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Author Topic: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?  (Read 23447 times)

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Offline GSOgymrat

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  • HIV+ since 1993. Relentlessly gay.
Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #50 on: August 01, 2007, 02:28:50 pm »
My insurance company makes me order medications three months at a time through mail. I just ordered a new supply and adding my copay to what the insurance company pays my HIV meds alone cost $1691.54 a month. I don't feel guilty at all but it is a lot of money! A friend of mine who works for a pharmaceutical company said this is why they love us.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2007, 02:30:54 pm by GSOgymrat »

Offline GSOgymrat

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #51 on: August 01, 2007, 02:32:13 pm »
I kid him that I'm paying for his BMW Z4.

Offline Nico

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #52 on: August 01, 2007, 03:28:09 pm »
Guilty - hell no and I'm not cheap to keep on this earth:

Monthly IVIG -      $6,000 to $7,000
Bimonthly Procrit    $650 a dose
Norvir
Reyataz
Trizivir
Xanax (good stuff)
Hydrocodone (also good)

I figure my monthly costs are just shy of $10K and I have a 20% copay on the IVIG and Procrit.  The drugs brand cost me $90 each and non brand $15 a quarter.  Living ain't cheap, but dying ain't fun.
Poz since 1990.

Offline Fosbery

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #53 on: August 03, 2007, 11:23:07 am »

It's funny you should bring this up, I started Kaletra and Truvada just yesterday and when I saw the cost of these two drugs it was 1400.00 dollars, now I live in Canada and thank God it's covered, I felt real guilty for the drag on the system, but my partner told me not to feel guilty that we have paid into the system for some 25 years now, and to look at the money that the governmet wastes every single day. I think they put the price on the bottles to show us how lucky we are, they could at least leave the price off the bottles. I'm sure I'll get over it, but ya it does make one feel bad,

Garret

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #54 on: August 03, 2007, 12:03:21 pm »
If you start feeling guilty about the price of your care, just think how much Terri Schiavo was costing the world... and there are hundreds of thousands like her still kicking.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline bear60

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #55 on: August 03, 2007, 01:07:05 pm »
wonder how much Paris Hilton's little stay in jail cost the taxpayers?????
Poz Bear Type in Philadelphia

Offline Life

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  • Member 2005
Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #56 on: August 03, 2007, 02:01:27 pm »
The most I have ever used my insurance is to have my teeth cleaned over the past 43 years..   Now two years into being positive I have gone the "study" route and liked the idea of socking the Pharma companies for the costs of my meds and labs.   Now I think that time is coming slowly to a close..  I don't feel guilty about using my insurance, I just hate the idea of surviving on some bureaucratic bullshit that I don't believe in and certainly do not trust.   At least not yet...   

Eric

Offline Dachshund

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #57 on: August 03, 2007, 02:38:27 pm »
Sometimes I am not sure what planet you live on. Trust me, you're not socking it to Pfizer and the rest of the gang. Your insurance provider would most likely be more than happy to cancel your policy once they know you have the aids. There are fifty million people that would love to have access to health insurance, bureaucratic bullshit and all. If you don't believe in it or trust it try paying for your healthcare out of your own pocket.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2007, 02:41:08 pm by Dachshund »

Offline Life

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #58 on: August 03, 2007, 04:09:29 pm »
ouch..

Offline Bucko

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #59 on: August 03, 2007, 04:12:26 pm »
The most I have ever used my insurance is to have my teeth cleaned over the past 43 years..   Now two years into being positive I have gone the "study" route and liked the idea of socking the Pharma companies for the costs of my meds and labs.   Now I think that time is coming slowly to a close..  I don't feel guilty about using my insurance, I just hate the idea of surviving on some bureaucratic bullshit that I don't believe in and certainly do not trust.   At least not yet...   

Eric

Eric-
If you're not using insurance, how are you getting your meds? Such numbers as you post in your sig are only possible using antiretrovirals:

Eric                                           
01/31/06 BL cd4's 256, vl 20k 27%       
meds
04/24/06 cd4 350 / vl <50 31%
06/05/06 cd4 329 / vl <50 29%
07/14/06 cd4 331 / vl <50 34%
09/11/06 cd4 358 / vl <50 31%
10/30/06 cd4 374 / vl <50 32%
12/18/06 cd4 331 / vl <50 35%
03/12/07 cd4 393 / vl <50 31%
06/11/07 cd4 490 / vl <50 31%


Can you be self-paying meds? Certainly such good numbers come from more than getting your teeth cleaned.

Brent
(Who only dreams of getting private insurance back)
Blessed with brains, talent and gorgeous tits.

Blathering on AIDSmeds since 2005, provocative from birth

Offline Life

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #60 on: August 03, 2007, 04:21:15 pm »
I'm on Study Brent for the past 2 years....

Why am I holding out Dox??  For me, its just the last piece of rope (self sufficiency)  I had before I become totally dependant on something other than myself to remain healthy...   

Reading all the stories of insurance  / Adap / Ryan White problems over the past two years has not been reashuring to say the least.....

Eric
« Last Edit: August 03, 2007, 04:24:50 pm by Life »

Offline Jerry71

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #61 on: August 03, 2007, 04:29:02 pm »
Who should feel guilty not me!

My meds cost:
Combivir $696.00
Lexiva $1,217.68
Viread $501.98
Viramune $402.54
Gabapentin $26.57
Azithromycin $61.06

Total $2966.89 a month

I was only paying 31.05 a month with Medicare, but now I have signed up on Ryan White also and they are going to pay for the meds now.

Offline Bucko

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #62 on: August 03, 2007, 04:44:46 pm »
I'm on Study Brent for the past 2 years....

Why am I holding out Dox??  For me, its just the last piece of rope (self sufficiency)  I had before I become totally dependant on something other than myself to remain healthy...   

Reading all the stories of insurance  / Adap / Ryan White problems over the past two years has not been reashuring to say the least.....

Eric

Eric-
I just don't get it. How is being beholden to a study (which pays for the meds) different from being beholden to an insurance company (which would also pay for the meds)? You pay for the insurance, why the reticence in availing yourself of it?

If you had a car accident, wouldn't you use the insurance to get it fixed? Your life is worth much more than any vehicle, after all.

Brent
(Who is confused)
Blessed with brains, talent and gorgeous tits.

Blathering on AIDSmeds since 2005, provocative from birth

Offline Life

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #63 on: August 03, 2007, 04:57:04 pm »
I know everyone seems confused as to why I choose a study over Insurance....  I was involved in a Multi-Million dollar lawsuit back in the 80s with BCBS and that probably started my frustration with the system.   It took it's toll on me and my family..  The study I am on has no ties to me financially...  I can leave them or they can leave me..   So far it has been a great relationship.   I am sure when I move on to my insurance at the close of this year, everything will be just fine.   I work for two companies with two respective insurance plans that I pay into...  I have 20 years with one company and plan on working until I cant.   Its just another step that I am having to make... 

Thats all,

Eric

Offline Cliff

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #64 on: August 03, 2007, 05:23:01 pm »
Well, most likely you and your employer are paying for health care coverage.  Why feel guilty?  It's a covenant between you and your employer.  You provide your employer with productive work (helping them to make profits) and they reward/compensate you with pay and health/life benefits.  I see insurance companies as middle men.  They provide the support to pay for and administer healthcare benefits to employees but ultimately the employees and employers are paying for all the services provided to you by your insurance companies (via premiums). 

You have two insurance plans?  Count your blessings.

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #65 on: August 03, 2007, 05:45:29 pm »
I'd "stick it" to an insurance company way before I stuck it to a pharma company, which is saying a lot.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline Life

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #66 on: August 03, 2007, 06:09:24 pm »
Picture this,  My Dad with one Lawyer sitting next to him and 12 lawyers sitting on the otherside representing BCBS in a hot stuffy courtroom...  For two long years that went on keeping the family in limbo and financially bankruping my Dad..   The power these Inurance companies have is overwhelming...   I did the books for 9 doctors practices in my 20's,  I saw from that perspective that "power" and unfairness to the patient and unfairness to an honest and hard working doctor....   Now it has come full circle, now I am the patient...

Eric

Dan J.

  • Guest
Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #67 on: August 03, 2007, 06:17:50 pm »
I was only paying 31.05 a month with Medicare, but now I have signed up on Ryan White also and they are going to pay for the meds now.

I thought if someone has Medicare that Ryan White would not cover meds anymore...

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #68 on: August 03, 2007, 06:20:14 pm »
I thought if someone has Medicare that Ryan White would not cover meds anymore...
No, it just means Medicare is the first payer, and Ryan White is the 2nd payer (i.e. they pay whatever Medicare does not cover.  In fact RW is ALWAYS supposed to be the "payer of last resort")
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Dan J.

  • Guest
Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #69 on: August 03, 2007, 06:24:51 pm »
Oh, I understand  now. Thanks

My ASO tells me all I can get is Dental Care through Ryan White.

Offline Robert

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #70 on: August 03, 2007, 06:32:10 pm »
I agree with Eric 100%.  I don't like insurance companies.  I don't trust insurance companies.  They have far more money and muscle than I'll ever have so I know if I ever get in a battle with them, I will be on the losing side.  So my solution is just to have nothing to do with them.  Of course, I'm with Kaiser now and have been for a long time so they can't drop me.  But they don't really care because I have Medicare and Ryan White covering 90% of the costs.  But when I was cashing in on their services (to the tune of $500,000) they immediately uped the premiums at my work.  My boss gets pissed and fires my ass.  And don't say he can't because he can.  People do whatever they want.    

So yes, if I had a choice between going on a study for free meds or insurance, even though they would cover me, I would choose the study any day.  Any possible medical shortcomings or treatment failure would be far more preferable than dealing with the grief caused by an insurance company.

robert  
..........

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #71 on: August 03, 2007, 06:37:55 pm »
IBut when I was cashing in on their services (to the tune of $500,000) they immediately uped the premiums at my work.  My boss gets pissed and fires my ass.  And don't say he can't because he can.  People do whatever they want.  

I'm convinced that this same thing happened to me 6 years ago but there was no way for me to prove it at the time.  I'd been there for 8 years, and that last year I had so many doctors appointments I had no choice but to fess up to being positive.  Within a year of telling them I was laid off.

Still, do I blame the insurers or my employers?  Or do I blame the American public for not demanding national health care?

Whatever, I'd still not allow this to influence my HIV treatment regimen, which is the bottom line with the discussion in regards to Eric.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline Life

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #72 on: August 03, 2007, 06:51:39 pm »
P.s.  Dad did win that suit, but the cost for the two years was to much...  He had a good lawyer.... BCBS had to pay 5 years of claims that they held all the while Dad continued to see those patients for free......


Offline Robert

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #73 on: August 04, 2007, 12:47:13 am »
Well I guess I'm one of those who believe insurance companies are the payers of last resorts.  They're the last  ones you should use because you know they'll always find a way to get their money back.

robert
..........

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Anyone feel guilt about the expense to keep alive?
« Reply #74 on: August 04, 2007, 01:17:05 am »
Insurance is a benefit. If you don't use it, then that is your loss in benefits. You don't get brownie points or an increase in wages from your employer by not using it. It's already been paid for.

 


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