Hospice Question?

[NancyT]

First I want to thank everyone for all the info on medications.....and as always such great support here. I cannot tell you how much it helps me. I have had a struggle with this Hospice, I have learned they are all different. Has anyone had issues with getting specific medications thru Hospice? I thought they were open to everything. I requested the Actiq lolllipops for my Dad.....they seem like a great idea, something easy for him to use! I was told they could not get them. The nurse told me yesterday "she has never had a patient that Roxinal did'nt work for". This worried me, every patient is different. Any issues getting specific meds with hospice? Any limitations that anyone has experienced? Appreciate any info! I did call Longs Drugs up to find out of they could get them in. They told me they were $$$$$$ for a box of 30/$735.00!

NancyT

[hollyanne]

The Actiq's are really expensive...my mom's insurace didn't cover them, but once we went on hospice, they covered it -- nothing but those and the related Duragesic patches (and the morphine pump) worked for my mom. If you get 800mg suckers, you won't need many -- sucking for a few minutes does a lot. The morphine pump was still the absolute best for us...

Thinking of you,

Holly

[SBeth]

Nancy,

Yes, when Bill signed on to Hospice of Cincinnati, there were several of the previously prescribed medications from his oncologist that were not covered under Hospice. We were offered a "comparable" drug thru Hospice, or we had the option of continuing to purchase these thru our pharmacy and our Rx plan. They explained to us that some of the newer prescription medications, such as Lunesta (for sleep) and Zofran (for nausea) were much more expensive than the medications already on the market and until they were approved by HOC, which could take a year or so, we would have to switch or purchase on our own. They did take care of securing those prescriptions and calling them into the pharmacy, but I had to pick them up and pay our co-pay.