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Provigil Patient Assistance Program Question

Quote

Anonymous

Guest
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I was prescribed Provigil for complications of Lyme Disease and the $300/mo out-of-pocket cost is a real hardship. I called your patient assistance line (800 675 8415) and was told because I have insurance they cannot help me....assistance is only only for those with NO insurance. Go figure.

Can anyone suggest other options to defray my out of pocket cost?

PS I don't work for CEPH but know of these boards through a friend who suggested it.

Thanks in advance.
 


My first suggestion is to do a prior auth with your insurance. Your provider might even be able to find out what the approvable criteria is by calling your insurance. You might fall into one of the categories, so make sure that is noted on the prior auth. If they deny it, then appeal immediately (read the fine print, you must be timely). Make sure your provider is extremely detailed in the prior auth and appeal.

In the interim, while you are waiting for the appeal, decide how much out of pocket you can afford (also what dose do you take and how often?) and supplement the rest with samples and vouchers. If your provider doesn't have vouchers, then you can print them from the Provigil website.

Also, you can call the same 800# to help you with the prior auth and appeal. Also, you may live in a state that allows external reviews.

I hope this helps.
 


Anonymous said:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I was prescribed Provigil for complications of Lyme Disease and the $300/mo out-of-pocket cost is a real hardship. I called your patient assistance line (800 675 8415) and was told because I have insurance they cannot help me....assistance is only only for those with NO insurance. Go figure.

Can anyone suggest other options to defray my out of pocket cost?

PS I don't work for CEPH but know of these boards through a friend who suggested it.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


Several options to explore:

1) Go hunt deer in your area as it might reduce the vector (ticks)
2) Break your pills in half which is now half the cost
3) There is a new ad that has some dim-witted judge about to use his head instead of a gavel. Maybe he can slip you a mickey in court and reduce your need for speed.
4) Samples from your doctor perhaps?
 


Is Provigil approved for Lyme Disease you numbnuts? No it isn't. The answer is Provigil is not approved for Lyme Disease. It is approved for treatment in Shift Work Sleep Disorder, Narcolepsy and sleep apnea.

Why are you answering someone who is obviously not receiving Provigil as indicated? I would think Cephalon has 450 million reasons to not do that.
 






I have no insurance take Provigil for Narcolepsy and was told the patient assistance program is closed... The "voucher" to print from the internet specifically states that you can only use one and the pharmacy is strict about that. At a cost of $296 per month, it is sickening that a pharmaceutical company can charge such a high cost and then "close" the patient assistance program. So if I don't take the medication, I can't drive and will get fired for not performing well at work. If I do take the medication, I choose the pill or dinner on many occasions. Oh yeah, but as the doctor puts it, there's always disability for the rest of my life!!! Well, now there's an option.... sit home and do nothing and let the tax dollars pay my way because the fat pockets of the pharmaceutical company aren't full enough to help with a medication that allows me to work and pay my own way. hmmmm yes this is fair.
 


Anonymous said:
I have no insurance take Provigil for Narcolepsy and was told the patient assistance program is closed... The "voucher" to print from the internet specifically states that you can only use one and the pharmacy is strict about that. At a cost of $296 per month, it is sickening that a pharmaceutical company can charge such a high cost and then "close" the patient assistance program. So if I don't take the medication, I can't drive and will get fired for not performing well at work. If I do take the medication, I choose the pill or dinner on many occasions. Oh yeah, but as the doctor puts it, there's always disability for the rest of my life!!! Well, now there's an option.... sit home and do nothing and let the tax dollars pay my way because the fat pockets of the pharmaceutical company aren't full enough to help with a medication that allows me to work and pay my own way. hmmmm yes this is fair.
Click to expand...

So let me get this straight. You're angry at Cephalon because they make a great product and won't give it to you absolutely free.
Do you have this sense of entitlement with every company that makes products you like?
Sony for makes an awesome 50" flat screen HDTV. Does it make you angry that they don't have a "Consumer Assistance Program?"

Ask yourself this question: What would you do if Cephalon had never created this product?

Your sense of entitlement is what is really sickening. The Patient Assistance Program is not "closed," it's out of money! We gave away millions of dollars worth of free medicine in 2008 and don't have any more left to give. Don't get angry at Cephalon, get mad at your company for not providing insurance, and for not paying you enough to buy the medicine you need out of pocket.
 


Anonymous said:
So let me get this straight. You're angry at Cephalon because they make a great product and won't give it to you absolutely free.
Do you have this sense of entitlement with every company that makes products you like?
Sony for makes an awesome 50" flat screen HDTV. Does it make you angry that they don't have a "Consumer Assistance Program?"

Ask yourself this question: What would you do if Cephalon had never created this product?

Your sense of entitlement is what is really sickening. The Patient Assistance Program is not "closed," it's out of money! We gave away millions of dollars worth of free medicine in 2008 and don't have any more left to give. Don't get angry at Cephalon, get mad at your company for not providing insurance, and for not paying you enough to buy the medicine you need out of pocket.
Click to expand...

It's sinful that you choose to live in such ignorance... A TV is not needed to live. Cephalon is the source of my anger, and rightfully so. The same drug is available in Canada 90 pills for $170 Cephalon sells it in the US for 30 pills for $296. Yet I can't purchase it and come accross the border. With that mark up, Cephalon should never close the assistance program.
Lastly, you pathetic pig I have never asked for a damn thing from anyone and work my ass off rather than accept disability. Yes, I do deserve to have help with the one thing that gives me the ability to function. Perhaps Cephalon shouldn't be providing free medication to those who don't maintain employment.
 


Anonymous said:
It's sinful that you choose to live in such ignorance... A TV is not needed to live. Cephalon is the source of my anger, and rightfully so. The same drug is available in Canada 90 pills for $170 Cephalon sells it in the US for 30 pills for $296. Yet I can't purchase it and come accross the border. With that mark up, Cephalon should never close the assistance program.
Lastly, you pathetic pig I have never asked for a damn thing from anyone and work my ass off rather than accept disability. Yes, I do deserve to have help with the one thing that gives me the ability to function. Perhaps Cephalon shouldn't be providing free medication to those who don't maintain employment.
Click to expand...

You should lay off the provigil and try getting some sleep there brother!
 


Anonymous said:
It's sinful that you choose to live in such ignorance... A TV is not needed to live. Cephalon is the source of my anger, and rightfully so. The same drug is available in Canada 90 pills for $170 Cephalon sells it in the US for 30 pills for $296. Yet I can't purchase it and come accross the border. With that mark up, Cephalon should never close the assistance program.
Lastly, you pathetic pig I have never asked for a damn thing from anyone and work my ass off rather than accept disability. Yes, I do deserve to have help with the one thing that gives me the ability to function. Perhaps Cephalon shouldn't be providing free medication to those who don't maintain employment.
Click to expand...

Speaking of ignorance. Do you also get angry when you hear a 2,500 square foot house costs 250K in Indiana, but 950K in Los Angeles? Why can't they all just be the same price? It's just not fair!!

You can't say you've "never asked for a damn thing from anyone," when you're asking for free medicine right now.

If you literally need Provigil to live, I think $296 per month is a hell of a bargain. If it's the one thing that gives you the ability to function, you should be thankful that Cephalon paid all the money they did to develop it, test it, and bring it to market and make it available to you. If it's the ONLY thing that works, I'd ask my employer for a stipend to help, shop pharmacies to find the best price, and cut whatever I could out of my budget to pay for it out of pocket.

And I call bullshit on the whole, "It's medicine or food," line. No, it's not. There have got to be at least 5 other things you can cut before you have to skip a meal. Cancel cable TV and internet, that will save you about $100/month...replace your cell phone with a TracFone...carpool...replace dining out with meals at/from home...replace your car with a cheaper one or public transit...cut out smoking and alcohol. Most people who drink and smoke regularly can easily spend $300 on both each month.

Perhaps Cephalon shouldn't provide free medication to anyone. If we didn't have a PAP that was out of money, you wouldn't have anything to be angry about.

Think of it this way. I don't know where you work, but at the end of the day you provide some kind of product or service. How many of your customers that really like your product do you give it to free of charge?
If they say, "I really like this thing you made and I really need it," do you reply, "Well why didn't you say so? Here, take as many as you want, free of charge."
 


I went to the supermarket a couple days ago and asked if I could have that 5 pound filet free of charge because it's the only food that makes me happy and I really need it. I could not believe it when they told me I had to pay for it.
 


Just last week the Federal Trade Commission launched a high-profile battle against Cephalon (CEPH), the maker of the blockbuster narcolepsy medication Provigil, over a $200 million payout it gave to four generic companies in exchange for an agreement not to develop a competing medication. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., the FTC claims that the deal violates antitrust law.

FYI- Cephalon and all you drug company reps suck shit. You are evil, you think alike, you are representative of a world that is not worth living in. I've read and reread you comments... you're correct, I have no right to ask for or expect help from anyone. Shortly, I'll finally have come to the resting place. I will no longer need to worry about staying awakke or keeping a job or wanting to do well in life. Thank you, you have helped me recognize that there is no help for me and you have put my heart at peace. You have been quite helpful. May you some day feel the peace of everlasting sleep. As I close my eyes tonight and head for my final resting place with peace in my heart and a battle over, I will pray for you and continue to be thankful that you have helped me see the light.
Anonymous said:
Speaking of ignorance. Do you also get angry when you hear a 2,500 square foot house costs 250K in Indiana, but 950K in Los Angeles? Why can't they all just be the same price? It's just not fair!!

You can't say you've "never asked for a damn thing from anyone," when you're asking for free medicine right now.

If you literally need Provigil to live, I think $296 per month is a hell of a bargain. If it's the one thing that gives you the ability to function, you should be thankful that Cephalon paid all the money they did to develop it, test it, and bring it to market and make it available to you. If it's the ONLY thing that works, I'd ask my employer for a stipend to help, shop pharmacies to find the best price, and cut whatever I could out of my budget to pay for it out of pocket.

And I call bullshit on the whole, "It's medicine or food," line. No, it's not. There have got to be at least 5 other things you can cut before you have to skip a meal. Cancel cable TV and internet, that will save you about $100/month...replace your cell phone with a TracFone...carpool...replace dining out with meals at/from home...replace your car with a cheaper one or public transit...cut out smoking and alcohol. Most people who drink and smoke regularly can easily spend $300 on both each month.

Perhaps Cephalon shouldn't provide free medication to anyone. If we didn't have a PAP that was out of money, you wouldn't have anything to be angry about.

Think of it this way. I don't know where you work, but at the end of the day you provide some kind of product or service. How many of your customers that really like your product do you give it to free of charge?
If they say, "I really like this thing you made and I really need it," do you reply, "Well why didn't you say so? Here, take as many as you want, free of charge."
Click to expand...
 


OP, don't get discouraged. I was on Provigil and it was awesome for about 2 weeks. After that it "lost it's flavor" very quickly and started giving me nasty headaches.

My suggestion? Go back to your doctor and get on some sort of amphetamine. Personally, I take branded (yes BRANDED) Adderall. The co-pay isn't a big deal to me. Tell your doc that due to the high price, you would like to try a substitute (e.g. Ritalin, Adderall). It's dirt cheap if you get a generic. Technically, Provigil isn't an amphetamine, but it works in a SIMILAR fashion.

I got the pre-auths for Provigil (it was $10 for me), but amphetamines will probably help you as much if not more. It is worth a shot.

Pay no attention to these reps. It's their job to get all they can from a drug before their patent expires (as they rightfully should).
 


Anonymous said:
So let me get this straight. You're angry at Cephalon because they make a great product and won't give it to you absolutely free.
Do you have this sense of entitlement with every company that makes products you like?
Sony for makes an awesome 50" flat screen HDTV. Does it make you angry that they don't have a "Consumer Assistance Program?"

Ask yourself this question: What would you do if Cephalon had never created this product?

Your sense of entitlement is what is really sickening. The Patient Assistance Program is not "closed," it's out of money! We gave away millions of dollars worth of free medicine in 2008 and don't have any more left to give. Don't get angry at Cephalon, get mad at your company for not providing insurance, and for not paying you enough to buy the medicine you need out of pocket.
Click to expand...

You are such a fucking tool. Go fuck yourself. We all know that our PAP has always been a hoax. It was established for PR purposes and even the poorest population did not qualify based on all of the stupid criteria (compared to other programs in the industry). That is fine if we don't want to give away Provigil but we definitely shouldn't advertise/promote a bullshit Patient Assistance Program so we appear compassionate.
 


Hey dumbshit, keep taking your Adderal like candy and then stop and see what happens. It is a schedule II drug for a reason. You will build up tolerance, need more and more to get the same results, fail a drug test for employment, have to get in a treatment program to get off it. All great reasons to use. The only good that could happen is you might lose some weight, which is probably the biggest reason your fat ass has issues with excessive daytime sleepiness.
 


Anonymous said:
Hey dumbshit, keep taking your Adderal like candy and then stop and see what happens. It is a schedule II drug for a reason. You will build up tolerance, need more and more to get the same results, fail a drug test for employment, have to get in a treatment program to get off it. All great reasons to use. The only good that could happen is you might lose some weight, which is probably the biggest reason your fat ass has issues with excessive daytime sleepiness.
Click to expand...

Fail a drug test? You're truly an idiot. If you're prescribed it, you can't fail because of it. So, you're saying that no tolerance is built up on Provigil? Please, you and I both know that is ia lie. Anyone with any sense or experience knows that isn't true.

Calling me a fatass? I'm the sexiest mf on the internet. Don't get mad because a consumer has chosen an alternative. Like I said, I tried Provigil, got the pre-auths and it was awesome, for a couple weeks (the euphoria kicked ass). Then the headbusters started.

Low doses of amphetamine have been prescribed for half a century with little to no long term problems. Please make sure you distinguish between amphetamine and methamphetamine.
 


Anonymous said:
Is Provigil approved for Lyme Disease you numbnuts? No it isn't. The answer is Provigil is not approved for Lyme Disease. It is approved for treatment in Shift Work Sleep Disorder, Narcolepsy and sleep apnea.

Why are you answering someone who is obviously not receiving Provigil as indicated? I would think Cephalon has 450 million reasons to not do that.
Click to expand...
I think maybe YOU are the ignorant one! I have multiple sclerosis and Provigil is one drug I can't go without. It is used for many chronic conditions- tithead- not just graveyard shift! Do some research before you judge people
 


Anonymous said:
I think maybe YOU are the ignorant one! I have multiple sclerosis and Provigil is one drug I can't go without. It is used for many chronic conditions- tithead- not just graveyard shift! Do some research before you judge people
Click to expand...

The Reps are aware that Provigil is written off of indication. We are not aloud to discuss MS Fatigue or any of the many other "off-indication" areas that are not FDA-approved, and therefore not covered by insurance at this time. We are presently conducting clinical trials and working with the FDA to obtain further indications which will therefore allow for better insurance coverage. It is extremely costly to conduct these trials, in which they are paid for by the sale of our present drugs. I hope for your sake they will be approved sooner than later.

Cephalon now offers a Patient Assistance Program for "Nuvigil", the new, longer-lasting isomer of Provigil. We no longer are promoting Provigil and therefore don't have a Patient Assistance Program. I've typed (hopefully correctly:) the link to our new Patient Assistance Program:

http://cephalon.com/patients/cephaloncares-foundation/patient-assistance-program/

I wish you the best and hope this helps!
 


once again managed care companies are dictating physicians therapeutic choices and raking in the money hand over fist. maybe the FDA should be scrutinizing MCOs as much as they do the pharma companies
 



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