Most U.S.-based drug manufacturers have program to help make their products affordable or free to patients who need them. This is not pure goodwill on their part but mostly part of a quid pro quo with the government to protect myriad tax breaks for amortizing 'research and design' and other non-material assets. And tax-payers paying for a lot of testing they the companies benefit from.

Find out the drugs you'll be needing and contact each company directly for starters and go from there.

We taxpayers pay for a lot of pharmaceutical corporate 'tax benefits' to covet their tax loopholes so don't be shy about researching every economic break available. Also, if you hit a roadblock (maybe a drug from a non-U.S. manufacturer that may not have the same programs, though most do), ask your doctor if there is an equally-effective substitute.

If you have this conversation with your doctor, there might be resources to help you with this. Cancer centers frequently have someone on staff that help you get signed up for a program or a grant. Also our doctor is very good at looking at alternative deliveries of medicine. In clinic shots, opposed to orals, if it means getting it paid for. It is truly crazy that an infusion or in clinic injection has a copay of 20.00 or 40.00, but if you take a pill at home it is frequently not covered or has a ridiculous co pay in the thousands. My husbands two chemo pills together add up to $35,000 per month. If they weren’t covered he would have been gone years ago. Is your oncologist part of a larger cancer center? Are you close enough to be comfortable getting regular injections or infusions?

My Oncology nurse applied to pfizer on my behalf and I’m getting the meds at no cost. The number is 1-800-877-744-5675. They are very helpful. Give it a try. Or ask your doc to do it for you. Hope this helps. Maria

I have the same insurance coverage you have. The Ibrance & Afinitor (immunotherapy) and now Xeloda (chemo pill) plus Xgeva are all fully covered between insurance and an income based fund the hospital administors. Have you checked with your oncologist group to see what help they can offer?

I, too, suggest to contact your oncologist or nurse to help you sign up for a free/discounted plan. I am on Verzenio (abemaciclib) and the oncology nurse put me on the program immediately. If you are at a cancer center, the specialty pharmacy workers also might know about it.

On a separate note, may I kindly suggest MBCs to include their disease type (PR/ER, HER2, mets sites)? I am still trying to find my way and when someone says they are on, say, Keytruda, I end up searching what that is for and why am I not on it. Then it turns out it's not a fit for what I have. Or perhaps it could be put under the profile section? Thank you for your understanding.