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Monthly cost of Colostomy and Ileostome supplies

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Posted 8/23/2009 10:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I am looking for a better understanding of the average monthly expenses of ileostomy and colostomy supplies. I hope someone can help me.
Thanks,
David
Posted 8/23/2009 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
it really depends on your insurance and what products you use.
Like with my insurance i pay about 20% and its about 100 or so and i order every 3 months or so.
But sometimes i go through more flanges or bags than others so i have to ordr a little more often, or sometimes i have to order my gel tabs or drops so its a little more. Or sometimes i dont need as much stuff so its less.

Its less than what i was paying for medicine though.
Posted 8/23/2009 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
I live in the US, and my supplies are 100% covered by health insurance, so there is no cost for me.
Posted 8/23/2009 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
I think we need to hear from someone with insurance like I have ($2500 individual deductible, high copays, $30-60 for office visits, $30 to $50 for prescriptions, etc.). Our insurance basically pays nothing.

I think this is a good topic because my surgeon keeps recommending elective surgery for an inverted colostomy but I would need to pay for the daily irrigation equipment, and probably a good hefty amount of the hospital bill. With 2 daughters in college, my husband's company downsizing and on furlough, it's just out of the question.

So is there anyone here who has to pay for their ostomy supplies out of pocket?

This is something I've been curious about too.

Back when I had my temp ostomy in 1999, we had Choice Care and it paid for nearly all of my bills. We had to pay very little.

But it's not 1999 is it? Sigh......
Posted 8/24/2009 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
Canadian healthcare is a bit different but it also varies from province to province. I'm fortunate to be in Alberta which has a program called AADL (Alberta Aids to Daily Living) and it covers 75% of my appliances and pastes. It doesn't cover something like M9 drops. My ET signed me up for the program, just presented me with a form and told me to sign it and that was that, she took care of everything. With the 25% that I pay out of pocket, my husband's insurance seems to cover 80% of that which is our normal coverage for prescriptions, my diabetes supplies, etc. I haven't actually had a reimbursement yet so I'm not absolutely certain what will and won't be covered. I sent them all of my receipts for everything up to and including the gauze for packing my wounds and I'll find out shortly what they cover. They just sent me a letter last week wanting to know what medical condition I needed ostomy supplies for so I called them up and told them for an ileostomy. The lady had never heard of it and wasn't even sure how to enter it into her computer.

I paid $23.57 CDN for five one-piece Hollister appliances plus one tube of paste. I'll be reimbursed 80% of that which will ultimately put me $4.17 out of pocket for 2.5 weeks (I change every 3-4 days).
Posted 8/24/2009 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
convatec 400598 about 77$/box, 10 bags in box,, 77$/10 bags = 7.70$ /bag, + adhesive paste about 15$, frequency of use within month varies by individual, due to sweating, leaks, comfort level,... say 4 days/bag /change ,,
then 30 days in month/4 days to next change = 7.5 changes (bags used in month) * 7.70/bag = 57.75$, plus the 15$ for paste =72.75$
Posted 8/26/2009 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for you inputs!

1. Just to be sure I got it right, is the following correct: "The average out of the pocket money is ~$20 per month and Medicare or other health care insurance covers ~$80 a month => total cost is about 100$".

2. As far as you know, what are the main challenges for ostomates are dealing with, on a daily bases? (is it the handling, comfort level or maybe the cost).

Thanks,
David
Posted 8/26/2009 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
1. I dont know, lol

2. there arent really any challenges everyday. I guess the most annoying thing to me (honestly) is remembering to put things in my left pocket and not my right. Its not hard at all to handle or empty, once you get the hang of it, its not hard to change either, again once you get the hang of it. The cost is less than the meds, so its not that bad. Im sorry i cant help with this but i really cannot think of anything!
Posted 8/27/2009 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
1)clearly at 7.70$ a bag in my example someone is getting rich
2)The design of convatec paste and bag.. seems that the paste reacts with the bag adhesive to help seal the paste to the bag. ok thats good, if the reaction is not a problem to the skin underneath... also the paste changes in volume causing some constriction to the seal..um not so good as the change in paste volume causes constriction around the stoma as well, to help with prolonged seal.. well since it also expands the seal actually becomes less consistent, the longer its worn. So the initial reaction brings some constriction while in the longer term the volume increase to the paste makes the seal less consistent.
Posted 8/27/2009 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
well, everyone's insurance covers different amounts, the supply companies charge different amounts, copays are different amounts, use different products (one piece vs two piece/convexity vs non-convexity, etc...)...it is really hard to say what the average is! I would look at it from YOUR coverage and supplier's prices to see a good picture for YOU.

There are cheap suppliers out there (as in price, not quality, lol) that DO NOT deal with insurance companies. That lowers their costs and they pass that on to you in the form of their low prices.

Some on this board do pay out of pocket and shop around and probably know prices for multiple places by heart...vette guy will give his two cents I'm sure!!!
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