How to get people working together

[SilverLining]

The Allerject (Auvi-Q in US) is now available in Canada.  Unfortunately, it is not covered by the provincial formulary.  Many private insurance policies base coverage on that same formulary.

So......

How do I get people involved in getting this changed?

[SilverLining]

Pfft!

Looking at the government site.  The manufacturer needs to submit it.  I would assume they have....but can't confirm.

[CMdeux]

Can you call (or e-mail) to ask?

[SilverLining]

I'm going to go through the gov't web-site and see what info is available.

[MandCmama]

I forgot to ask...does anyone know what the out of pocket price is? Is it similar to epipen?

[Macabre]

Out of pocket depends on your insurance.  The pricing is supposed to be competitive with the EpiPen.  That coupon for hte first two prescriptions should make it an unpleasant cost initally.

[CMdeux]

Pretty sure she meant "less" unpleasant.  LOL.

[MandCmama]

Re reading my post, I didn't say what I meant to say  How much would it be without insurance?  I belive the epi jrs are $260 or something like that. 

Thanks again for the coupon 

[SilverLining]

When I spoke with the pharmacist (in Canada) he said they are comparable in cost to epi-pens.

[SilverLining]

The CSR that I spoke with had no information about provincial coverage.

I have now sent an e-mail and hopefully will get a response.

[twinturbo]

I'd go to the Intelliject product marketing manager because he'll have internal channels with Sanofi who in turn will have internal channels with insurance. As far as cost my 3 twin packs cost about $740 but with insurance and coupons out of pocket was about 10% of that. I plan to submit it further to my flexible spending account later.

My experience with Sanofi customer service was ludicrous.

[SilverLining]

When it was announced it was approved in the US, I did send an e-mail to Intelliject.  I never got a response.

To be successful in Canada they need to do this.

When I first got a prescription for epinephrine, there was something called an Anakit.  It had two adult doses in a syringe.  You had to take a rubber cover off the needle, hold it aiming up, flick to get air bubbles to the top, push in the plunger enough to get the air out, inject the needle, push the plunger half way in, then if a second dose was required do the entire thing again.  for a child, you used the plunger 1/4 of the way per dose.

That was covered by insurance, but the epi-pen was not, because that was what was covered by the provincial plan.  I argued with my insurance company, but got nowhere.  Eventually, a group of doctors got involved (not through me in any way).  I think these doctors (paediatricians and allergists) actually got the Anakit taken off the market.  Then the epi-pen was covered.

I don't want to see the epi-pen taken off the market.  I think there are people that will prefer it.

[twinturbo]

When you say EpiPen would be taken off the market it seems to veer from the main topic of insurance covering Auvi-q prescriptions. I don't think Mylan's EpiPen is either facing failure or that any of us who need autoinjectors are desirous of their market failure. Unless there's a body of this expressed desire somewhere?

This post is edited so I get to the point. Twitter is training housebreaking me.

Twitter tells me that the Intelliject CEO is doing TED talks and I almost tweeted the guy prepping him for it but after talking to DH we're going to go through LinkedIn. First we have to apply to Eric or Evan Edwards' circle (or any Intelliject guy). If he is not rejected he will have the option of contacting them to address "broadening their product adopters" in light of insurance barriers. DH has also agreed to cybercreep on Gonzalez and the Food Allergy Foundation.

[SilverLining]

When you say EpiPen would be taken off the market it seems to veer from the main topic of insurance covering Auvi-q prescriptions. I don't think Mylan's EpiPen is either facing failure or that any of us who need autoinjectors are desirous of their market failure. Unless there's a body of this expressed desire somewhere?

No.  sorry if I wasn't clear.

It took discontinuing the Anakit for my insurance to cover an epi-pen.  I do not want that to be the requirement for my insurance to cover the Allerject (Auvi-Q).   I want both available and both covered.

<greedy greedy me>

[SilverLining]

sooooooooo!  I may have found an answer.

http://drugs.about.com/od/faqsaboutyourdrugs/f/Canada_cheap.htm

Each of the Canadian provinces, like Quebec and Ontario, has a drug formulary that puts restrictions on the use of new and expensive medications. Since the provinces provide the bulk of drugs to higher users of medication, (seniors), they have the power to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower prices for a medication to get on the formulary. In Ontario, for example, the formulary includes less than 35 percent of new medications.