Benjamin Boychuk's Growth Fund
Donation protected
Benjamin has a serious growth hormone deficiency. He's 12 years old but could easily pass for a boy of 7 or 8. In fact, many 7- and 8-year-olds are already taller than Benjamin. He just started the 7th grade. Last year, he was a full head shorter than his peers. According to the doctors who diagnosed Benjamin at Loma Linda Medical Center, without treatment, Benjamin will not be able to grow to a normal adult height.
The good news is treatment is easy. He just needs daily growth hormone injections for the next six to seven years. Without those injections, he'll likely end up not more than 5 feet tall at maturity. With treatment, his doctor says he could easily reach 5'7"—almost as tall as his dad.
Unfortunately, thanks to Obamacare, getting Benjamin this simple treatment is no longer simple.
The treatment is very expensive. Our coverage changed in January because of the law's new mandates. We were going through the bureaucracy of getting cleared for one drug before the end of the year, but approval didn't come in time and even if it had we wouldn't have been able to stay with the particular medication. Under the old insurance, which wasn't great, we could have had a three month's supply of the drug for $150. Under the new insurance, a 25-day supply costs $525.21.
The good news is treatment is easy. He just needs daily growth hormone injections for the next six to seven years. Without those injections, he'll likely end up not more than 5 feet tall at maturity. With treatment, his doctor says he could easily reach 5'7"—almost as tall as his dad.
Unfortunately, thanks to Obamacare, getting Benjamin this simple treatment is no longer simple.
The treatment is very expensive. Our coverage changed in January because of the law's new mandates. We were going through the bureaucracy of getting cleared for one drug before the end of the year, but approval didn't come in time and even if it had we wouldn't have been able to stay with the particular medication. Under the old insurance, which wasn't great, we could have had a three month's supply of the drug for $150. Under the new insurance, a 25-day supply costs $525.21.
Benjamin is going to need to take this medication daily for the next six to seven years. That means a cost upwards of $53,000 in medication co-pays alone (assuming that the cost remains constant and is not jacked up even higher).
It turns out that Human Growth Hormone treatments are considered "specialty drugs" and, of course, you can't simply get generic alternatives to these medications. In advance of Obamacare's mandates and in order to make up for the caps Obamacare put on other out-of-pocket costs for consumers, most insurance companies have greatly reduced the number of specialty drugs that they will cover, or, they have significantly increased the co-pays for these drugs.
We've worked diligently with Benjamin's doctor, our insurance company, and even the drug manufacturer to figure out something that will keep our boy supplied with this medication. The pharmaceutical company even gave us a two-month's supply, free of change.
So far, Benjamin's dad has been able to meet these expenses through freelance writing. But his employment situation is going to change in a few months, which likely means less income. And if a check is expected but does not arrive in time, does he pay the mortgage or the co-pay for Benjamin's medication?
The purpose of this campaign is to raise money to pay for Benjamin's medication for the next several years. If we can't raise all of it, we're hopeful we can at least put together a handy little cushion in an account designated exclusively for the purpose of subsidizing Benjamin's medication. We would still be working to meet the costs the best we can on our own. But in the event that something should happen to delay a payment or Ben loses a writing job, Benjamin could still get his medicine. Ben, Millie, and Benjamin thank you for your help.
It turns out that Human Growth Hormone treatments are considered "specialty drugs" and, of course, you can't simply get generic alternatives to these medications. In advance of Obamacare's mandates and in order to make up for the caps Obamacare put on other out-of-pocket costs for consumers, most insurance companies have greatly reduced the number of specialty drugs that they will cover, or, they have significantly increased the co-pays for these drugs.
We've worked diligently with Benjamin's doctor, our insurance company, and even the drug manufacturer to figure out something that will keep our boy supplied with this medication. The pharmaceutical company even gave us a two-month's supply, free of change.
So far, Benjamin's dad has been able to meet these expenses through freelance writing. But his employment situation is going to change in a few months, which likely means less income. And if a check is expected but does not arrive in time, does he pay the mortgage or the co-pay for Benjamin's medication?
The purpose of this campaign is to raise money to pay for Benjamin's medication for the next several years. If we can't raise all of it, we're hopeful we can at least put together a handy little cushion in an account designated exclusively for the purpose of subsidizing Benjamin's medication. We would still be working to meet the costs the best we can on our own. But in the event that something should happen to delay a payment or Ben loses a writing job, Benjamin could still get his medicine. Ben, Millie, and Benjamin thank you for your help.
Organizer
Ben Boychuk
Organizer
Rialto, CA
