Iressa

[Guest]

My mother-in-law's doctor will be prescribing Iressa to her tomorrow. She is on Medicare, no current supplement (one will start 9/1 but with no prescription benefit).

From what I'm seeing, Iressa costs about $1,800 per month.

It doesn't look like she qualifies for assistance from the manufacturer....does anyone else have other ideas?

I may sound naive, but how do patients pay for such expensive ?

[Estelleanna]

Pentex

I agree with you!!!!! how do people pay for the expense of cancer without GOOD Ins. I am very Lucky to have good Ins. But one day when I was having chemo treatment the pharmarist came in to give me some medicine to take home. We got to talking about how expensive some of the drugs are. I said what do people that don't have ins. do ? go without the medicne that they need & just wait to dye? He told me that they try working with the people that don't have Ins. they know of some charity groups that will help people & they also encourage people like me that have medicine that hasn't been open to give it to them then they can give it to people that need it & can't afford it! I THOUGHT THAT WAS A MARVOLOUS IDEA!!!!! I had individual measured shots that I had to take. I had 10 of them left. I also had other medicine that I had to have on had in case I needed & fourtuntaly didn't need so was able to give that medicine also! That made me feel alot better about my unused medicineI didn't have to throutgh it away! As it was very expensive medicine! my co-pay was $300.00 I go to U W cancer center.

So my advice would go to your state cancer hsopital or cancer center & ask for help, or maybe other hopsitals will help too! Does your mom's Dr. that is giving her Iressa know that she doesn't have Ins to cover it? Maybe the Dr will have some suggestion also. There is help out there but the trouble is to find it!!!

Wish you the best in finding help!!!!

((((((HUGS)))))))

Estelle