HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

1st Remicade bill from hospital-- holy &^%$!!!

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/1/2010 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
i received the bill for my 1st two infusions from the hospital today...$26,058.00!!!!  i'm going to be the $6,000,000 man!
Posted 5/1/2010 7:27 AM (GMT 0)
$26 grand? How dare they! I pay $ 5000.00 for 5 vials(one treatment). Actually the BC Provincial Government does. You or your Insurance company (boy do I hope it's your Insurance company) are getting ripped off large!
Posted 5/1/2010 8:02 AM (GMT 0)
I can't believe the amount of money you haave to pay to get well.  I am in B.C. so I am covered but even then it only costs about $1500 for two weeks  worth of Humira.

Posted 5/1/2010 8:25 AM (GMT 0)
What?!!! That's absurd. I agree with Grandpa: you're being ripped off BIG TIME.

I hope your insurance policy isn't one of those mean ones that can drop you as soon as you claim $250K or more?
Posted 5/1/2010 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
Mine fluctuates and has increased over the years. I recall the first few infusions being around $6000 or so, however now they range from $10-13000. I suppose it's what was said in a previous post, that it's weight based. I weighed 135lbs when I received the first few infusions, and now I weigh about 194 so it makes sense I suppose. Glad I don't have to pay for any of it. I'm sure my insurance company wishes I would drop dead though.
Posted 5/1/2010 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
yeah that was the "bill" they sent to me, but of course i'm sure the ins co has a cheaper deal with them and then i think my out of pocket max for the year is $2500 so thank god for ins...I also weigh 195 lbs so i guess my dosage might be higher...i saw that # though and was stunned!  and that's at 5mg per kg...they can double it i guess if that doesn't work...
Posted 5/1/2010 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
Once again I'm glad to live in Canada. Even if I did have to pay for it, the bill is $20,000.00/ year.

I read on this thread that there are other med assisance programs besides the one listed above, perhaps they can help?

I love AZ, beautiful place, but man the US health care system freaks me out.

Hang in there, I hope the Rem works well for you!
Posted 5/1/2010 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
What's the breakdown on the bill? What was the length of the hospital stay?
Posted 5/4/2010 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
no hospital stay- infusions are done at the cancer center at the hospital...
$1700 for infusion and $24,000 for med plus a few small charges.
i will check out the remistart program- thanks!
Posted 5/4/2010 9:33 AM (GMT 0)
mtgman, where abouts in AZ, sorry don't mean to break the thread.  But I was curious what hospital you are using.  And if I may, who is your insurance company?  I live in AZ also.  Southeast part of the valley.

Posted 5/4/2010 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
It's been at least 3 years, but when I had to go to the hospital for a 12 hr long infusion (which turned out to be 19 hrs) after having reactions at home, I think the hospital tried to bill me close to $10,000.  Of course, insurance made them write off a bunch and I had a $2,000 out of pocket max, but still, $10k for an infusion is ridiculous.

Posted 5/4/2010 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
Zena, you were giving yourself Remicade infusions AT HOME? I've never known anyone who's been allowed to do that.
Posted 5/4/2010 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
That's horrible!

Mine costs $33.30 a pop

thank god for the Australian health care system!!
Posted 5/5/2010 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
WOW that is a lot of money ..

I get Humira and the pen costs 1000 USD but I get it for free.
Because I live in Iceland :)
Posted 5/5/2010 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
I get Cimzia for free -- thank God for the US health system!!

Hospitals in the US are by far the most expensive places to get treatment. My gastro clinic does Remicade infusions -- not sure what they bill but it's likely much less. I've priced several biologics several times and they're all roughly $20K/year.
Posted 5/5/2010 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
i live in Cave Creek and have the infusions done at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea at the Piper Cancer Center. The bill is huge but my total out of pocket is only $2,500 a year so it's not that bad.
Posted 5/5/2010 5:33 AM (GMT 0)
I live outside of Queen Creek, actually halfway between there and Florence.  I have to drive 30 miles each way just to see the GI or go to any appointments.

I take it that is a good hospital?  All I have anywhere close to me are Banner's.

Posted 5/5/2010 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
My GI office used to do the infusions for me. At that time, I was working for the House of Representatives. Thus, working for the state, my insurance covered 100% of the $15,500 treatment with no copay.
Posted 5/5/2010 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
cleo35, I wasn't giving them to myself, the in-home nurse came and gave them to me in my home.  That was much cheaper (and so much more convenient) than the infusions at the hospital outpatient infusion center and being admitted for longer infusions at the hospital, but they couldn't do at home anymore once I had the reactions.  But, it was half the cost to have the in-home nurse come do it.   

Posted 5/5/2010 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Wow. Just wow.

The gastroenterology department at my hospital have to jump through hoops to get funding for Remicade, and even so only enough for 3 doses per patient approved for treatment. It's NHS, so that explains it although I swear I've seen UK folks on here on Remicade as a maintenance treatment. If so, oh well =/ But if the dosage is that heavily weight-dependent, surely - at 88lb the last time I weighed myself - I can be allowed 4 doses for the price of 3 <_<.
Posted 5/6/2010 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
My infusions are billed out to the insurance company at just over $15,000 each. The insurance company pays around $11,000 and the rest is written off.
Posted 5/6/2010 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
I also live in Az in Apache Junction and deal with Banner as well..ugh
Posted 5/6/2010 5:23 AM (GMT 0)
yeah- Scottsdale Healthcare is a great hospital system and my doc just got voted by his peers as the best GI doc in the state- he's up in N. Scottsdale and he's awesome. Just wish this Remicade would kick in already!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply