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@paxmundi
I urge you to apply to UCSF soon, given the delay between getting in and first appointment. It helps, I think, to have a doctor recommend you. You could call the clinic (4153532961) and ask them. Everyone at the clinic has been good! I wish I had applied when I was first diagnosed before I lost time with local pulmonologists. I feel terribly for your situation.
As for Part D insurance, I reevaluate every year. The policies change prices and which drugs they cover. The Medicare website has (at least in the past) had an excellent page that lets you list your drugs and compare coverage for different policies and prices at different pharmacies. I am taking the typical meds for MAC - azithromycin, ethamputol, rifampin and Aricayce; I'll want to be sure my 2026 policy covers those. Aricayce is very expensive and put me over the $2,000 annual limit ($2,100 for 2026) in the second month. But if your policy doesn't cover a drug, the annual cost limit does not apply.
Wishing you all the best! Please let us know how things go.
BTW, I had mild hemoptysis which cleared after about 2 months on the meds.
Sarah

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Replies to "@paxmundi I urge you to apply to UCSF soon, given the delay between getting in and..."

@yardsend Thanks again, Sarah. Still not clear on what the Blue Shield policy you have is that is working. Just Medigap? Not a PPO? The reason I am belaboring the point is that on UCSF site where they list accepted insurances, they only have HMO and PPO listed under Blue Shield, and then there are UC plans for retirees of UC system. The billing department said that even if UCSF accepted a plan the individual provider might not accept it, so I called the pulmonary department, which said billing was wrong and no one seemed to be able to say for certainly what was accepted, though THEY said providers don’t accept it r fail to accept plans. So I’m in a conundrum.

Can you tell me more specifically what your Blue Shield insurance is that works for Zha’s practice? Was it part of a retirement package? What is it called? That is what I need, and so far the hospital has sent me on a wild goose chase. I have always worked for myself so never had medical benefits from a workplace. Thank you, Sarah! I know the part D is different and I will need something that covers all the MAC treatment drugs like you do. Whatever makes those costs less prohibitive. Kaiser has helped destroy my health and there is no way that I will stay on.