Remicade process Alberta Canada

I have not seen this information on any forum. It surprised me and didn’t help my mental state, not knowing. So I want to share this with as many people who have, who live in Alberta, and are being put on Remicade, Sunlife Insurance Flex Care, or otherwise:study:.
Your doctor will set you up with a Coordinator. They will call you and give you the web site info set up your account. They will fill out all the forms and check your insurance to see what is covered. They will send your paper work to Bioclin (this happens to be mine, yours may be different) to get you booked for your infusion.
Once you receive the appointment you need to call the pharmacy and order your Remicade for that appointment and any thereafter. You will need to top up your coverage with Alberta Blue Cross Non Group insurance to help cover any extra costs. Or if you do not have prescription coverage, look into this plan in Alberta, Canada. The form can be found on the web.
I needed to research my Insurance company for coverage as well. The coordinator was to check for maximum coverage for the year and they didn’t.
Ask your company if they cover travel for out of town specialist appointments. Ask about medical leave.
You will need to order your own Remicade from the Pharmacy of your choice at least two days before your infusion. Please take a lunch box cooler with ice to pick it up. If you have to pick up your Remicade earlier than your appointment it has a cool factor so please store it in the chest of your fridge at the front. Do not store it on the door or in the back of the fridge as it is cooler back there.
Other things to think about.
This is very expensive. Air miles, option points, purchase points. This is a lot of money and a lot of points of one kind or another. How can I help offset the impact to my family?

This could maybe be added to crohns wiki as this process is virtually identical with the exception of some insurance stuff in B.C. too.

Bioadvance will cover you until blue cross kicks in, if your income qualifies. The process was made very simple for me as my GIs office broke it down into easy small steps. My hubbys insurance covers 80% and blue cross covers the rest.

My GI is in Edmonton and I see him 3-4 times a year. I have family in Edmonton that I visit anyway so I time my appointments with that so I dont have to make extra trips. The other times I can phone him or my GP will talk to him regarding my condition and treatment. So for smaller issues I can see my GP in town here. Which is good because Edmonton is 4 hours away. I suppose Grande Prairie is closer but they only have internal specialists and I want a GI. I live in an isolated mountain town so I have to travel for everything.

Hi, Ladies

Am resurrecting an old thread, if that's okay, because posts mention treatment in Edmonton.

My GI suggested last week that Remicade might - might - be in order if an upcoming MRI reveals a fistula. (Gack.)

Can you please advise re. whether it is ever possible in Edmonton to have an appointment to receive Remicade in the evening or on the weekend? I would struggle to find more work contracts if I had to cancel 2-3 classes every semester for Crohn's treatment. I try not to miss more than 1 class per semester for any reason. So now I'm feeling anxious about this.

Thanks so much for the info.

(Kelly -- now, Entchen)

Would anybody know how this would work in quebec canada?

One more thing, My wife covers me for the inssurance 80% but I am also covered with mine another 80%. I never use mine because there is a surchage of 7$ per prescription.

IN this instance would it be more advantagous to get both inssurance to pay for the full 100% would it actually work that way?

Thnks for any information.

I'm waiting for a phone call to set up my first infusion.

Entchen said:

Hi, Ladies

Am resurrecting an old thread, if that's okay, because posts mention treatment in Edmonton.

My GI suggested last week that Remicade might - might - be in order if an upcoming MRI reveals a fistula. (Gack.)

Can you please advise re. whether it is ever possible in Edmonton to have an appointment to receive Remicade in the evening or on the weekend? I would struggle to find more work contracts if I had to cancel 2-3 classes every semester for Crohn's treatment. I try not to miss more than 1 class per semester for any reason. So now I'm feeling anxious about this.

Thanks so much for the info.

(Kelly -- now, Entchen)

Click to expand...

You go to a clinic called Bioclin for infusions. You can call to see if they have any weekend or evening appointments.
http://www.bioclinhealthcare.com/Clinic_Loc/AL_Edmonton.html

Or you could ask for Humira. Then you can do the injections yourself at home. Humira is a TNF blocker too. Works in much the same way.

moogie said:

Would anybody know how this would work in quebec canada?

One more thing, My wife covers me for the inssurance 80% but I am also covered with mine another 80%. I never use mine because there is a surchage of 7$ per prescription.

IN this instance would it be more advantagous to get both inssurance to pay for the full 100% would it actually work that way?

Thnks for any information.

I'm waiting for a phone call to set up my first infusion.

Click to expand...

Yep between 2 plans you should have 100% coverage. 7 dollars is nothing when you consider remicade is 1100 dollars per vial. I get 3 vials per infusion.

1100x3 per 6 weeks... good thing we have coverage my god... that's really expensive...

Lydia, thanks very much for this info. I couldn't reach BioClin by phone, but it appears they might offer evening appts at their U of A location (handy, because I do sessional teaching on campus). No Saturday appts at any Edmonton location and no evening appts at the other locations, so I have to wonder if they aren't jam packed in the evenings (if this option really is available).

I would strongly prefer Humira and will absolutely ask about this option IF I have to go the biologics route.

Appreciate you helping set my mind at ease.

As I am just starting the approval process, this article was extremely helpful in answering a lot of questions I was having.

Wow!!! This is such a surprise to see what you all endured. I didnt have to do anything except go to the pharmacy to pay for it and put it on my visa and they delivered to the clinic so it was ready when I go there. Our insurance paid it within 2 weeks so I got points on my visa . My doc filled out all the paper work, and I did virtually nothing. Mine was 100% paid. To fast track everything I called the insurance company first to see if they would cover it first. Boom did it all,but only to find out 3rd infusion I had a bad reaction. . Even when I had Humira done, I got my syringes myself, prepaid by myinsurance because it went thru my pharmacist, with the group insurance card sent once. My doc set up the nurse to come to my house, the rest was a piece of cake.

Glad I live in Ontario, heck that is alot of stress for you guys, like we need that.

I agree Ontario does have it set up much more efficiently. My last infusion the prescription had run out. I had just seen my GI, the topic never came up, I had no idea. So another learning about Remicade in Alberta. If your prescription runs out then the pharmacist should be able to phone your prescribing doctor and have it renewed for you. Mind you, I am not sure if mine was so quickly done, because I had just seen her or if this is the norm. Dazed and confused in Alberta.

I have never had a problem in Alberta. My coordinator takes care of sending in my authorization forms to blue cross. I have never had to ask for a refill on my Remicade prescription as she takes care of that too. I call the pharmacy (COOP - 10% dividends = $3500 a year to me) and they order it for me. I pick it up with the little cooler bag that Schering supplies and I take it to the clinic. I no longer have to drive to Calgary either since a clinic opened in Medicine Hat almost two years ago.

Nicole

That's very interesting NicoleS. That was the impression of the job of the coordinator when, I started the whole regiment. It sure went sideways with my situation. One good thing that has happened to me is that I don't have to travel to Grande Prairie to have the infusions, I can have them here in Peace River at the hospital. It is a relief not to have to drive in bad weather for 21/2 hours. Medicine Hat to Calgary can get dicey in the winter too. Glad to hear you can take them at home.
There always is a good side, even if it is small.:dance:

My good side is that I get my perscriptions at Safeway, pharmacist told me that I will be able to collect airmiles on the original amount it costs $4500, not just the $10 I will actually pay. So I see trips in my future!!!

kllyeve said:

My good side is that I get my perscriptions at Safeway, pharmacist told me that I will be able to collect airmiles on the original amount it costs $4500, not just the $10 I will actually pay. So I see trips in my future!!!

Click to expand...

Oh that's very lucky. 7x airmiles too?

Because Pharmacare BC pays all $3956 of mine I'm not allowed to claim Air Miles or Save-on More points. For some reason Pharmacare won't let us claim rewards points off their funding There is a petition going around to change it :lol:

I wish I could get air mailes... not allowed on medication here in quebec

Anybody know which pharmacy in Calgary has the best price for remicade? The price seems to vary a lot between pharmacies.

Thanks

Hi there, sorry if this topic is out dated... but I am a US citizen, marrying a CA citizen. We will be doing the sponsorship / Perminant Resident process. I also have crohn's disease.... for 7 years now. I will be turning 26 in march which means I will no longer be covered under my parents health insurance. We can't afford to pay out of pocket for my treatments, but I won't be covered for anything until I become a PR which could take a year or more. My husband to be is in the CF but we are having trouble finding out what is covered...we are even having trouble finding out how soon I get coverage, I may not get it until I am a PR as well.

So my question is, from your experience what is the best way to get private insurance to cover my treatments? I can't legally work until I am PR also. Which companies in CA should I try for private insurance? In the states there are a few clinics where people who can't afford it can get it at low cost, I have yet to find one but I've heard they are out there. Are there any clinics like this in CA? Not just Alberta but Anywhere in CA? Any advice on how I can get started so I don't have to stop my treatments once we get married would be appreciated!