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What’s the cost of Pegasys with good commercial insurance?
If you are a younger ET patient (my son 38) wouldn’t the doctor prescribe pegasys (or other interferon therapy) vs HU if he had to go beyond a Asprin. what’s everyone experience with cost? Do they have a coupon program? Would the insurance company still require step therapy? Everything I’ve been reading says go with interferon.
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Easiest is to call yr son's pharmacy and ask them to run the cost for you. They can also tell you if there's an out of pocket cap on costs with his policy. Policy coverage varies like crazy.
Remember that insurance companies can change their formulary without notice.
The pharm may know if there's a payment program thru the manufacturer, but you are strictly at the mercy of what the company feels like giving away from time to time. There will be paperwork to complete.
Best of luck. It's very hard to pay for Peg and other, newer drugs in the U.S. because of cost.
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Hug
3 ReactionsPS, GoodRx can give you an idea of what you'd pay for Pegasys in your area. Price has come down somewhat from the initial price if $6k per month: https://www.goodrx.com/pegasys
Genentech makes Peg, and here is their help-with-payment page: https://www.gene.com/patients/patient-support-services
Important to remember that ALL meds given for ET are off-label, e.g., not approved for ET by the FDA. That gives insurance companies an out to decline payment. Most docs prescribe HU because it's generic, and many insurance policies have a blanket policy for generic drugs.
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Hug
2 ReactionsAccording to a study I read, HU has no benefit to middle aged ET patients unless over Asprin unless very specific criteria are met. Long term use can lead to other issues. Seems like Pegasys and Besremi are $6k and $9k unless you make $100k or less for there coupon. I doubt people making enough to pay that long term aren’t participating on this forum.
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Hug
1 ReactionI'm 70, ET-CALR. On HU + ASA x 6 yrs. Blood counts stable in 400s. If I were under 60, I would certainly consider Peg or Besremi if I could afford it. There are psychological side effects, but more in older patients. In Europe, where interferon are much more widely used, patients get screened for depression and may be prescribed anti-depressants. Best to you and yr son.
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Hug
2 ReactionsNot sure what study you looked at. Of course there can be side effects with HU. I have none, but that often depends on the individual. Remember that HU has been around 50+ years, so effects are well documented. Peg and it's even more expensive sister, Besremi, are newer drugs, and long term effects are unknown. Interferon are the only drugs that MAY improve, vs control, ET. Jury is still out.
Sorry to throw more info at you and to give the impression of arguing. It would be great if your son has the means to try Peg. But there is a lot of unnecessary fear of HU out there, despite its having helped many people avoid clots and vonWillebrand Syndrome. I'm still kicking after 17 years with ET. Dad also had ET many years ago and was on HU. Lived to 82 and died of unrelated causes.