Cannot afford medication? HMO answer- remove testicles!

[wurzel]

I swear to God I was told this today. I was told this by an MD specialist in prostate cancer. And he was not joking. He said that there is an injection that men with high risk prostate cancer have had for some years which reduces their PSA number. This number has something to do with the spread of cancer from the prostate through the bloodstream by testosterone generated in the testicles. Until last year this injection was given with a co-pay of $40.00. This copay has now been increase to a 20% copay which makes the out of pocket charge to over $300.00 for each injection. And this injection is given 3 to 4 times a year. This specialist seriously told me that men who cannot afford this are opting to have their testicles removed so as not to produce the testosterone.

I asked the obvious question: who pays for the operation? He said the HMO pays! He said it is total insanity.

[liberal N proud]

1. Out health care system is totally insane

[Cleita]

2. wurzel, that's an awful choice and I hope it doesn't

stay that way for you. Contact the pharmacy company that produced the drug and find out if they have a program for people like you who can't afford the drug. Some companies will help out people with the cost or maybe they can point you to a charity that might help.

[KT2000]

3. Get this to Michael Moore

Remember the fellow in his movie who had two fingers severed? He could only afford to have one reattached so he had to choose which finger he wanted back.

[KamaAina]

6. And Stewart, and Colbert

The combination of HMOs and testicles should prove irresistible to them both.

[dkf]

4. An operation to remove testicles is cheaper than the injections?

I can't imagine that works out well.

[sarcasmo]

5. Our health care system is beyond repair.

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. Makes sense. You can get neutered for around $150 at the vets office.

That's half of one treatment.

[pipi_k]

9. And if you're a pants-less lumberjack you can get it done for free n/t

[Strelnikov_]

8. ..

We are truly fucked.

[saras]

10. Darwin awards for the poor

If you're not rich enough to afford good medical care, you don't DESERVE to reproduce.

:sarcasm:

[spinbaby]

11. The drug is Lupron

My father in-law is on Medicare and poor as a church mouse, so has trouble affording Lupron with whatever Medicare drug plan he has. If I remember correctly, it's several thousand for each injection. But his health is poor enough that he's in the hospital for one reason or another quite often, so his doctor just arranges for a Lupron injection whenever he's hospitalized. If he's in the hospital, it's covered as part of the hospital expense. The system is broken in a major way.