Fund the treatment to stop Multiple Sclerosis
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Ivy's Blog about her journey so far
Jared's Medical Blog About HSCT for MS and IVY
Ivy is 20 year old college student and was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form if multiple sclerosis. The goodness is that there is a treatment available that can stop her MS in its tracks and prevent her from progressing. The problem is that her insurance company has denied her this opportunity to get this treatment. Despite multiple appeals Blue Cross Blue Shield ignores the most recent evidence regarding this effective treatment and continues to refuse to cover the treatment. Instead they want to pay for medications that have been demonstrated to be inferior to the treatment Ivy is trying to get. Most individuals who get the treatment are completely off all medications and have no signs of disease progressing 5 years after the treatment. The drugs cost $7,000.00 / month and the treatment cost ~$125,000 to $150,000 but then you are off all medications. The medication route over 5 year would cost $420,000 compared to $150,000 and current data shows that the medications fail and disease progresses in the majority of patients. This would cost $270,000.00 more than the treatment Ivy is seeking and almost ensure that she continues to worsen and require additional therapies and worsening disease that would be avoided if she had the treatment. We are continuing to battle with the insurance company overturn the appeal but it is unlikely that we will win and Ivy does not have the luxury of waiting as her disease continues to progress. Ivy completed the treatment and we could use all the help we can get to cover the costs of the treatment. We are trying to raise $125,000 to assure that the cost of her treatment gets covered. Every dollar gets us closer and is appreciated. Thank you.
Chicago Tribune Article About Ivy's Treatment
Jared's Medical Blog About HSCT for MS and IVY
Ivy is 20 year old college student and was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form if multiple sclerosis. The goodness is that there is a treatment available that can stop her MS in its tracks and prevent her from progressing. The problem is that her insurance company has denied her this opportunity to get this treatment. Despite multiple appeals Blue Cross Blue Shield ignores the most recent evidence regarding this effective treatment and continues to refuse to cover the treatment. Instead they want to pay for medications that have been demonstrated to be inferior to the treatment Ivy is trying to get. Most individuals who get the treatment are completely off all medications and have no signs of disease progressing 5 years after the treatment. The drugs cost $7,000.00 / month and the treatment cost ~$125,000 to $150,000 but then you are off all medications. The medication route over 5 year would cost $420,000 compared to $150,000 and current data shows that the medications fail and disease progresses in the majority of patients. This would cost $270,000.00 more than the treatment Ivy is seeking and almost ensure that she continues to worsen and require additional therapies and worsening disease that would be avoided if she had the treatment. We are continuing to battle with the insurance company overturn the appeal but it is unlikely that we will win and Ivy does not have the luxury of waiting as her disease continues to progress. Ivy completed the treatment and we could use all the help we can get to cover the costs of the treatment. We are trying to raise $125,000 to assure that the cost of her treatment gets covered. Every dollar gets us closer and is appreciated. Thank you.
Chicago Tribune Article About Ivy's TreatmentOrganiser
Jared Marcucci
Organiser
Riverside, IL
