Copaxone - Is it "preventative"

[newone]

Health insurance says cost of copaxone is not applied towards deductible as it's a preventative medication. It certainly is cistly. Does that seem correct?

[agate]

I didn't know that was how the insurance people figure it. When I was on Copaxone, it was completely paid for by Medicare/Medicaid, but now that you mention it, I can see how Copaxone might be classified as preventative.

It's not curing anything. It's probably not going to make you feel better though if you have fewer relapses you'll probably feel better just because you won't be dealing with as many relapses. But there's no significant evidence that you'll have fewer relapses either. It's meant to slow the progress of the disease by modifying the immune system as I understand it.

[Cherie]

Most States in the US allow patients to get assistance from the drug companies to pay for their medications. RI and MA are the two exceptions. There, laws on the books presented in MA by Senator Ted Kennedy and in RI by Senator Patrick Kennedy, disallow any drug company from providing any monetary benefit to an individual or group for the purpose of furthering the marketing of their product. This was designed (indended) to prevent drug companies from wooing docs with vacations or lunches or dinners or golf tee times. However the wording was so tight in this, it also prevents (in those two States) the drug companies from helping with patient assistance programs.

If you do not live in one of those two states, you should be able to apply for prescrition assistance from Teva. Go to Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register... and find the link for patient assistance. That should ease the financial burden somewhat.

[newone]

I contacted Shared Solutions - the monthly cost to me of Copaxone will be lowered by $500 - making the cost $1300 - still can't afford it. Since I have insurance it's extremely difficult to get any financial assistance. The insurance I have I purchase myself through the health care reform act.

[stillstANNding]

Newone,

Yes, Copaxone does help w flares/exacerbations in some people and therefore keeps the insurance company from paying for days of IVSM. In the long run, I would think it saved them money.

Is this different from Lipitor reducing MI's or flu shots preventing the flu? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

ANN

[newone]

This is off topic but I wonder how drug stores, food stores, etc are allowed to give flu shots to individual - they don't have a doctor's order allowing them to do so.

[SalpalSally]

Good question, New. I was always told that you had to stay in the Doc's office for a few, after gettin flu shot, to make sure you didn't have a bad reaction to it.

[agate]

This is off topic but I wonder how drug stores, food stores, etc are allowed to give flu shots to individual - they don't have a doctor's order allowing them to do so.

newone, they probably have to have some kind of authorization, but they're doing a public service as with other inoculation programs.

I don't know about other people here but when I was in school the kids got lined up routinely for smallpox vaccinations and TB tests. A nurse may have been there to do the needlework but no doctor was anywhere.

I think that public places (schools, even supermarkets) can be authorized to give vaccinations in the interest of public health.

Whoever gives the shots has to have some training, of course, just as we had to be instructed in how to do our DMD shots. And rules for proper hygiene have to be observed.

I looked around on the Web for an answer to this question. I didn't find one but I did find out that doctors are relieved not to be giving so many flu shots because patients are going to supermarkets and pharmacies for them.

I was always told that you had to stay in the Doc's office for a few, after gettin flu shot, to make sure you didn't have a bad reaction to it

Sally, I don't think I've ever heard that when I've had flu shots, and I've had them nearly every year ever since they started giving them. A bad reaction to a flu shot right away would be really rare, I think. I've had a sore arm and feverish achiness lasting for days--the sore arm might last for a couple of weeks--but that's not the kind of reaction you're talking about, I'm sure. It comes on a couple of hours after the shot.

Your doctor must believe in "Better safe than sorry." That's probably something to be thankful for.

[SalpalSally]

I think it was due to a possible allergic reaction to eggs or whatever. This was a few years back. I haven't had the flu shot in a couple of years.

[agate]

They do always ask if the person is allergic to eggs.

About egg allergy and risks involved in the flu shot:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[Virginia]

Newone, this is kind of getting your topic off subject. But I cannot read this and not think of a very close friend since high school. She had been getting flu shots and developed some kind of arthritis which was a rare form. One year she took the flu shot and got very sick. They told her she had the flu because she had not taken her flu shot early enough and to take it earlier next year. It took her a long time (several months) to get better. They continued to tell her that it was not the flu shot, but the fact that she had a bad case of the flu.

Well, the next year she took it in October and left immediately on a trip to Amish country. She was sick the whole 5 days and on the way back her heart stopped. She was revived, but when her heart stopped again within 2 days she died. At the time she got really bad when her heart stopped the first time they had to stop in Manasas, Va and that was where she was hospitalized. When she died the Doctors there said it was definitely a combination of the type of arthritis medication and the flu shot that killed her. She was otherwise very healthy. It looks like the Doctors here would have realized what was wrong when she got so sick the first year, but they did not. I actually heard on the news that a combination of this drug and the flu shot was very dangerous.

By the way, I DO take the flu shot every year. You can't always count on the Doctors to know and do everything they should.

I took Copaxone for six month one time, and received help from some agency other than the drug company. I just have racked my brain and cannot remember who it was. This was over 10 years ago, but at that time this agency helped with Copaxone. If I can think of who it was I will let you know.

Virginia

[stillstANNding]

This is off topic but I wonder how drug stores, food stores, etc are allowed to give flu shots to individual - they don't have a doctor's order allowing them to do so.

Some pharmacists have an expanded scope of practice that allows them to give the injections. I think this is under individual state laws.

ANN