Our First Obstacle

I want to start off by saying that Gleevec, the pill they want to put Rassie on, costs an outrageous amount each month.  One that we cannot afford to pay.  And now after some miscommunication by the case worker on the 8th floor we face our first obstacle

Dr. H and Dr. R both told us it would take a while to get our hands on Gleevec. They said it would be hard to get the insurance to cover it and if we did get coverage the copay could be $500-$1000 a month.  Talk about a shocker!  The Monday before Rassie was discharged the 8th floor case manager came in and told us that the insurance had approved Gleevec and there was a $0 copay.  We were thrilled. It seemed way too good to be true but who were we to complain.

This past Friday we got a letter in the mail from our insurance company saying they denied the request for authorization of Gleevec.  What? How?  Yesterday and today we spent on the phone trying to get ahold of the case manager from the hospital.  We finally got her only to learn that "I didn't tell you that your insurance covered it" and then "There must have been miscommunication somewhere".  It had to be on her end. Rassie and I did not hear her say the same thing twice about being covered and having no copay.  But that's that.

Now we are supposed to take in a pay stub so we can try to get coverage through a program.  The first program the case manager is going to try is to get the pill company itself to pay for Rassie's prescription.  We are really hoping that this happens for us or that the insurance company changes their mind.  We do plan on contacting the insurance to see exactly why they denied Gleevec.  Rassie and I think that the insurance company may be under the impression that the Leukemia is a pre existing condition since we have only been with them for about a month.  And if that's the case and we can prove it was not pre existing maybe they will change their minds and provide coverage for the Gleevec. 

Please keep us in your prayers that one way or another we will get assistance to help pay for the Gleevec.  If we have to make a copay that is fine with us but without some type of assistance we will never be able to afford it.