orencia took me 6 months to work then it was pretty good. ask if they have pre filled syringes of orencia samples in their magic free fridge at the doc offices. I don't use the insta click, auto injectors whatever they are called. orencia comes TWO ways: auto injector AND pre filled syringe.

if you have group health insurance orencia has a co pay program - their marketing reps are on standby to offer this give away as it promulgates the $1000 stick - they are happy to pick up most of the co pay for some folks on the co pay program (has to be commerical group health insurance) call 1-800 orencia line

oh you got denied - missed that - can you appeal?

sent the same script in even though it denied? for what reason? the usual first anti tnf that most group health insurance companies cover is either enbrel or humira (but it looks like you can not take humira - did you try enbrel yet?)

can you call the customer service end of your prescription drug company or health insurer and ask for low down on denial?

this disease requires a lot of hanging on the phone with insurance company customer service areas, the administration/nursing part of your rheum office (they should be sending through pre-authorization review FIRST to at least get a feel of what a "dummy" claim will ping back I would think before starting you on something that is going to reject by your insurer...seems like a waste of your time not to do a pre-authorization review FIRST before asking you to stick yourself with something that is going to ultimately be denied....do you have a formulary list for your prescription drug company that you can breeze through in your free time to see which biologics are covered and which are not?

what is their methodology in the office?

I apologize for the questions but with this disease you need a doctorate in administration and you have to devote hours to your own medical management. sucks I know.

depot

I'm surprised as well that the office gave you a few free doses prior to preauthing the biologic since most can't afford price if insurance won't cover it. My insurance required humira and enbrel tried both- humira stopped working and enbrel too many infections have been on orencia for a year now did ok with it nothing spectacular as in still needed a small daily prednisone dose then just stopped really working and had enough inflammmation in hip was on crutches and needed first ever medrol dose pack to be able to walk in process of insurance preauthing for actemra

I took Orencia for a little more than two years. It took a very long time for the effects to appear. The nice thing about Orencia was that the improvement continued the whole time I used it. It was fabulous while it lasted, but alas, it did finally stop working for me.
Try and get your doc to keep trying for approval. It is a very effective drug.
Just my opinion.
Lynne

thanks, everyone.....even the person saying how much work on my end I need to do ! ( lol ) know you are right.
I am embarrassed to admit but am on Medicare and my state's version of Medicaid.
I was surprised they did approve a very expensive med for my other disease over a year ago.
Well ,mind you I have had 2 months of samples ; I know my doc did not want to even attempt to bother with Rx , until he knew if A- I can tolerate it ( I have many issues I said b4) and B- if it is potentially helpful.
So as I told him last week , how the ball got dropped RE: my Rx /insurance.......he asked me questions, Did I notice anything in the way of benefits in the 2 months. I told him I was not sure but it seemed like I sort of could function a bit better.
when I said that , he pointed at me, like "Bingo, that is what needed to hear" and started typing the Rx again.
I did have the first month with the other type of needle, by the way.......which forgot the name of the type, I was not in love with doing that , but it hurt me less than the instaclick and easier for me to hold.
the instaclick jet , when I do it righ,t , leaves a mark and pain for couple hours on the injection site.
i have very delicate, aging skin. Also I think maybe I am holding my skin wrong....trying to pinch too much of it with my left hand maybe. B/c when I put the injection in, the pinched skin sort of deflates around the tip of needle thing?

Make an appointment with a physician's assistant at your rheumatologist's office for the day on which you would give the injection to yourself. She can guide you in the correct process.

Orencia was my last option for a biologic, so I had to stick it out. I have had no side effects. My rheumatologist told me up to 6 months for it to work fully. However, I would say it was more like a year. I was also on Arava and prednisone and I could not get off the prednisone.

My rheumatologist put me back on mthx, and then I started to feel much better. I have cut my prednisone down to 1/2 mg, and I will be off completely in a few days. I started realizing when my hands were working properly and no pain, it was time to get off prednisone. My rheumatologist did tell me to wean. I had been on prednisone for 2 years, but so far, I am doing well, and my adrenal gland seems to be functioning.

I'm retired and the Orencia company copays during the first part of the year. The provincial drug program is based on how much you pay for drugs, with a minimum deductible, till you reach a maximum deductible, and the drugs are theoretically free. We also have a work based insurance plan, with my husband, although he is on the retirement benefits for it. Between the different plans, I have been paying $0 for the Orencia since I started. I hope you can get some help if you plan to stay on it.

Time will tell. Thank you .