Got the meds-I have ???

First, I looked at the bill and my insurance will be billed over $10K! My rx benefit is only $15K for meds. Holy crap..that means I can't do another cycle completely without paying for meds? Will I have stuff leftover most likely? Will the insurance co negotiate R&C with Caremark? I had to use Caremark per my plan.

So Menopur, Ganirelix, Gonal-F, Novarel (HCG)

It all came in packs that looked like cold paks. What do I put in the fridge? I'm ready to call Caremark to find out. The whole box said refrigerate do not freeze.

Lastly, I opened the box, saw all the meds and cried. Kicking myself for waiting so long to decide to have a child, for taking so long for getting to this point and in general thankful that there is this technology to help.

Any advice is appreciated. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm not scared of the injections though..

Message edited 1/10/2009 2:09:12 PM.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

all the meds are the ones i use. put the gonal-f in the fridge all the others can be left out at room temp. its the winter. unless your place is over 77 degrees you need not worry

ets: i didnt respond to your rx question as i dont know how that works. r u trying to say u only have 15K in med coverage lifetime? some companies limit cost per cycle.

Message edited 1/10/2009 2:14:59 PM.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

I would call and ask the pharmacy. I was told once refrigerated (Menopur) to keep it refrigerated. I would *guess* that would be true for all meds...but I would ask. Way too much stress in all this to worry about med storgae too!!

Shawnna

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Is it Gonal-F pens? I know that those can be either. My RE said keep them in the fridge since that helps them stay good until their expiration date (in case you don't use them all) - and if it makes you more comfortable, you can take them out 15 minutes before so it gets to room temp (although it never made a difference for me).

Novarel stays at room temp I believe. This is what it says on their website:

Store dry product at controlled room temperature 15° - 30° C (59° - 86° F).

AFTER RECONSTITUTION WITH BACTERIOSTATIC WATER FOR INJECTION PRESERVED WITH BENZYL ALCOHOL 0.9%, REFRIGERATE THE PRODUCT AT 2° - 8° C (36° - 46° F) AND USE WITHIN 30 DAYS.

I never did Menopour or Ganirelix. On the Ferring website for Menopour it says you can store it at room temp or refridgerated. I'm reading that Ganirelix can be stored at room temperature also.

HTH!

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

thanks. I'm going to call the pharmacy. I may call Cornell as well.

It was delivered yesterday but we missed the delivery so we had to go to Fed ex. I wonder if they kept it cold. The box seemed cold when we picked it up.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

If there were cold packs in there I'm sure it was kept cold

I get deliveries from Schrafts Pharmacy and they do the same thing

The Gonal is the only thing that needs to be refrigerated

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Don't be overwhelmed. It seems like alot. Think of the reward you will get at the end.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

ok, Gona-F in the fridge. I called my cousin too. I'm calling Caremark because everything came sealed up in what seems like cold pacs. The only thing that had a ice pack was the Gonal-F. I'm just wondering if because of the way they were sent if they need to be kept cold. I'm probably overthinking this completely.

$10K? I bet United Healthcare negotiates that with Caremark. I hope I have some leftover. When I spoke to the person who did my order she thought it should all come to $3K. Maybe $5K but $10k?

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Posted by Blu-ize

ok, Gona-F in the fridge. I called my cousin too. I'm calling Caremark because everything came sealed up in what seems like cold pacs. The only thing that had a ice pack was the Gonal-F. I'm just wondering if because of the way they were sent if they need to be kept cold. I'm probably overthinking this completely.

$10K? I bet United Healthcare negotiates that with Caremark. I hope I have some leftover. When I spoke to the person who did my order she thought it should all come to $3K. Maybe $5K but $10k?

Message edited 1/10/2009 2:39:00 PM.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

here's the run down. I think they are smoking crack!

I know, it does sound like too much.

8 Ganirelix 250 mcg
3 Gonal-F
20 Menopur
1 Novarel

I spoke to a Caremark Pharmacist and she said they will approve a contracted rate so that's the full retail. If it's approved like everything else in my regular plan it will be much less applied to my max. Whew..I'll call on Monday about that.

Thanks guys for helping me through the "open the box o' meds" part.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

If you are talking about 20 vials of menopur, not boxes....that is only about 4k worth of drugs...where the hell did they get 10k????

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

tht retail on that menopur is $2600. It's the gona-f that's $6300! 3 pens are $6300 retail!

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

900 IUI on the pens each. I'm sure the negotiated rate will be much lower.

I almost fell down when I saw what they were going to bill the insurance company. Total scam.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

At least your insurance paying for something. My insurance (BCBS) wouldn't pay anything for my IVF. What ticks me off is that I have 2 boxes of Follistim that I did not need. I have two vials of menopur leftover also. That's a lot of $ down the drain!

Message edited 1/11/2009 9:12:25 PM.

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Good Luck Susan!!!

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Well, I think your insurance company will pay a lot less than what was billed, which is good. But that does sound like an outrageous amount of money.

And I have to say, I don't think I put anything in the fridge if it was powder. I put Gonal-F pens in the fridge, only because its mixed. The only thing I refrigerated was the Lupron I had. Everything else I left out.

Good luck this cycle

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

Posted by LaurenExp

Well, I think your insurance company will pay a lot less than what was billed, which is good. But that does sound like an outrageous amount of money.

And I have to say, I don't think I put anything in the fridge if it was powder. I put Gonal-F pens in the fridge, only because its mixed. The only thing I refrigerated was the Lupron I had. Everything else I left out.

Good luck this cycle

Re: Got the meds-I have ???

I used menopur, ganilirex, repronex, and HCG, non of which I ever refrigerated.

Also....I was blessed with 90% of my meds donated thru this site, only had to pay $1000...fyi....the menopur is $65 bottle and the same repronex- generic is only $50! I was able to use the cheaper one- and it burned a lot less!

Kelly

Re: Got the meds-I have ???