Incivek treatment for Hepatitis C

[greyday]

Hi there. I am new on this forum. I am right now ready to proceed with the treatment by Incivek+PegasysRBV.My Doc already prescribe me the medication but I am waiting for my insurance to add this medication to the approved drugs list. The system is working so slow. The drug was approved by Canada Health authorities in August but you still cannot get it from the pharmacies, at least here in Calgary.
I am excited and at the same time scared. I don't know what to expect from this journey. Is it a light at the end of the tunnel? I need your advice and your support. I am glad I found this forum. If anybody has the same problem with insurance company let me know and I will update you on my way of dealing with them. Wish me good luck.

[printze]

Sorry hit the wrong button, I live in Montreal and will be starting in January 2012 , I am also with Manulife and heard they do cover it . I am scared.

[printze]

Hi there

[Dee1956]

Hello, welcome as Howdy032 said you can get help with your copays.  I only knew about Vertex until a specialty pharmacy got involved and now my peg and Rib are included.  I feel very fortunate, without the ins paying the copay I do not know how I would pay for that plus the doctor visit and the   RX lotions and potions for the sx
Wish you the best of luck and hope the sx are very mild for you
Dee

[Howdy032]

on my first phone conversation with my pharmacy they gave me 2 phone numbers to call for co-pay assistance. For Incivek it is 800-345-5413. It was the manufacture itself. Vertex, they were giving grants. For Pegasys it was (i think) 866 519 7255. If that number is not right you are trying to reach the Chronic disease fund. For ribavirin there was a web sight. Merck-cares.com. Again I got this info from my pharm. So you can at least go back and ask them for co-pay assistance info. Good luck. By the way everyone is different. Although I was expecting the worst @ week 15 its not been as bad as I thought. You can make it. just press on

[greyday]

Thank you, willbb and pcds. Thank you, guys for your support. Today my insurance company (actually it is Manulife) told me they are added the incivek to the list of drugs so i can go tomorrow and order it. I don't know how long does it take to be delivered...I am dealing with Shoppers Drug mart but I found Caleo can do it as well. Hopefully i can start in one week..

[pcds]

Insurance and getting not only HCV meds approved but helper drugs can be more then challenging here in US and my guess is even more so in Canada.  I have private insurance through my work and had to fight for every medication and I needed several for the anemia associated with HCV triple tx.  Be sure to discuss with your doctor wait times for drugs such as neupogin and procrit.   I had to be pro active in order to get what I needed.  This forum is great with lots of information as so many people are in treatment now at various stages.

[willbb]

Hi there.. I am in Ont. myself and from what I had gathered the insurance companies had already added the new medication to their list of covered drugs (however I may be mistaken on that)
As far a treament goes ..yes there is certainly a light at the end of the tunnel.Incivek in trials for naive(prev .not treated ) patients had approx. 80% success rate and so far on the forum were are hearing of good results in clinical treatments.

Good luck to you and welcome.... we would certainly like to be updated as to  how it is going with the insur. co.

Will