if someone develops alzheimers disease
they may end up in some type of long term care facility
maybe for a year or two
that was the time my mother and younger brother spent
in those places
at a cost of $60,000-$85,000 a year for two years
equals $120000-$170,000 for just those last two years
of care
then theres care that is paid for up to the point of entry
into the nursing home
that varies based on how sick or how severe their disease is
so for this blog today
lets just use the $170,000 for those two years in the nursing home
now
my question is
this new drug im taking in the aducanumab study
well its going to be an expensive one
more expensive than the arthritis or ulcerative colitis or
cancer drugs
more in line with the new hepatitis c drug
the prediction is that it will cost someone
$40,000+ a year for these monthly infusions
so if it works or if it just slows down the disease
lets say for 10 years
then that allows the person to die from something else
like
cancer heart attack or stroke or old age if they are lucky
so i looked at some of the expensive drugs that are listed
by those drug controlling pharmacetical companies that
provide us all with our drug plans
i am on medicare part d drug plan
i have a $400 deductible i have to meet
then
there is this donut hole thing
that compromise spot the congress made to get the
medicare part d bill passed years ago
my donut hole is around $3,000
after the donut hole there is suppose to be a 5% limit on
how much one has to pay
however
as usual with these insurance things
it dont really work that way
many of you know this from using your health insurance or
car insurance or prescription insurance or
maybe more like homeowners insurance
so that means i may be on the hook for at least $12,000 a year
or the full $40,000 a year if its not covered at all
so lets see if i can do some math
if i treat myself for 10 years to stay out of the nursing home
ill save maybe $175,000 in nursing home care total
since maybe ill die fast after that ten years is up
ill spend anywhere from $120,000 total for the aducanumab drug
during those 10 years
so if it works ill save someone $50,000 total over that time period
of course
if i pay full price that will be $480,000 for the drug over 10 years
now
i do have long term care insurance that right now will pay
$160,000 for those two years in the nursing home
that would leave only $15,000 owed to the nursing home folks
so
if my math is right
it may be cheaper for me to just not get treatment but to just
slide down that alzheimers curve into those last two years
of nursing home care
many of us know how awful those last two years can be
so
doing my math it looks like i could probably afford to pay
for my aducanumab infusions for 10 years
let my medicare part d pay what it will if it does at all
i guess my life those last 10 years would be more tolerable
for myself and those around me
however if i have to pay full price
i may not be able to afford it
ill just use my long term care insurance instead
but
the question is
can society afford to pay for this new treatment or not
or
does society just fit the bill for the nursing home
by society i mean you and the government
tough question
with no answer
oh by the way
biogen and its investors will make billions off this drug
worldwide if it works
but
can we pay the price
is it worth it
in the mean time lets find a cure
support us at our next walk
or
donate and or walk at your local walk
santa barbara walk to end alzheimers october 28th
the organicgreen doctor
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