Curse you CoViD!

@dvcgirl67 so sorry your FIL is sick, praying he gets thru it ok. Thanks for letting us know about the paxlovid being covered or not. We’re on a Medicare advantage plan, I never even considered the possible costs because of the EU status. We wouldn’t be able to take it because of our meds anyway. But I’m so surprised I haven’t heard about this anywhere else. How horrible for someone who’s so sick to find out they can’t afford the med.
 
dvcgirl67 said:
We had a run-in with Covid yesterday....hopefully we won't get it, but my 92 year old FIL has it. We saw him on Christmas and figured were supposed to as well tomorrow for the NY, so it wasn't unusual that we didn't hear from him for a few days. His best buddy called me last night around 7pm to let me know that FIL had been in bed all day with aches and chills and wasn't answering his phone so he went over to check on him. We grabbed our N-95s...picked up some meds, a thermometer and a covid test and headed down. No fever, just shaking chills, aches and fatigue. Tested positive for covid.

Gave him two Advil, fluids and called his doctor to see what she thought. While waiting for doc to call back I started calling around to pharmacies in case she prescribed paxlovid. After finding one open and told they were out, found another that had some. However, the pharmacy tech informed me that if my FIL *had* medicare Part D, the prescription would be....$1,700 out of pocket!!! I thought she misspoke and figured she meant that if he *didn't* have Medicare Part D....but nope, she was correct. Apparently now these drug companies are no longer giving away these meds (meaning the government is no longer paying for it), and so they can charge whatever they want. The reason it's not covered at all by medicare is because paxlovid still falls under the "emergency authorized use" umbrella, and so medicare can't cover it.

All of this turned out to be moot for our circumstances. The doc called back and said prefers not to prescribe it as she's seen so many rebound cases. By the time we left FIL he was feeling a bit better from the Advil and we got him back to bed. Still, I was just dumbfounded that the people who may really benefit from paxlovid....and are in the 80% of medicare recipients that shell out extra for prescription coverage....effectively can't get it, because they can't afford it. Plus, they may need a second script to knock it out....so a $3,400 bill. It seems that paxlovid has been out for a long time so I was left wondering why it still only has EAU status and isn't fully approved. Maybe all of those rebound cases are part of the reason.
Click to expand...
That’s so sad! I hope he does ok, poor man. My mom had just passed at 94 early in 2020 when DD and I were coming home from working in the Covid units. I would’ve been so worried about her getting it at the time.

I started to mention cost as one point in a further post last night re paxlovid, but then I just said, eh, and deleted it. But yes, that will be a factor for people going forward, as well. Interesting that his doctor didn’t want to give it because of rebound. One point I was going to make was that it seems less people are interested in it now since the virus has evolved to be less serious and deadly in many cases.

I know you’re trained as a nurse but it’s important for FIL to stay hydrated and I would keep a low threshold for bringing him to the hospital. They would be able to give him remdesivir there (and it will be covered), most likely. He would risk falling and other things, but if someone could stay with him or keep a close eye on him there it might be helpful. Play it by ear.
 
Re illnesses that “could’ve been Covid” back in late 2019 and early 2020. My son was one, and his nephrologist and I have had that conversation, and he agreed that it was possible. After being really sick with a weird bronchial type thing for several weeks and diagnosed twice at the doctors with a ‘virus’, he wound up one day in the hospital with kidney failure, coming close to needing dialysis. Just out of the blue, in a super healthy, college athlete. While there they saw he had pneumonia, and one of the features I remember while he was sick was that he said he couldn’t taste anything. His school also had a high Asian and international population. I know the official word is that it didn’t start here until later, but I do believe there are cases around that could’ve been early Covid, especially after reading that other young men had experienced kidney failure with it.
 
dvcgirl67 said:
We had a run-in with Covid yesterday....hopefully we won't get it, but my 92 year old FIL has it. We saw him on Christmas and figured were supposed to as well tomorrow for the NY, so it wasn't unusual that we didn't hear from him for a few days. His best buddy called me last night around 7pm to let me know that FIL had been in bed all day with aches and chills and wasn't answering his phone so he went over to check on him. We grabbed our N-95s...picked up some meds, a thermometer and a covid test and headed down. No fever, just shaking chills, aches and fatigue. Tested positive for covid.

Gave him two Advil, fluids and called his doctor to see what she thought. While waiting for doc to call back I started calling around to pharmacies in case she prescribed paxlovid. After finding one open and told they were out, found another that had some. However, the pharmacy tech informed me that if my FIL *had* medicare Part D, the prescription would be....$1,700 out of pocket!!! I thought she misspoke and figured she meant that if he *didn't* have Medicare Part D....but nope, she was correct. Apparently now these drug companies are no longer giving away these meds (meaning the government is no longer paying for it), and so they can charge whatever they want. The reason it's not covered at all by medicare is because paxlovid still falls under the "emergency authorized use" umbrella, and so medicare can't cover it.

All of this turned out to be moot for our circumstances. The doc called back and said prefers not to prescribe it as she's seen so many rebound cases. By the time we left FIL he was feeling a bit better from the Advil and we got him back to bed. Still, I was just dumbfounded that the people who may really benefit from paxlovid....and are in the 80% of medicare recipients that shell out extra for prescription coverage....effectively can't get it, because they can't afford it. Plus, they may need a second script to knock it out....so a $3,400 bill. It seems that paxlovid has been out for a long time so I was left wondering why it still only has EAU status and isn't fully approved. Maybe all of those rebound cases are part of the reason.
Click to expand...

Paxlovid got full FDA approval in May this year.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/pre...irst-oral-antiviral-treatment-covid-19-adults
 


disneychrista said:
Paxlovid got full FDA approval in May this year.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/pre...irst-oral-antiviral-treatment-covid-19-adults
Click to expand...
Ok, that's interesting. Thanks for the info disneychrista. The pharmacy tech told me that it's so expensive because it was still under EUA....but your info says that's not the case.

So I just googled and apparently the government negotiated a price of roughly $500 for a five day course of Paxlovid, which it then covered making it free for everyone. That appears to be the change....which is two-fold. The government is no longer paying for it, and the negotiated price went away. And so they're actually charging people on medicare part D (without supplemental insurance....which my FIL does not have to cover any gaps)....an average of $1,400 for a five day course. At his pharmacy in NJ it's apparently $1,700...because....New Jersey ;).

Just heard from FIL...he's feeling about the same. His doctor called in an alternative medication this morning that is covered that she prefers. Not sure why she didn't call it in last night, but that's our healthcare system I suppose.
 


Pea-n-Me said:
Re illnesses that “could’ve been Covid” back in late 2019 and early 2020. My son was one, and his nephrologist and I have had that conversation, and he agreed that it was possible. After being really sick with a weird bronchial type thing for several weeks and diagnosed twice at the doctors with a ‘virus’, he wound up one day in the hospital with kidney failure, coming close to needing dialysis. Just out of the blue, in a super healthy, college athlete. While there they saw he had pneumonia, and one of the features I remember while he was sick was that he said he couldn’t taste anything. His school also had a high Asian and international population. I know the official word is that it didn’t start here until later, but I do believe there are cases around that could’ve been early Covid, especially after reading that other young men had experienced kidney failure with it.
Click to expand...

Oh wow...that sure sounds like covid. That first strain really hit the kidneys hard. My SIL managed two covid units and they were in shock over the number of healthy young people not only on ventilators, but also needing lifesaving dialysis.
 
Neapolitan Ice Cream said:
I guess realistically that I should just knuckle down and focus on getting better. Not there yet, but I'm sure I will be. Reality check - I have a friend, Tommy, who lives in Texas, Stateside - and he ended up in a coma on a ventilator. He's only just re-leaned how to walk again. Poor man.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that about your friend. Several members of our extended family passed away from Covid before the vaccines were available. Although some people have a mild case, not everyone is so fortunate. I hope you feel better soon!
 
fla4fun said:
Sorry to hear that about your friend. Several members of our extended family passed away from Covid before the vaccines were available. Although some people have a mild case, not everyone is so fortunate. I hope you feel better soon!
Click to expand...
Oh no! I'm so sorry @fla4fun! The vaccines have done wonders at herding the disease into more manageable areas. As of midnight tonight, the total number of deaths from CoViD this year take up just 4% of the total number of cases over the last several...
 
Neapolitan Ice Cream said:
I guess realistically that I should just knuckle down and focus on getting better. Not there yet, but I'm sure I will be.
Click to expand...
I know you’re in a different country than I am and I’m not sure if we had the same strain, but this one really knocked me on my butt. I was pretty much sick most of December, and I’m still not feeling 100% back to my normal self yet.

Don’t push it, just take it day by day. Treat your symptoms, get in some light activity without overdoing it, but balance that with plenty of rest, too.
 
Pea-n-Me said:
I know you’re in a different country than I am and I’m not sure if we had the same strain, but this one really knocked me on my butt. I was pretty much sick most of December, and I’m still not feeling 100% back to my normal self yet.

Don’t push it, just take it day by day. Treat your symptoms, get in some light activity without overdoing it, but balance that with plenty of rest, too.
Click to expand...
Wise words.

I'm hoping to feel better in a day or two, in line with the rest of my family, who were all ill for 4 days and then felt (mostly) better.
 
Hope you feel better soon.

I got sick while on a Christmas cruise and missed the last day 😢, but don’t have Covid. My daughter and her boyfriend have it so they are quarantining at their home. My son was feeling sick yesterday and tested today and has Covid. He is staying in another part of the house and using sanitizing spray, so I hope I don’t catch it from him.
 
focusondisney said:
@dvcgirl67 so sorry your FIL is sick, praying he gets thru it ok. Thanks for letting us know about the paxlovid being covered or not. We’re on a Medicare advantage plan, I never even considered the possible costs because of the EU status. We wouldn’t be able to take it because of our meds anyway. But I’m so surprised I haven’t heard about this anywhere else. How horrible for someone who’s so sick to find out they can’t afford the med.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I missed a couple of posts earlier. Turns out it's just crazy expensive. But, my FIL was prescribed a different anti-viral today....called Lageviro....so maybe that's an option for folks who are on medicare part D. FIL is doing about the same today, but thankfully not shortness of breath. I think we've dodged the hospital for now, but as @Pea-n-Me said...we need to keep a close eye on him due to his advanced age. Thanks for the well wishes :).
 
dvcgirl67 said:
Sorry, I missed a couple of posts earlier. Turns out it's just crazy expensive. But, my FIL was prescribed a different anti-viral today....called Lageviro....so maybe that's an option for folks who are on medicare part D. FIL is doing about the same today, but thankfully not shortness of breath. I think we've dodged the hospital for now, but as @Pea-n-Me said...we need to keep a close eye on him due to his advanced age. Thanks for the well wishes :).
Click to expand...

My 70 YO sister had Legeviro both times she had Covid. She couldn’t take Paxlovid due to her other meds. The first time she felt better quickly, the 2nd time she was a little sicker & it lasted longer. Which we know every time you get it is different anyway. And it probably prevented any serious complications.

Sorry you & your husband are sick now. Hope you get thru it quickly.
 
focusondisney said:
My 70 YO sister had Legeviro both times she had Covid. She couldn’t take Paxlovid due to her other meds. The first time she felt better quickly, the 2nd time she was a little sicker & it lasted longer. Which we know every time you get it is different anyway. And it probably prevented any serious complications.

Sorry you & your husband are sick now. Hope you get thru it quickly.
Click to expand...

Not me....yet. But, I'm not going to quarantine away from my DH. I've been around him 24/7 for the last week and so I'm already infected if I'm getting it. This is the most covid I've heard going around in months and months. I guess this is the new normal, but it's a bit of thing for everyone to consider. We'll see how FIL does with this bout on this new med. Thanks for the kind thoughts :)
 
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