I was scheduled to have the first one today and after reading the insurance section here, I decided I'd better make sure myself and not take their (billing ofc and nurse at the clinic's) word that it would be covered.

I'm glad I did. Insurance (Premera Blue Cross) told me that it is a non-covered drug. Co-pay is 100%. Unless the Dr. sends a letter of medical neccesity, along with chart notes for review by their medical board they will not cover it.

I sure don't need a $12,000 bill right now! :eek: I thought about just doing it and fighting it later but don't think that's a good idea.

FYI Don't take someone elses word for it-Always make sure yourself.

Hi,

In 98, all I took was prednisone, started at 80mg in July 98 tapered down till January 99. I had to stay at 10 and 5mg for awhile my body didn't want to let go. All of my blood tests after that were fine. My crit was right up there at 36-39 til this June.

My old doc mentioned splenectomy, but the tumor board felt it was too radical of a surgery. I was talking on another msg board to a friend and she said splenectomy would probably be best in the long and short term-we don't really need our spleens.... I'll ask next time I go in. Wouldn't that just be the simplest way to to get rid of it.

When I called the clinic to let them know, she called back and the doc said "It's OK, to not have the rituxan, he wants me to start today on 80 mg of pred. Go in next Fri. for labs.

I think the doc caved pretty fast on that. Not even willing to try and justify the rituxin. Maybe it was just a shot in the dark because I was so adamant about not wanting to be on pred. I really hate prednisone. I refuse to be on it long term.

re: the Coombs test and warm reactive antibodies. Yes they said I had that. He did a Coombs test last week too.