Auvi-Q insurance question...

[twinturbo]

I heart the AuviQ. DS hearts it. It is easy for teen boys to carry.

So, things have been really busy for me at work with year end. I didn't know the coupon was expiring yesterday. I really, really would have appreciated if those of you who were aware of this would have said something earlier in the week. Really.

I didn't know myself until I went through it all at Costco, it being a lower level of hell spanned 2 days of negotiating between my doctor's office and the pharmacy which was slammed. They got me through at the last moment the Costco pharmacy staff was booking as fast as possible. It was the experience that triggered me to look into a continuation of the coupon program.

My doctors and I have also been a little preoccupied by my Christmas present in the form of a huge multi-branched clot running up and down my chest and torso. They were nice enough to tack on the Auvi business for me at the last moment.

[twinturbo]

Contemplating putting up the batsignal for Links help. I'm not liking how many asthma meds seem to affected by formulary changes. Partly because I am ignorant of what that means. I understand the exclusion of a brand and substitution but in more technical terms not so much. Also factoring in are plan specifics, Medicare and state laws that provide consumer protection from changes for a limited duration. Whatever the case I think everyone should check with their insurance to see if Express Scripts or Caremark has control over prescriptions AND their state laws on exemption from those formulary changes.

Found Express Scripts list. https://member.express-scripts.com/formularyPDF/617_10242013_090125.pdf

[Macabre]

Oh my goodness TT!!  I'm hoping you are in the safe zone! Very scary that--and whatever you're having to deal with to take care if that. Wowza.

[CMdeux]

NO kidding.   


We (and presumably another member who shares our employer-provided healthcare) have gone from MedCo to OptumRx this year.

Not sure what that means.  Will have to investigate-- but it wasn't like we had a lot of choice given other constraints.

[twinturbo]

Switching that many asthma and anaphylaxis meds has me concerned that it's going to blindside more than a few people at a busy pharmacy checkout, some who may have recourse through state law or per plan but aren't aware of it. I have limited experience with Xopenex and nebulizers but enough to know cost and quality is a factor. For adults you can suck it up a bit more but for kids sometimes it makes a difference.

And the business side of it can't be ignored. That part I'm torn on. If Dey has fairly outcompeted Sanofi then why artificially support Sanofi beyond form factor? Their customer support is at best insipid and I'm not sure they or Intelliject have stopped self-congratulations yet in order to address consumer concerns like wear and tear of the outer label, lower than expected battery function and life for voice command while not essential to device core function is part of its increased cost to consumer and a selling point.

[LinksEtc]

Contemplating putting up the batsignal for Links help.

I have limited experience with Xopenex and nebulizers but enough to know cost and quality is a factor. For adults you can suck it up a bit more but for kids sometimes it makes a difference.

You probably know more about this stuff than me TT, but I'd be happy to use my google skills if there's something I can help with.

I will say that when dd was younger, her pulmo switched her to Xopenex (neb) because the albuterol seemed to be making her jittery & her heart race a bit.  Xop did seem to agree with her more at the time.  I don't know if all pulmo docs agree on the issue or what benefits of Xop have been proven.  If I recall, Xop is more expensive.

Dd has been doing fine lately with Ventolin (albuterol) w/OptiChamber.

The pulmo docs we've seen (from highly respected places) seem to have different opinions on how comparable nebs and spacers are.

[Laurie]

Auvi Q gives me the willies.  The more technology you have, the more that can go wrong.  Our allergist at a major teaching hospital agrees.  He will prescribe it if asked, but thinks the Epipen is more reliable.  My teen and her friends are all used to the Epipen.  Sooner or later the Auvi Q will malfunction, someone will be in anaphylaxis and the Auvi Q won`t talk as it is supposed to, there will be a fatality and it will get pulled.  The Affordable Care Act plans won`t cover it anyhow.

I have had an Epipen malfunction not only did it not inject into my child but then when I put it down and then repicked it up by the center mind you the needle shot out - this is prior to the retractable needle it now has so please don't assume just because there is no technology involved with the Epi they will always work.  This was reported at the time it occurred and that style Epi was still sold for 2 years. For me I prefer the Auvi for size (my daughter and I are both allergic and there fore I carry 4 pens) and for the function. Adults and friends of my daughter have told me as individuals not knowing as much about allergies they feel more confident in using the Auvi-Q.  I think it is a brilliant idea.

[SilverLining]

hi Laurie! did you have an extra with you when that one misfired?  I'm assuming your child is OK.

[CMdeux]

I really wish that someone would produce a MANUALLY operated pre-loaded epinephrine syringe-- like the second dose in a twinject, if you see what I mean-- because I do worry so much about that spring-loaded mechanism.  Sure, it makes self-administration much easier... and I understand that it makes administration easier in some ways for bystanders and laypersons...

but for a lot of people, it's also somewhat counter-intuitive to keep your fingers AWAY from the ends of the device-- the impulse is automatically to treat it like a retractable ball point pen.  So why not have one that DOES work that way? grasp, place, and then--Click to administer, you know?

Not sure why that design has never gone anywhere.  Without the big spring, the device could be a LOT smaller-- not much larger than an insulin syringe, in fact.

[2boyz4me]

Medco (our pharmacy coverage for insurance) no longer covers Auvi-Q *sigh*

So I guess we're back to EpiPens (which school has anyways) for home though too, as well

So sad

[rysmom]

The Epipen savings card from the epipen.com site worked great at Target for me. Used insurance, then gave the savings card and the $45 co-pay went to $0. Used it in November and Decemeber 2013. Just printed my new one for this year. Ry's insurance only covers one 2pack per 30 days. So I can if I want get free 2pack every month this year.

Auvi-Q has the same card on their website, too. They are both good once a month, every month this year. You keep using it over and over until December 31.

[CMdeux]

Wow-- THANKS, Rysmom!

[Jessica]

At Walmart they kept it on file for me last year.

[2boyz4me]

At Walmart they kept it on file for me last year.

that's what Target did for the one I was able to get them to fill ..... but I don't think they'll fit the script now that my insurance no longer covers it

[Jessica]

Ours doesn't cover epi or auvi q or any other prescription. But the coupon gets us $100 off, at least. If you wanted to pay OOP for the auvi, wouldn't they let you at Target?