Free monoclonal antibodies in Phoenix? (Tucson: insurance, purchases, bills)

[fluffythewondercat]

A kind C-D person told me there's a hospital in Tucson that offers free infusions of monoclonal antibodies (Regeneron, Bamlanivimab). If you don't have a PCP to refer you, you go into their Urgent Care clinic. This is fantastic.

I was wondering if there's a hospital here in Phoenix that does the same.

Thanks for any help.

[AndroidAZ]

You only need that if you have Covid, so your doctor should be able to find sources if needed.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by AndroidAZ

You only need that if you have Covid, so your doctor should be able to find sources if needed.

The National Infusion Center Association (NICA) has a handy map for finding facilities that are receiving shipments of Bam and Regeneron.

But if one has a positive Covid test result, it seems a really good idea to be able to skip the time-consuming battle of leaving messages and not getting responses from a healthcare provider. Time is critical. You have to get the infusion within 10 days from the start of symptoms.

TMC in Tucson has a walk-in clinic where all you need is your test result. No note from your doctor. A lot of people don't have a doctor and they shouldn't be shut out from receiving medication that could keep them out of the hospital because of that.

[ajonesaz]

Almost all hospitals have them. You have to be COVID positive and have a prescription.
You HAVE to be HIGH RISK to get it and yes you have to act fast for it to help you (within 48 hours). Your prescribing physician will assist in getting you a test with quick turnaround.

This comes from a family member who works in the Banner Health system.

Free to you does not mean free, they will bill your insurance, mid to high 4 figures.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by ajonesaz

Almost all hospitals have them. You have to be COVID positive and have a prescription.
You HAVE to be HIGH RISK to get it and yes you have to act fast for it to help you (within 48 hours). Your prescribing physician will assist in getting you a test with quick turnaround.

This comes from a family member who works in the Banner Health system.

Free to you does not mean free, they will bill your insurance, mid to high 4 figures.

It's interesting you should mention this.

I wanted to see if Medicare would pay for the infusion. The answer is yes, during the COVID-19 emergency. But they won't pay for the monoclonal antibody product if the provider receives it free. If the provider purchases the product, they'll set a payment rate.


Doesn't matter to me either way. I am high-risk and if I got infected I would pay whatever it takes.

[Valley Native]

With the current high demand (as well as all the technical glitches), I've decided to wait for a bit of calm before taking the vaccine. I'm in phase 2, which would force me to wait longer anyway, but I'm caring for a person who is in phase 1B. I don't see the sense in going through the hassle of trying to register on a site with frequent downtime, then trying to find a location, and possibly waiting in a long line. With the current circumstances, it's better to wait this out for a while. Maybe by then, it will be more widely available and better organized (wishful thinking).

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

With the current high demand (as well as all the technical glitches), I've decided to wait for a bit of calm before taking the vaccine. I'm in phase 2, which would force me to wait longer anyway, but I'm caring for a person who is in phase 1B. I don't see the sense in going through the hassle of trying to register on a site with frequent downtime, then trying to find a location, and possibly waiting in a long line. With the current circumstances, it's better to wait this out for a while. Maybe by then, it will be more widely available and better organized (wishful thinking).

I understand your reasoning but we're not talking about the vaccine. We're talking about monoclonal antibody treatments for infected high-risk people to keep them out of the hospital. Specifically, bamlanivimab from Eli Lilly and Regeneron's casirivimab and imdevimab, which are administered together.

[move4ward]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

A kind C-D person told me there's a hospital in Tucson that offers free infusions of monoclonal antibodies (Regeneron, Bamlanivimab). If you don't have a PCP to refer you, you go into their Urgent Care clinic. This is fantastic.

I was wondering if there's a hospital here in Phoenix that does the same.

Thanks for any help.

If a patient is uninsured, the treatment is already free. Isn't it? I thought all COVID care was covered by the Feds by the CARES at. If you have insurance, you to pay according to the terms.

Hospital Bills For Uninsured COVID-19 Patients Are Covered, But No One Tells Them
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...one-tells-them

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by move4ward

If a patient is uninsured, the treatment is already free. Isn't it? I thought all COVID care was covered by the Feds by the CARES at. If you have insurance, you to pay according to the terms.

Hospital Bills For Uninsured COVID-19 Patients Are Covered, But No One Tells Them
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...one-tells-them

Again, we're talking about monoclonal antibody treatments to keep high-risk patients OUT of the hospital. Not whether or not the government pays for hospital bills. That's a separate subject. The idea is to help people recover AT HOME.

[fluffythewondercat]

I'm trying to get the word out on monoclonal antibodies for high-risk patients and those 65 and over. Please don't post about vaccines to this thread.

Eli Lilly, manufacturer of the monoclonal antibody drug bamlanivimab, announced a few days ago the combination of bamlanivimab and another monoclonal antibody, etesevimab, was found in a large, late-stage study to be "extremely effective in high-risk patients diagnosed with COVID-19."

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...us/4263087001/

If you are a high-risk patient or 65+ and you think you have been infected, you must get a COVID test done right away, even if you don't feel particularly ill. Time is of the essence. Your doctor can help you get tested quickly and with a positive test result can then arrange for an infusion of the monoclonal antibody treatment.

In order for the drug to be effective, you must get the treatment during the early stages (7 to 10 days) of the disease. Once you are hospitalized, it's too late. People have died because they didn't know this treatment was available to them.

Again, if you think you've been infected, don't wait -- call your doctor!