Remicade funding | Arthritis Information

Hello, I am so glad I found this board! I have psoriatic arthritis, diabetes, sleep apnea and narcolepsy. Cannot work any more and have been on social security disability since 2001. Ever since I was awarded disability I lost having Medicaid. I have been on Remicade twice before and it helps me a lot. I go from lying in bed crying to being able to clean my house, shop and take care of my disabled husband. We moved to Texas last year and I cannot get Medicaid here either. The rheumatologist helped me sign up for a program through a foundation called Healthwell. I sent in all the paperwork in January. They claimed they lost the paperwork. I sent it again. Then they said since it had last year's income on it I had to send updated paperwork. I did. Then I got a letter saying I had been accepted for funding. That was in April. The insurance coordinator at my doctor's office is no help. Every time I see her or call her she says, "oh it'll be at least 6 to 8 weeks more". So I have been without Remicade now over a year. The pain is horrible. And it is almost impossible to get pain meds in El Paso. The MDs cannot write for opiates, you have to go to a pain specialist. That is another long story I won't write now..

Here is my question: Has anyone else dealt with Healthwell Foundation? Or does anyone know any other way I can get funding for the 20% fees that Medicare won't pay for the Remicade? My family is getting so frustrated seeing me spending day after day in bed...and I am so tired of trying to sleep thru the pain. Thanks for any help!

Mary Martinez

Hi Mary, welcome to the board!!!

I am sorry that you are having such troubles...Unfortunately, I don't know anything about Healthwell. I am glad you found us!!!!

http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/index.aspx

Arthritis Insight is sure an awesome site!

Hi milagras, I don't have any answer to your problem (although I do have loads of sympathy). I just wanted to say welcome to the board. I hope you get some help soon. I use Healthwell. I haven't had any problem with them. Your dr.'s office
has to do most of the paperwork so make sure they are on it. I have to
give them my EOB from the insurance co. and they send it in. The whole
6-8 week thing is crazy. Somebody is dropping the ball.
My office is actually the ones who guided me their way. They pick up
the entire copay.

Beckyrocckyd39353.7983912037

Mary I am so sorry that you are here, or that you have to be here. I wish you were completely healthy. I think I might ask for a different case worker for the Medicare thing. Or I would get online and write out a formal complaint about the person you are dealing with. She is dropping the ball, and you are getting worse and not able to take care of your husband.

I would also go to the Remicade website and see if there is assistance for it. I know for Humira and Embrel there is. I hope this is resolved soon...I know what it is like to wait for Remicade. I am soooo sorry.

When you call healthwell can they give you any answers. I think it is Form
B that requires most of the dr.'s attention. Then of course you need your
W2's and other income info. Approval should take 7-10 days with
coverage occuring at that point. Is it possible to call and talk to your dr.
or his nurse and explain the situation? Obviously somebody it not doing
their job-either at healthwell or at the dr.'s office.

This makes me so mad! That is why I had to respond again. This should
be such an easy process and since somebody can't take the time-you are
suffering.

I just realized that I forgot to say welcome to the site..WELCOME!

< =text/>_popupControl(); Welcome to the board! I am sorry but I have never dealt with HealthWell.

Here are a couple of resources that you can try for help with paying for the Remicade.

www.patientadvocate.org www.phrma.org

Thank you SO much for all your info. Right now I am in Mexico and can't afford too many phone calls back and forth but I am going to go back to El Paso soon and talk to the drs office in person again. I also sent an email to Healthwell asking them for an update on my situation before this year goes by and they need updated forms again! LOL

And I'll check out the other resources you mentioned tomorrow. My hands are too swelled up to type too much more today, but it is nice to have a new plan of action, since so far what I've been doing sure hasn't worked!

I'm also thinking about applying for Mexican health insurance and getting treated in Chihuahua. My husband is from Mexico and we have a house there so I would qualify..although I would have to wait 2 years for the pre-existing conditions clause. Sigh.

I was feeling a little sorry for myself today so I went to Google Images and typed in "poverty Juarez Mexico". I don't think I'm going to be complaining much about ANYTHING anymore...I feel blessed to have a roof over my head, not go to bed hungry and people around me that love me...

so with that said, I'm going to say my prayers and go to sleep knowing tomorrow is another day.

thanks again for your support,

Mary