar grant for my Humira but that don't cover the high out of pocket copays during the donut hole. I'm open for suggestions and desparate as by mid Feb I will be in the Medicare donut hole and can't afford insurance to supplement. I can't believe how expensive it is to treat RA.

I too had finally come to the conclusion that I needed Enbrel. I can barely walk. So I applied for the Enbrel copay support (mine was $1600 a month after Federal Blue Cross). I was accepted. However, there is a catch here. The support only pays up to $4,000 during a six month period. So, needless to say I won't be able to take Enbrel. Looks like a wheelchair and stronger pain meds for me.

They explained to me that what you say about the $10 co pay is for the SECOND six months on. It says it in the paper work they sent to me as well that for the first six months they pay up to $4000.00 of the copay and anything after that is the patient's responsibility. What type of insurance do you have? $100 co pay is a great deal less than $1600. I think I need to call my pharmacy and see what is going on. You say $1200 per injection. My pharmacy told me it was $1600.00 co pay AFTER insurance. Something doesn't sound right here. Thank you for your response. I am going to look into this as soon as I leave work today.

I found out I had Rheumatoid Arthritis back in 2008. I didn't get on Enbrel for anoter 8 months so the doctors could assess my condition, either that or through a foul-up. Anyway, I used to get up and go to work with stiffness in my hands and feet which got worse until I had to start setting the alarm clock earlier to allow more time to get-up each morning. The pain and mobility got worse, my window of mobility began to shrink until I was only pain free from about 1pm to 3pm daily. My morning aches lasted longer and started earlier each night until finally the pain was constant--with mornings absolute agony! I finally spent 6 weeks in bed and lost nearly 30 pounds---I actually contemplated suicide because I wasn't about to lie in bed feeling as if I was on fire or had just been in a bad car wreck for the rest of my life!

My condition was finally confirmed as "Severe" and I was put immediately on Enbrel. I learned to use the auto-injectors (4 per box-750ml). I went to the clinic for my first injection then went back home and to bed once again. The next morning I got up, dressed and was half way down the hallway headed for my morning coffee when I realized I felt like a teenager again! It was quite unbelievable! I've been on Enbrel ever since!

If you get a cold or the flu you can skip a shot with no problems; the half life of each injection is 132 hours which figures nearly 5 days. There's a bit of a coast here so as not to overlap. If you go off Enbrel though, the worst symptoms of the Arthritis start creeping back after about 2.5 weeks. Once on the shots follow the procedure, a skip now and then is fine--just don't do it for economic reasons.

I've joined this site to learn about Enbrel prices and how much misery you've all gone through and the hassles with insurance companies and it's a sobering thought indeed! I knew it was around $500 dollars per injection each week but have heard prices as high as $700 dollars!

I consider myself the luckiest guy in the world after reading all these horror-stories. I am enrolled in the Veterans Health Care System and everything's covered free of charge--with the exception of an $8.00 dollar co-pay each month. Whew! I am glad I joined the military when I was young. I can't afford Obamacare or health insurance or even Medicare on my retirement income. Without the VA I don't know what I would do!!

If anyone here is a Veteran, call your VA representative ASAP and look into their Enbrel program! I have a service connected leg and bone disorder which is covered 100% but any additional health problems will be looked after and the co-pay is more than reasonable. I'd write an eight-dollar check all day long to get $2,500 worth of medication each month! I can't thank the VA enough, they've done everything for me.

Actor James Coburn contracted RA and it kept him from working for a decade! He finally got on some kind of "Mineral Salts" which allowed him pain mediation and mobility once again. Before he died he donated $5 million dollars to the RA organization and asked: "please find a cure for this goddarned miserable disease!"

Just thought I'd drop a note to my fellow sufferers--I get it!! And, I wish you all well!

Sincerely,

Steve

When you are on medicare the drug company will not help. If you are low income there are numerous private foundations you can apply to for co-pay help. every january is super stress time to see if you are accepted & they have funding.
Don't know where you guys find enbrel for those prices--mine is now 2800.00/ mo. & medicare only covers 67% of that in first phase of coverage. They now have to cover 50% in coverage gap, then you only pay 5% at catastrophic level( which comes quickly)---but who can get there without help? When I had "real' insurance & could still work my co-pay was $25.00! little did i know the january stress coming every year. Happy New Year, right?
I have used Chronic disease Fund, PAN ( patient access network), Healthwell Foundation. Go to Needymeds.com to see a full listing & how to apply. Louise