Today I read an article written by Annelise Lords about cancer medication.
"The Medication Keytruda — Why Is Cancer Drugs So Damn Expensive?" Annelise Lords
As I read this story, it pained my heart that humanity does not care. Some humans see each other as a business, money, or a liability. I have come to realize that the poor and marginalized are treated horribly with disdain. They don't think the poor are somebody's family, aunt, sister, uncle, mother, and grandmother. If you cannot afford the exorbitant price of surgery or medication, there is no one there to say I will help you.
Years ago, I often visited the clinic in my neighborhood of Mount Vernon, NY. I had serious asthma and needed medication. I did not have insurance then, and I could not afford my medication. They had programs to help those who could not afford their meds and would ensure that people like me got mine.
Are there still programs like this?
I was taking Advair 250 at that time and was told to reach out to Glaxosmithkline, they were very helpful. I received three months at a time.
Are they still assisting people who cannot afford their medication? Yes, they still have a program that provides certain GSK medications at no cost to eligible patients.
"The cancer medication Keytruda is so expensive."
What is Keytruda? According to keytruda.com,
It is not chemotherapy, it is immunotherapy. KEYTRUDA is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. It was created for certain people with early-stage NSCLC, (None Small Cell Lung Cancer, NSCLC) and it is approved for use in combination with chemotherapy before surgery when you have early-stage NSCLC. Which can be removed by surgery, and then continued alone after surgery to help prevent your lung cancer from returning.
How much does it cost to research cancer drugs?
I am aware that funding is available from various government and private agencies.
How much does it cost to treat a person with cancer?
What will the pharmaceutical companies lose if they lower the cost of cancer medication to save lives?
Who or what is more important, saving lives, or taking it?
God gave man knowledge and I believe the ability to seek out resources to help humanity. I am not saying to just give it away, but if someone's life is dependent on a drug, how inhumane can you be to only look or care about your bank account? If you should die tomorrow, can you take your millions with you?
You will not lose if you help someone. If you save a life, you will not lose.
The Bible says, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you. In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40.
We came into this world naked and with nothing, and we are leaving this world as we came, with nothing.
As I researched this drug, I was shocked at its cost when administered every three weeks. A person dependent on this drug will have to fork out $11,337.36 every 3 weeks, and $22, 674.72 every six weeks.
Where will people get this money, pay the monthly mortgage, and utilities, eat, and if they have children?
Would they have to give up their children to social services and go live under a bridge? Most people will not pay the list price, although it may have an impact on your out-of-pocket costs. The amount you pay will depend on many factors, including your insurance situation.
The information below will help you better estimate what you may pay for your prescription based on your insurance. It might also cover financial assistance that may be available to you. For the actual out-of-pocket cost of your treatment, talk to your insurance provider, who knows the details of your plan if you have insurance, or contact your oncologist's office for help.
Further research mentioned commercial insurance. What is commercial insurance?
Commercial a.k.a. Business insurance is coverage intended for businesses instead of individuals. Business insurance covers losses related to unexpected events like lawsuits, accidents, or natural disasters, among others. So, only if you have commercial insurance can this drug be pocket-friendly.
According to the Keytruda website, if you are a patient with commercial insurance who received a 200 mg dose, 65% of patients paid no out-of-pocket costs for KEYTRUDA. For those patients who did have out-of-pocket costs, approximately 80% of patients paid between $0.01 and $300 per infusion, after satisfying their deductible. So, if a person exhausts all their insurance, or does not have insurance, is there any financial assistance for them?
For other patients: https://www.keytrudalenvima.com/patient-support/
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✍ — Edited and Published by Dr. Gabriella Korosi, at Dancing Elephants Press. Click here for submission guidelines.