Maybe we should start a topic in the "insurance issues" forum -- anyway, in Maryland the state will pick up some of the monthly premium and they have a computer program where you enter your prescriptions and it tells you which ones are covered in each of the 22 (!) approved plans in the state. For Barry it was only 2-3 of the plans that covered all of them, and for these, each had some of the drugs in a different "tier" -- that is, how much he has to co-pay. He doesn't take many prescriptions now that he's essentially through with the treatment, the one drug that a lot of the plans do not cover is primidone which is for his benig essential tremor, nothing to do with cancer. It is a Medicare-approved drug, so not sure why...

You may wish to check with your state to see if they have information available on web or in hard copy which will help oyu sift through ll the options...

Gail

CG to husband Barry, dx. 7/21/05, age 66, SCC rgt. tonsil, BOT, 2 nodes (stg. IV), HPV+, tonsillectomy, 7x carboplatin, 35x tomoTherapy IMRT w/ Ethyol @ Johns Hopkins, thru treatment 9/28/05, HPV vaccine trial 12/06-present. Looking good!