Hio there
Are you in USA or Canada ?? Harvoni is approved for geno 1 in canada and Sovaldi for geno 1 and 3 (if you meet medical criteria) ?
dont know if this helps .

I haven't had a lot of stigma problems, but you might be right about that
I think Ive seen that you can appeal to Gilead if your insurance wont cover it

THanks, Jan. I'm in hte middle of the appeals process with Gilead. But I'm mad at having to go through this. I would have been done by now. I just wonder about their decision making process.

My doc office got my insurance to deny me twice and then Gilead approv for me at no cost due to insurance denied me twice Just had to prove proff of income (last years income tax return) Good luck !

I was turned down twice by public insurance, then once by Gilead but on the appeal, they approved me. I think my doctor really advocated on my behalf.

You need to make sure they know how much it affects your life, your family, your work. Some people have this disease and hardly have any side effects. Others have a relatively mild disease but a lot of side effects. I think they look at it on an individual basis. You are your own best advocate. Best of luck.

By the way, I was starting to reveal my status to people who I thought might be able to help me advocate in some way. Unfortunately, I made a really big mistake one day and told the wrong people who must have thought I was a complete nut.

I almost was so desperate, I would have gone on TV but hidden my identity. I think these insurance companies and governments have to be shamed into giving us these treatments if we don't meet their artificial criteria. I can't think of one illness where they say you have to get worse before they will give you the treatment to get better. They have no idea how much we suffer both physically and mentally with this disease and the terrible stigma it carries.

Some of my close friends would be shocked to know I have Hep C and very embarrassed at some of the comments they have made about it.

Yes I am thinking of going public ..and I am wondering if it is worth the stigma ... but It really is ,because it is my life at stake .
.Without the treatment in my poor health I may not have that much time left or quality of life either ,,I am so weak and in pain so much ..
I reckon I'm still gonna go public soon ,I am just waiting to see if my appeal is turned down!
It's ridiculous that we have to fight so hard for the new meds
Ontario is not into preventative medicine at all ,It has to be costing way more in all the meds and treatments ,and hospital visits in the last year stupid band-aid solutions ...bah.humbug

Don't waste time trying to figure them out or why...just keep pushing ahead and move forward with what you need to do to get the pills in your hand...call support path , call specialty pharma, call, call call call...make sure you have alllllll your records of labs, biopsy, fibrosure, ultrasound. etc..and that alllll of them HAVE BEEN sent to proper receivers...also make sure you have all that your insurance requires sometimes it is a urine test also...ask ask ask questions take names who you talked to when and who where why when..pencil and paper and date of correspondence...no time to think how they are thinking doesn't matter press on my friend press on

I'm really frustrated. Gilead won't even process my application until my dr. does something called a "peer to peer"with the insurance co. For some reason, they think he didn't try hard enough to get the insurance to pay, even though we lost two appeals. Tired of waiting.

Brigid - what is your fibrosis level and symptoms|?

Take time to rest , sleep and get back on the horse...Been there done that ...it is SO frustrating but the squeeky wheel still gets the oil...call and see if Doc has done what is requested of Gilead the "peer to peer' i don't know what it is but just have em do it...doesn't matter if we know ,, just keep following the drug...follow follow follow I have heard of others having to do the P to Peer...it is allll time well spent it will happen...could be that they are missing a form , paperwork, ? call specialty pharma and ask them if they have all they need for approval for submission...they were always so helpful to me...does your ins. have requirements of status
ex= .fibrosure stage 2-3 or over....Vl 6mil ? urine enzymes double the standard ? test...drug test.. do you know your specialty pharma ? should be in your insurance guideline book...and most of all pray..ask God to help with every phone call...He loves to hear from us no dime needed to call Him LOL your doing great..breathe in through the nose out through the mouth ...10x careful you will get dizzy..

Got my meds Feb 21 via Support Path.

http://www.mysupportpath.com/

No insurance. Low income. The meds are free. Thank God.

Insurance companies don't want to cover Harvoni because it is expensive, If they discriminated against diseases, there are many other diseases that would not be covered. It is an economic decision. We can thank Gilead for their prohibitive pricing policies.

All paperwork is in.I don't know my fibrosis level -- I never had a biopsy. My first fibrosure said Level2-3, but they wanted a more recent one to approve the meds, and that one said Level 1. I'm fatigued, brain-foggy, can't stand perfume, cleaners, etc (I get headachy and ill). BUt nothing I can document. Have called dr. twice. Still waiting.

I live in a smaller city, and my insurance company's headquarters is not far from my home. Years ago, I took myself to their office, and talked to a customer service representative face to face to thank them for approving my first treatment. I repeated that for the other two or three ( I lost count) treatments. I thanked them for being a good partner in my health care. I wasn't just a name on a form-- I was a real, live person sitting in front of them who needed their help. When I decided to start Harvoni, the necessary blood work and the request was sent in, and approved within a week. Record time, according to my doc. Maybe I just have an insurance carrier that cares, Hard to tell. Don't know if that helps.... But that's about as public as I went. I lost "friends" when I shared my diagnosis; had an ex hubby who threatened to put it on social media unless I made some concessions during the divorce. So I get it. Awful what shame will do. I get it. Hang in there -- miracles happen