NO INSURANCE?!

[tonyia]

I was just wandering how many people out there have the problem I have with no insurance? I'm a stay at home mom so I don't have a way of getting insurance for myself through a job and I was going to just get a plan by myself but they keep telling me that they wont cover pre-excisting conditions! This does count as a pre-excisting condition right?!:confused: I could probably go get insurance through a new job but it woud all pretty much even out with daycare exspences so either way I'm kinda screwed. Does anybody know of a cheap RX that I can get that has helped them. I just baught an $80 shampoo that didnt do anything to make my scalp better! I'm tired of waisting my $! Please let me know what I can do. Thanx

[ANNEMIGZ]

Do you only have it on your scalp? I guess it depends on the severity of your "P". When I didn't have an insurance before, my doctor prescribed Triamcinolone Acetonide with occlusion. It's pretty cheap and it helped a lot with my scales.

[MikeK]

It sounds like a scam site, but several people who post here have been helped by it. Here's a link to a thread that has two www.needymeds.com success stories in it: http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=3979.

Hope this helps.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

Mike

[PJ Leary]

Hi tonyia,

Mikek is right, that site has been helpful to many without adequate or any insurance, give it a try.

If you let us know how extensive your p is, some of us might be able to tell you about things that have worked for us.

researching the posts on this site will be helpful to you as well.

Regards,

[tonyia]

thanx alot for replying. My P is pretty bad. I have it on pretty much everypart of my body except for my feet and hands...other than that it's everywhere and I'v tried everything. Thanks for your help!:)

[EdR]

Hi Toniya

Besides following the excellent pointers you've been given to Needy Meds you also might want to check the laws regarding health insurance in your state. Most states limit the length of time that an insurance company can exclude pre-existing conditions. The typical period is two years. If you did obtain insurance, then after that statutory period of time passes, your insurance company would no longer be able to exclude psoriasis treatments from your coverage. You might decide it's not worthwhile to get insurance under those conditions anyway, but it might be useful information to know for the future.

[LakotaWolf]

I'm like you, I have no insurance but needed to see the derm cause I couldn't stand waking up with bloody sheets anymore.

I work a full time job and make decent money but my employer doesn't offer insurance. I am a single mom.

The derm started me on MTX it's not very expensive however the blood work is. The hospital I delt with had me see a financial counceler and the hospital absorbed all of the medical expenses for it so I only had to purchase the drug which was cheep.

My derm was trying to find me a clinical trial to go on and finally he got me on one for Raptiva. As a result they did all of the paperwork for me and I am eligible to get Raptiva for free from the manufacturer.

So talk to your doctor and see what he can do to help you out.

Lots of Luck.
Lori

[tonyia]

Thank all of you for your replies. I am trying to get a number for the clinical trial for enbrel bur I called the number on needymeds.com and it is like a sex talk line or something.lol I dont know if they know this or not. I also called the # for the one for raptiva and they said they didnt have any programs for P right now. So I go to the doc tomorrow and I'm going to ask about the MTX. Hoe is that working for anyone? And what exactly is it? Pill, cream, shots ect...?:rolleyes:

[kiwigirl]

Mtx is in tablet/pill form, taken once a week along with 6 days of folic acid tabs. Easy as! It does have some side effects tho, so discuss every possibility with your Derm. Mtx has been a miracle for me. I was like you, 80-90% covered, mtx has cleared my whole body cept for scalp which is hidden by a LOT of hair thank goodness lol

Good luck!
Sandy

[belldane]

Hi Tonyia,

Go to Enbrel web site for the cs phone #. Tell them that you do not have insurance and need help. They will switch you over to another dept. that will help. If you don't have ins. and you meet the yearly income guide they will give you the enbrel. I was talking to a customer at work who has P also and she said that she didn't have insur. at work so she couldn't afford enbrel. I told her that Enbrel has a help program and to try this. She came back a week later and told me that the they approved her for a 3 month supply. She was sooooo happy and wanted to thank me for the info. She said every 3 months they will recheck insurance info and if everyting is the same she gets approved for another 3 months. All they asked her was if she had insurance, her salary and # of dependents. That's it, then they send a letter to the doc to sign that he his prescribing it.

I had called to see if they would help with my ins. co-pay since it will be about 300 a month (they don't) and this is how I found this stuff out.

I have found that some drug co. will help if you contact them direct.

Patty

[belldane]

My derm was trying to find me a clinical trial to go on and finally he got me on one for Raptiva. As a result they did all of the paperwork for me and I am eligible to get Raptiva for free from the manufacturer.

Hi Lori,
Didn't know if you would be interest in Enbrel, but if you are eligible for Raptiva you may be eligible for Enbrel also. Check out my post above this one, you may be able to get it free.

Patty

[GaryH]

Tonyia

I have been on MTX for a year and a half and yes it is cheap and works very well at clearing your P. I am now using Raptiva with MTX in the hopes of getting off MTX. I have experianced severe colds with upper respiratory infections for the last year and a half I dont know for sure if MTX is the cause but I do know that MTX can lower you Immune system ability to fight off infections, make sure you ask the doctor about all the side effects and restrictions, No alcohlol is the biggest one, you will also be required to have blood tests every week for the first few months then once a month after that so your doctor can monitor your blood levels.
Good luck and keep us posted of your results.

[tonyia]

I called the # for Enbrel yesterday and she said it looks like I will qualify to get the free med. So they are sending me an app. so I hope I really qualify! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks for all your info. MTX might not be a good idea for me if it lowers your immune system. I was on a steriod pill at one time and it did the same and I was sick almost the whole time I was on it so hopefully if I do get Enbrel it will help. I actually had the strength to go out in front of ppl today at the beach in a BATHINGSUIT...I couldnt believe it. But I've been using the tanning beds so it kind of hides the P. Does make it worse once I stop going though. Well, I will keep ya'll posted and thank you. Good luck to everyone!

[belldane]

Hi Tonyia,
I'm glad you gave them a call and you'll get your meds. The other girl I told about this was sooo happy when she came in to the store to let me know she was getting it for free too and wanted to thank me for telling her. I was really happy for her.

I start on Enbrel Wen. and if I could just find help with my $300 co-pay I would be very happy!!!

Good Luck,
Patty

[coachG]

Patty, that was such great information that you provided everyone!! It's too bad that you couldn't have the same outcome as the other two people. You have really helped alot more people than you may realize...........thank you.

[wefightem]

hey
I had this book and it told me to do away with sugar and pork and it helped me alot--good luck

[makeitgoaway]

Originally posted by tonyia
I called the # for Enbrel yesterday and she said it looks like I will qualify to get the free med. So they are sending me an app. so I hope I really qualify! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks for all your info. MTX might not be a good idea for me if it lowers your immune system. I was on a steriod pill at one time and it did the same and I was sick almost the whole time I was on it so hopefully if I do get Enbrel it will help. I actually had the strength to go out in front of ppl today at the beach in a BATHINGSUIT...I couldnt believe it. But I've been using the tanning beds so it kind of hides the P. Does make it worse once I stop going though. Well, I will keep ya'll posted and thank you. Good luck to everyone!

Enbrel, Raptiva and any of the other biologic drugs will also lower your immune system. Thats how they fight P.

Remember P is caused by an overactive immune system. These drugs work by bringing your immune system back down.