All Topics → Forum: Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment → Topic: How much did your Neulasta shot cost?
This is a place to discuss concerns, tips and strategies for all types of side effects from all types of medications and treatments, (chemo/rads/hormonal/targeted/pain meds/etc.
Posted on: Oct 19, 2008 01:50PM
Wink wrote:
I just got my explanation of benefits yesterday and my insurance was charged $9000 for the Neulasta shot that I received. I heard that it was ~$3000; $9000 is absolutely crazy 
!!!!!!!!!
How much were you all billed for Neulasta?
Donna
Posts 1 - 30 (102 total)
Oct 19, 2008 02:32PM azsunn wrote:
I just pulled one of my EOBs and it shows amount billed 5280, allowed amount 3016.76.
It's crazy, what really gets me is the people that don't have insurance and are billed the full amount not the discounted amount.
Oct 19, 2008 02:46PM NancyD wrote:
I wish my EOB's were more detailed. They don't actually say WHAT each amount is for...they do not say "Neulasta" or "saline IV". And my onc is so slow in billing that it might be a month or more before it shows up.
But from what I can figure out by the dates, my Neulasta ran @ $3000.
Oct 19, 2008 06:03PM Wink wrote:
It's absolutely insane - and why the big spread in pricing? I'm going to talk with our benefits specialist tomorrow; I work at the hospital that is charging me so much!
I could cry for the people that don't have insurance; I was told that most of them end up in bankruptcy; so very sad 
.
Oct 19, 2008 06:22PM JulieC wrote:
Hi Wink,
My Neulasta shots were about $6700 - $6900. Each chemo treatment + the Neulasta shot was about $15,000 per session and the shot made up almost half! But, my onc told me that if I would have ended up in the hospital with an infection, a week at the hospital would have cost around $50,000. I guess everything is relative.
Julie
Oct 19, 2008 07:35PM sue_blue wrote:
I had an option of getting the shot at two different sites. One, closest by, charged $7,000, and one 20 miles away charged $3,000. I drove to get the shot. I couldn't believe the cost and the difference. We did decide cost might have something to do with affiliation and ability to purchase in bulk.
Oct 19, 2008 08:09PM mommy3abm wrote:
My Neulasta was billed at 6700.00 no matter what my dosage was. The first one I had 6 units and the last 3 I only had 3 units, but the billing was the same. Go figure!
Oct 19, 2008 08:38PM pinkisit0415 wrote:
well girls -- mine was only $200.00 at onc office next day after chemo -- yeah
however had a delay in last chemo treatment and had to go to hospital and
OMG !!!!!!!! $7349.00 and I stood in a hallway and waited 2 hours and shot was given in hallway took all of 10 seconds ??? they are just using our ins benefits up GRGRGRGR
Pink
Oct 20, 2008 11:18AM Wink wrote:
It was confirmed; the shot indeed was $9000.00. I checked with my onc's office and they charge $3200.00; needless to say, I will drive the 20 miles for the shot if needed. I don't understand why it costs more in the hospital as opposed to the onc's office.
Oct 20, 2008 12:36PM wendyk13 wrote:
Hi there....it's been almost 1.5 years ago but my onc charged $1800. for the neulasta...but the one day I had to go to the hospital on a Sat to get it.....$3800. with a "sitting" fee of $85.
I never did that again....also guess I should have stood up for the shot......
And $9000. is just totally crazy. A lot off-topic but DH was recently in the hospital and had a severe allergic reaction to the EKG leads, which we told them about and not to use the nickel ones. So...long story short they ordered up a tube of benadryl cream. $400.20 on the hospital bill. Jeepers...haven't they ever heard of WalMart??????
Oct 22, 2008 05:52AM - edited Oct 22, 2008 05:57AM by CanItBeTrueNH
Hello Ladies:
My insurance paid $3k per injection in addition my insurance had caremark (prescription card carrier) UPS overnight them to me at my office so someone could sign for them.(I work so wouldn't be home to receive the package-signature is required and they have to be placed in the fridge right away)
They where shipped 2 weeks before my chemo treatments.
$30.00 for my co-pay. The package included 2 needles packed in dry ice. Then we unpacked them and put them in the butter dish. Take it out of the fridge about a half hour before the 24 hours after chemo.... I inject the needle in my upper thigh.
The cost is relative to all of the research that went into it to develop the product. I should have went to college for Nuclear Medicine :) .
Oct 22, 2008 06:16AM debk55 wrote:
HI All,
My Onc office told me the amt charged has to do with the location the shot is given and the coding it is billed with. Mine is covered at the onc office as part of chemo, but not covered at all if given at my pcp office or if i give it to my self which sucks as I live 75 miles away from onc.
Prayers and good thoughts to all of you a good day, Debk:)
Oct 22, 2008 06:17AM flash wrote:
The cost is because of the research cost developing it. It is worth every penny. My insurance bill paid 3000 of the 9000 billed.
Oct 22, 2008 07:13AM cmb35 wrote:
If I'm remembering correctly (big if!), the shots were $6000, and I paid $240 co-pay for each one. My onc prescribed them to me so I could do myself at home, but informed me when she did that the ins would deny it at first (they did), and then she submitted a form and they approved it. I don't think the pharmacist had dealt with it before, and he was a pain in the ass about it, I do remember that quite clearly!
Oct 22, 2008 02:48PM AlaskaDeb wrote:
Mine was almost $9,000. They paid about $3,100 and the hospital wrote the rest off.
Deb C
Oct 23, 2008 09:14AM familyroks wrote:
Get this...If my Onc provided the Neulasta, with my insurance, I was obligated to pay 30% of the plan allowance PER DOSE. However, if I got it through a pharmacy I only have to pay my $30 co-pay for a month supply (2 doses). Gee...what SHALL I do?
So, I got it through the pharmacy and took it to my Onc's office so that they could give me the shot. I'm just so glad that I even looked into this. Many people have no idea that there could be a difference with what their plans cover and what their options are.
Oct 23, 2008 03:09PM BFidelis wrote:
I got mine at my local pharmacy and self-injected. The 'cost' on the Rx label was about $3300; I paid a copay of about $100 per shot. When I told my dad, he said "what do people without insurance do?" I told him "they die."
Oct 29, 2008 02:10PM carolynf wrote:
I thought the Dr's office messed up on the billing because my Neulasta shot was $12,150.00. I almost flipped when they told me that was correct! I had to pay $1800.00 but was shocked at the cost. My onc. also said it was expensive but didn't realize how much. I now know why my cousins wife in England was never given this shot when she went thru her treatments!
Oct 29, 2008 03:11PM mke wrote:
Mine were about 2900 per shot in 2006, neopogen was about 200 per shot. I picked them up at the hospital pharmacy and my husband gave me the shots. I have good insurance so I didn't have to pay anything extra. The regular Ontario health insurance doesn't cover drugs although there is a special fund for major costs like neulasta.
Nov 4, 2008 02:32PM jdg1 wrote:
My insurance paid for my Neulasta shots in full $3,000.00
Nov 10, 2008 04:53PM HopeForBest wrote:
Hello everyone,
Am new here and heading to bilat maste, chemo and rad.
All the terms are new to me. What are this expensive Neulasta shots?
Best wishes to all!
Aug 11, 2009 05:34PM - edited Aug 11, 2009 05:35PM by RRF
My daughter has breast cancer and has been receiving a Neulasta shot after each chemo treatment. The cost is $9,375 per shot and is NOT covered by insurance.
Aug 12, 2009 11:54AM Scoobydoo wrote:
Hi RRF. Has she asked about getting neupogen instead? I believe it is much cheaper. The down side is you have to give the shots yourself and you have to take it for about 5 days.
Aug 12, 2009 11:59AM mke wrote:
Yes, do check into Neupogen. You have to have more shots but I found it easier. And that price is absolutely absurd.
Aug 12, 2009 12:22PM concernedsis wrote:
Sis' shots cost $5700 each - the cancer center took her insurance so now out of pocket thank God. If your insurance says not covered, be sure to ask why? Her first shot came up not covered because it was a medicine and would go to her pharmacy plan but once we explained it to them INJECTABLES are covered by the medical not pharmacy insurance and all 4 shots were paid for. Each shot was coded wrong and denied and required phone calls to fix but they were all covered. In addition, if not covered based on medical reasons - there should be an appeals process.
Last check www.amgen.com and look for the patient assistance program.
Aug 12, 2009 12:29PM Sandygirl wrote:
I called the cancer center before I started Neulasta and the woman told me, "now don't get excited, but it is $12,000 each time you go to the hospital to get it. So I went to plan B and called Caremark and they told me it is $70 a month. They were excellent in sending the drug and providing help if needed. My son is in nursing school and I let him practice on me. One month I needed 2 injections and it still only cost $70. Would I be right in saying something is wrong with health care?
Aug 12, 2009 02:53PM bluedasher wrote:
I got Neupogen and was taught to inject it myself by one of the chemo nurses. Kind of weird the first time you do it, but not hard and not much pain if you do it in the abdomen where they show you because there aren't a lot nerves in that area. I needed 3 shots per chemo cycle. The pharmacy receipt showed the cost to my health plan at between $300 and 400 a dose (I don't remember the exact amount now because I just paid my usual drug copay).
Sep 3, 2009 04:58PM glostagirl wrote:
I've been in treatment all summer and received a Neulasta shot after each chemo infusion. It was billed to my insurance in the range of $11,500 to $12,500 each time. They covered it and paid 100% minus a 10% (whoppee) network discount. The Cytoxan and Taxotere chemo was also billed out in the $11,500 +/- range. Most recently I saw a charge for typical blood labs for $913.00. Yikes, it's no wonder our insurance premiums are going up and up and up!
Sep 23, 2009 12:31AM unklezwifeonty wrote:
The price the pharma co charges has nothing to do with research cost. They charge the highest price they can get.
Sep 23, 2009 12:34AM unklezwifeonty wrote:
My prescription plan is being a PITA. They need the doctor's office to get Neulasta pre-approved but only if I want to pick it up at the local pharmacy for at home self injection. Go figure!
Sep 23, 2009 12:35AM unklezwifeonty wrote:
Once you get to 5-6 shots of neupogen, it begins to cost about the same as neulasta.