POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Pre-HAART Long-Term Survivors => Topic started by: AlanBama on April 27, 2011, 11:25:01 am
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They informed us yesterday that effective May 1st, the Alabama ADAP formulary will immediately be cut to provide ONLY anti-virals. They have been providing my Lipitor, Paxil, Welbutrin, and Valtrex. So now those will need to come out of my ever-shrinking SSD. Gas is higher, food is higher, my rent is going up $15 a month in May...yet my SSD remains the same, and will do so at least for another year.
I'm not so sure anymore that AIDS will be what 'takes me out'. Oh, it will do it, indirectly; the real culprit may turn out to be road blocks to proper health care.
I can honestly say that I still consider myself to be incredibly blessed and fortunate. I am thankful for each day that I have. When you've seen the view from the edge of the cliff, with one foot hanging off, you appreciate it much more when you're sitting on the front porch of a nice lodge, in a rocking chair, with a tall glass of iced tea, just gazing out at the world.... even if the glass of tea costs $5.00.
:)
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That's tough Alan. TN has only been supplying antivirals for some time now. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with even more cuts to ADAP/Ryan White. Luckily the legislature has found time to vote to allow guns on college campuses and protect me from Sharia Law. For the first time in years I had to fill up using a credit card. Gloom and doom baby.
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Ouch! Not much warning time there either to look for alternative solutions (probably aren't any of those around anyway). I'm sorry to hear about this, Alan. :(
:-* mikie
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I'm sorry to hear that Allan . The clinic at UAB may be able to help in some way , cant hurt to check I suppose . They got me medication not long ago that wasn't covered much to my relief .
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Good rant, Alan.
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??? so , ok, now your suppose to died of something else ??? cuz you can no longer afford any of these drugs >:( where is the justice ::) Alan is there something else you can do? any other options? shit you need those drugs too ::)
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I'll be o.k., can get the Paxil on Walmart's plan, not sure about the Welbutrin...I do hope ADAP will continue to provide the Valtrex; we are not clear on that one, just yet. I know it is a very expensive drug.
Makes you wonder what it will be like, say 5 years down the road....
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I'll be o.k., can get the Paxil on Walmart's plan, not sure about the Welbutrin...I do hope ADAP will continue to provide the Valtrex; we are not clear on that one, just yet. I know it is a very expensive drug.
Makes you wonder what it will be like, say 5 years down the road....
???
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Scarey stuff. I hope you're able to get your meds, Alan. :-*
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Alan:
Sorry to hear this. I hope you get it all sorted out expeditiously.
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Allan,
I understand the frustration. I have had similar thoughts run through my head many, many times.
It seems like the squeeze is on. It's coming, we know it yet can't seem to stop it.
Please pm me if there is anything I can do to help.
It the mean time HUGS sent your way my friend.
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Hey Alan,
I am sorry this is happening. Our formulary here has always been limited, but they still cover a few things aside from the ARVs.
I hope you can continue to receive the Valtrex.
I hope you weren't too near those dreadful tornados.
HUGS,
Mark
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That is s@!t Alan but your attitude is not. It has been a political lesson this site for me I had no idea that such discrepancies existed between the differant states in the U.S.A. It has left me wondering if there is a league table off states regarding health provision and just how large the gap is between the more responsible and the meanest. love
theyer
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It's a consist battle. I'm looking at buying generics forms of Truvada and Viramune from a Canadian pharmacy. The health insurance I can get at work does not cover any HIV meds and my own personal insurance is going up to $1,138.00 a month. Maybe generics of your medications could reduce the cost? Good luck.
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Hey Buddy
Much of the same is happening in the state I live in. Budgets are being cut dramatically and that's forcing all these changes. I too worry what the future holds.
Hang in there!
RAB
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I'm going to be able to get my Lipitor through Pfizer's "Connection to Care" program; they also furnish my Caverject (thank you, Pfizer!!)
The others I take won't be that expensive, so I will be o.k. Thanks for your concern everybody!
Hugs,
Alan :-*
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Well I'm glad you found a way Alan, and that's great news thanks for the update, if there is ever a will there is always a way :-*
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thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear that something worked out for you. ;D It's such a shame that healthcare, and especially prescription meds, can't be easier to get access to.
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Good news Alan
t
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Alan,
Happy to hear that things are working out. Wow and you are thanking a drug company? Could times be changing....for the good?
Let's hope!...Hugs and love to you bud!
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Hey Jeff
Oh yeah, I am VERY thankful ! That caverject is about $360 for 6 vials....
and I could perform in porn movies (if I didn't have this big belly) LOL The stuff works great! I have used it almost 15 years now....
Hugs, Alan
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and I could perform in porn movies
what's that they say around here? oh yeah!
"Pictures or it doesn't count!" ;D :D :-*
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Did you know that Valtrex is now available in generic form "valacyclovir"? That should help with that cost
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I have now moved past the "donut hole" into "catastrophic coverage". If anyone had asked me when I was 25 if I would be 'happy' to enter "catastrophic coverage", I would have thought they were crazy....
;D
But I am thrilled! Now my copay is $2.50 on 'generic meds' and 5% of the cost of a 'name brand' drug.
This is the first year I have moved out of the 'hole'; not sure why the State of AL has decided to do things differently, but I am glad they did. It seemed unfair to me that they could use the cost of our meds to throw is INTO the donut hole, but they we couldn't count the cost of them towards getting us out.
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If anyone had asked me when I was 25 if I would be 'happy' to enter "catastrophic coverage", I would have thought they were crazy...
LOL I was just telling someone today how good it's been, for my health care anyway, that I'm so terribly poor. LOL
I'm glad to hear that you're meds are cheaper now.
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Did you know that Valtrex is now available in generic form "valacyclovir"? That should help with that cost
The "help" is, as with most things, relative. My pharmacy quotes a retail price of $362 for 30 tab of 1 mg. generic valacyclovir.
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How man states have done this now?! And the ADAP and Medicaid roles are how long?!
So sorry for this for you.I hope you find the online Rx pharmacies maybe even cheaper online....Canada?
i don't know I just know the trickle down from 30 years ago enhanced by the 'GW Bush crime family' tsunami is resulting in more and more dead here and abroad. Hundreds of thousands died for Cheney/Bush's destruction of the econony and the karma of killing so many soldiers and civilians
Now the flying monkeys want to take out Medicare and more . Vicious hateful dangerous world.
I hope you get the support financially or otherwise that you need to access those meds.
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Hi Alan, good to know that things seem to be working out for you in the maze of our health care system here in the US. We all walk a tightrope annually with these decisions. I now pay a substantial amount from my paycheck whereas I had very low payroll deductions at work when I was eligible for ADAP. At least I can handle it but I worry about restrictions, cuts and higher premiums, etc. down the road like everyone else, another reason we need universal health care here as our many friends abroad enjoy.
Enjoy your iced teas this summer Alan, and be well my friend.
Jody :)
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Well, it seems that the one most predictable thing about Alabama's ADAP program, is that it is totally unpredictable! I got my meds yesterday, and they included lipitor, buproprion, Valtrex and my HIV meds !
Paxil was the only one MIA.
Ahh, the life of a LTS. You definitely learn to roll with the punches....
BTW, this $2.50 'catastrophic' copay thing is fantastic. I got a Rx for my testosterone last week, so I can take the injections at home, and save a trip to Birmingham. Rx and syringes cost: $3.26
As you may have deduced, it doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy ;D
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good news there AB! Glad to hear you got those meds :-*
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Oh, I'm glad you were able to get those meds. I hope you can get your Paxil without any trouble.