Lecanemab (Leqembi™) A newly approved drug to delay progression of Alzheimer’s in the early stage group costs about $28,000 out of pocket annually with an additional cost for all the required MRIs of about $5,000 each. Medicare will not pay for this because it was on accelerated approval so perhaps in a year it will be covered. Meanwhile, those in the early stage may progress to middle stage by that time and not be eligible to receive the drug. It seems like only the rich will get it. I am interested in your thoughts.
Find a neuropsychologist to start the evaluation process (they are in short supply). Medicare WILL pay for a comprehensive neurocognitive evaluation (there was no special process to get my mom or my DH approved for this extensive testing).
There is a suggestion perhaps patients with AD will be funded by Medicare in the same way that End Stage Renal Disease is.
If this drug made a huge improvement for a longer time, then I'd consider paying for it out of pocket. This does not seem to be the case. There's a lot of hype when new drugs come out. Most of the time they don't live up to it.
Plus, I'm sure there are will be side-effects to manage. I'm sorry your LO and your family is on this journey. May you gain wisdom and receive peace in your hearts.
The politicians need to get OUT of the pockets of Big Pharma once and for all, for crying out loud.
Then $3 worth of pills won't cost us $28,000 + $5K for MRIs that cost another $5, but Medicare or insurance is billed $2K per.
But the corrupt politicians don't care about US, they never have. All of their needs are met with no problem whatsoever b/c money comes to them by the millions, at the taxpayers expense. How that ever happened, that a congressperson like AOC can be worth $29 million in her short 'service' as a politician is beyond RIDICULOUS. While an Alzheimer's patient is turned down for a new medication which isn't 'approved' by Medicare is a very sad statement of what our country has devolved into.
It's irrelevant whether I'd choose to take this drug or not; that it's NOT available to me as a Medicare recipient IS the relevant issue.