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Author Topic: Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment  (Read 7683 times)

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Offline TravisS

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment
« on: January 23, 2015, 09:52:49 pm »
On December 2nd I started Harvoni.  After the very first blood test my viral load level was undetectable. I am not experiencing any side effects and my liver enzymes are normal. Everything is going fine with the treatment.  Since I have cirrhosis they have prescribed a 24 week course of treatment and it took a lot of hassles to get my Insurance company United health care to approve my treatment. Now our employer is switching insurance company's right in the middle of my treatment to Cigna health. I have enough Harvoni to complete week 12 and then I will be on the new insurance. Since I have not yet received the new group number for Cigna I was unable to find how difficult their approval process is. I don't know if they would be obligated to take the prescription transfer without a hitch. has anyone heard anything about Cigna. Also I was curious if anyone knows if there are any conflicts with Harvoni and milk thistle.

Offline badbradley

  • Member
  • Posts: 294
Re: Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2015, 10:33:59 pm »
Welcome Travis S   CONGRATULATIONS on making it to treatment! It's a major accomplishment in itself these days. As you know, there are a lot of unknowns with the new Meds and most are erring on the side of caution concerning milk thistle and skipping it until treatment is over. The consensus is- why hamper treatment with something that hasn't officially been deemed beneficial on treatment. I am in that camp as well. Best of luck to you.            Brad
Geno 1a
Sov/Oly 12wks - relapse
Har/Riba 12wks
Alt-16  Ast-17 SVR - 12
Alt-15  Ast-14 SVR - 24

Offline TravisS

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2015, 11:03:50 pm »
 Thanks Brad, I kinda thought that as well so I stopped taking it before Harvoni treatment began. I don't want to do anything to screw it up, especially after relapsing from interferon ribavirin incivek treatment in 2013   

Offline Long_Haul

  • Member
  • Posts: 161
  • Slayed the Dragon
Re: Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2015, 08:59:43 am »
TravisS, Sorry you had to go through the horrible triple too. I was so sick from the Incevek, they pulled me off at 22 weeks and told me later they were worried that my liver would fail. I am on Harvoni and Ribavirin and it is going well so far. Just started week 4 of 12.  Congrats on being UND and I hope the insurance transition will go well. Talk to the new provider as soon as you know the numbers and keep on top of it.

Good luck,

AL
Genotype 1A

Diagnosed 1989
Biopsy-cirrhosis stage 4 2000, no starting VL this round

3 rounds of Int+Rib
(Combo/48wks,Peg/26 Wks,Triple with Incivek/16wks)
UND with Incivek, Relapsed
Started 12 weeks Harvoni and Rib Jan 2nd,2015
4 weeks Undetected
8 weeks Undetected!
EOT at 12 weeks Undetected
EOT at 24 weeks STILL UNDETECTED
Completed TX Mar 26th,2015

EOT plus 4 weeks UNDETECTED
EOT plus 12 weeks UNDETECTED !!!!!!!!!!! I am DONE!

NO LONGER a member of the "WAITING GANG"

Offline ma snart

  • Member
  • Posts: 65
Re: Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2015, 09:34:17 am »
We have Cigna, and really did not incur any serious issues to get approval for Helen to have 24 weeks of Harvoni...... hopefully with all of the original diagnosis info it will be a breeze for you also. good luck.
Snart
Helen 54 yr old female
Geno 1B since 84 from transfusion
started Harvoni on 11-22-14 with 8.5 million viral
After 8 days 933 viral and normal AST and ALT
Week 10 viral load  UNDETECTED
Week 17    detected 19
Week 18    detected 21
Week 20    UNDETECTED   Doctor did prescribe Ribavirin, but have not taken it yet as we are thinking that weeks 17,18 had to have been mishandled.
All other test have shown normal levels.
Week 21 results  on Tuesday 4-21
Week 4 post Harvoni 24 week plan UNDETECTED!!

Offline TravisS

  • Member
  • Posts: 3
Re: Switching Insurance companys in the middle of treatment
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2015, 02:22:25 pm »
Thanks, that's encouraging. Maybe I am worrying for nothing. I am just used to being fought every step of the way on everything with United Health Care. It seems like they have more people whose job it is to find ways to turn down coverage than people that are there to help. Travis   

 


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