I can't stop thinking about this this morning.
A little background here.... you all know the troubles we have had with pregnancies. Much of my problems stem from having an irritable uterus and incompetent cervix. With all 3 of my pregnancies that have lasted beyond 13weeks I have had braxton hicks contractions (yep, you heard right, they started at 13weeks) - I thought it was cool the first time around with Kaid that I could feel my ball of a uterus tighten, but soon came to realize that it's very dangerous and NOT normal for my uterus to have so many contractions so early on. These painless contractions along with the weight of the baby as he/she grows cause my cervix to dilate too early without me knowing. This was why I had to have a cerclage (my cervix tied closed), be on bedrest (to keep the pressure off of my cervix), and have 17P injections during my pregnancy with Kason and will have with any other pregnancy we are blessed with. The purpose of the 17P injections is to relax my irritable uterus so those contractions don't cause things to happen to soon like we had happen with Korbin.
17P is given as an IM injection weekly from weeks 16-36. I could tell when it was almost time for my weekly stick as my contractions would get more frequent - sometimes 3-4 an hour... not a good thing for someone who is still in the 2nd trimester! When I would get my shot, my uterus would calm down and would only have about 3-4 a day until it was time for the next.
Why am I telling you all this? When I was pregnant with Kason the shots in my area were $30 (the articles are saying 10-20 per shot, but I'm am almost certain mine were more than that) Insurance did pay for much of it, but we did end up paying about $200 out of pocket for these (mainly because the pharmacy gave us a big 10 dose vile and we didn't know that insurance would only cover 3 doses at a time... hence we had to pay the difference). Worth every penny to get Kason here safely.
BUT - the price is about to go up from that price to $1,500 per shot. No that was not a typo.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=134400038
http://www.preemieprimer.com/progesterone-to-prevent-preterm-delivery-is-now-more-expensive-than-gold/
I can't bear to imagine how many tiny lives are going to be affected by this. Will insurance companies still cover a med that will cost them $30,000 per pregnancy? I doubt it and if it does it will only cover for PTL. Which means babies like Kason whos mommies need it to help them survive will not be able to afford it. I know we couldn't afford $30,000 especially when I would be unable to work while lying at home in bed, which is what many of these mom's face. And, I was diagnosed with IC not PTL (pre-term labor) even though the two often times go hand in hand, the chance of it being covered for me or those with similar situations would not be good.
The unfortunate thing about this is.... these are not mom's who are out there doing things that would cause problems, like drinking, smoking, drugs... etc. These are moms who are doing everything "right." These are moms who more times than not have felt the heartbreak of holding a perfectly formed - but too tiny for life - baby in their arms. These are moms who have such a desire to have a/nother baby in their lives. Who have the means to provide for them and a family who will love them. These are moms like me, and babies like Kason who deserve that chance to be a family. If I find a way to help change this, will you please help too?
After losing Korbin and being diagnosed with this, the nurse in me had to get as much information as I could. As I was searching I stumbled on an amazing forum with an amazing group of women who all had faced what I was facing. We helped each other through the heartbreak like no one else could, simply because we didn't know anyone who had been through the same thing. We helped each other through months of boredom while on bedrest. We shared everything we had learned about IC and how to beat it! It's wonderful now checking in on these women and seeing the success stories of women just like me, who beat all odds and brought a little life into this world - sometimes over and over again! These women depend on 17P and so it's a huge concern. We also have a Doctor who is well known for all the work he does with PTL/IC and placing TAC (trans-abdominal cerclages - which is a step up from what I had a TVC - trans vaginal cerclage... it is a permanent cerclage fix for IC but you still have to take precautions such as 17P, but hopefully no bedrest) who is on the forum and shared ways to help. I'm so sorry this is so long, thank you if you have stuck with me this far...
From Dr D.
"So, what can you do?
Firstly, contact KV Pharmaceutical and voice your displeasure:
KV Pharmaceuticals Contact Information: investorrelations@kvpharmaceutical.com
Second, notify your local media outlets about this issue.
Third, write or email your congressman and senator:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contac...nators_cfm.cfm
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Fourth, contact the FDA and find out why they elected to give KV exclusivity for this product. Competition will bring down the price dramatically.
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm
Fifth, write to the president:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
Sixth, contact your state Medicaid offices and your insurance carriers. Get them involved
Seventh, get as many of your friends, family members, co-workers, etc. as possible to do the above.
Eighth, feel free to cut/paste/email the above to as many contacts as you can. Let's make this issue go viral!
If we can get enough of a protest mounted, we stand a chance of averting this "rape" of the healthcare system that is motivated almost entirely by a profit motive. Even if KV decides to not manufacture the drug for fear of losing money, we will be better off than with what they are currently planning.
Thank you.
Dr. D
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