I know I generally write about things related directly to breast cancer, but please bear with me on this one. It came about due to a bout with colon cancer, but is easily adaptable to breast cancer patients. In fact, I got most of my facts and figures from my breast cancer treatment. So please, don't think of it as an article off the usual path; think of it as a turn in the road which can, could have and may affect all of us or our loved ones. And then, get mad, and let's do something to correct this wrong! Thanks.
Here is the scenario - my dad just had his first chemo session on Friday, for colon cancer. I was a good researcher; I looked up his drugs, checked out their side effects and prepared him for the visit to the oncology suite. What I never considered was the cost of prescriptions, for necessary things, such as anti-emetics. (Anti-nausea drugs).
When I had my chemo, I always had a prescription for Kytril, Neuopogen and ProCrit (when needed). I never considered the cost. I, thankfully, have a good prescription plan through my employer and pay a co-payment of $10 per prescription. Kytril, which helps the queasiness and helped me avoid any vomiting for 6 months, is given pre-chemo, post chemo and 12 and sometimes 24 hours post-chemo. It costs $40 a pill. That's roughly $120 for three pills for one day. (The pill given in the oncology suite is generally included in your chemotherapy costs.)
Neupogen comes in a vial and is a liquid which is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) to help boost your white counts. For 6 of my 8 chemo cycles, my counts remained low and I had to have an injection on a daily basis for 7 days a month. Each vial costs $110 - that is approximately $770 a week.
Finally, ProCrit was a bargain - I only needed one injection during 2 chemo cycles - at the sale price of $80.
Again, I have great insurance, I paid a $10 co-pay for each of the three drug regimens.
My dad, age 74, is on Medicare. He and mom are retired, live on a fixed income (social security and a small pension). They are not destitute, but neither are they wealthy. Adding almost $1000 in prescription drugs a month to their bills would be catastrophic.
