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“What are the financial and insurance issues associated with the management of a malignant gliomas? Usually that really doesn’t become an issue until we’re really started getting into initiating the radiation Temozolomide portion of the therapy along followed by the regimen therapy. When we start the chemotherapy, that’s when the insurance issues can become an issue. If an individual does not have full coverage, usually there is a chemotherapy patient assistance programs through the makers of Temozolomide, which certainly can assist with obtaining Temozolomide in a financially acceptable manner to the patient. More often than not insurance companies will cover the Temozolomide. As I mentioned earlier, it is the only FDA approved therapy for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioma. In addition, insurance companies will typically dispense only 30 days of the chemotherapy. Now, when, when the individual initiates their radiation, along with their Temozolomide, that’s a six week course of therapy.
And typically I’ll end up writing their chemotherapy for 42 days. So the individual will only get 30 days of their chemotherapy. That’s not to say that the prescription was wrong, but it’s just that their insurance company only will provide 30 days of their chemotherapy. At which time as we get closer to the end of that initial 30 days, we’ll continue to discuss with the patient to ensure that they received their additional 12 days of therapy. If individuals start their chemotherapy, before they start, the radiation therapy will also confirm that they receive their chemotherapy to ensure that they end their chemotherapy the day that they end the radiation therapy.”
