#worldcancerday and cost rant

Today, February 4th, is #worldcancerday. It is a day to not only get people talking about cancer, but to acknowledge all those fighting - whether directly or indirectly. For the past two years this day has fallen close to some very prominent events. Last year I had just been rediagnosed and was getting things in line to start my fight again. This year I am still fighting and I just lost my dear friend to this horrible disease. February is just a very hard month for me it seems. I have major life changing events happen in February - whether I like it all or not. Regardless, World Cancer Day seems to fall perfectly into my cancer story. I am glad there is some more awareness being talked about.

I have been home sick for the past two days and I started to look at some insurance claims and looked at my new med costs. Oh. My. Hell. How are cancer drugs so insanely expensive?! I am so thankful for insurance - I truly don't know what I would do without it. Here are the prices:
My first oral meds - that I didn't finish keep in mind. I still have a 7 day supply...
Mekinist: $10,335.20
Tafinlar: $9,028.70
And my new ones:
Zelboraf (14 day supply): $4,934.49
Cotellic (21 day supply) : $5,910.29

Amazing right? I really should add up how much was spent on me last year, but I truly don't know if I could stomach it. It is definitely more than $750K, easily. That said, with insurance it costs around $550/month out of pocket. For my first month I have been set up on a copay card that brings the cost down substantially.
Anyway, thought it was interesting and so I thought I'd share!

Hoping I start feeling better soon (it isn't side effects, it is a stomach bug) and that life starts mellowing out around me soon. We shall see!

AM Pills: $176.23 PM Pills: $457.67

*if I didn't have insurance that is

Little Rant

So I have been waiting for the bills to come in from biochemo to see what the dent is. I am on my own insurance, Obamacare persay, that I got on my own - not through my employer. I am a full supporter of all the progress with insurance and Obamacare - without it I would not be able to have insurance due to a permanent spot on the “preexisting conditions” list (thankfully that has been done for a few years!) Regardless, I have good insurance that I am very happy with. Onto the rant…

I got the explanation of benefits (EOB) for chemo and was BLOWN AWAY! For one round of my chemo they charge the insurance $83.8K! Unreal!!! And the allowed amount is $50.4K… The difference is more than I made the entire year last year. Keep in mind I did 3 rounds of this… That’s $251.5K ($151.4K after the adjustment) in treatment… an entire house! A really nice one. So my upset is that if I didn’t have insurance how would I even come close to affording even one round - thus the flaw in the medical system. People would still (hopefully) get treatment and then claim bankruptcy causing the cost of health care to continue to rise or wouldn’t get treatment and succumb to the disease. Just sad. 

All this said, I am not sure what my portion will be of this, just waiting to see. I feel so bad for the people who can’t afford the same coverage and treatment as I do. I am lucky that I have been able to have coverage my entire life (minus a short 5 months - and just not having it for that amount of time scared me too much). 

I am scared for what the next president will do with the healthcare system, but hope I can keep my status as insured for the rest of my life. 

End rant.