Rituximab Co-pay card thread

[chris.wg]

As promised in a early post this is the number to Genetech BioiOcology Co-Pay card for rituximab. Brief summary it works with your insurance to help you pay for the drug itself.

1-855-692-6729 or 855 mycopay

[Jaha]

Thank you for sharing.

[chris.wg]

No problem. I hope it helps some. Just keep in mind you have to be preapproved and at a approved center. But it sounds like a lot of us at least in the US are likely to be at approved centers. What the approval process is I don't know. I called answered a few basic questions I have gotten from most of my doctors. Heard typing like maybe a look up after I said where I was being treated and a min or so later she said yes chris you are approved and gave me a number. The only heads up I have to give is the "card" isn't actually a card like you would think it comes printed on a paper with a brief benefit explanation. At the bottom looks like a photocopy of a credit card but the information actually on that photocopy is the card info you will need.

[Psyborg]

I got this for my infusion in March. Basically they covered my entire 10000 copay amount minus a small co-payment to them. Somewhat nervous how that will impact my taxes :) But I didn't have to charge up a credit card to get the infusion at least.

[renidrag]

You can be gifted up to $14,000.00 and not have to even report it. Certainly check with CPA, however that happened to me. Mine however was a family member but I don't know that it would matter, a gift is a gift.
Dale

[vdub]

Somewhat nervous how that will impact my taxes
I wouldn't even have thought about that, Bob. Good catch! Now, I'm going to forget about it. Ignorance is a defense, right? Dog ate my homework? My hard drive failed? One of those ought to work for the IRS I suppose....

[chris.wg]

If I only file short form and it is not actually income I never see the money is it still something that would need to be claimed? I know if I file long claiming medical expenses I would but not sure when it will be worth my while to claim medical expenses since I have a fairly low deductible on the stuff my insurance dose cover. Which luckily is most of my treatments. This was just new water for me I asked about it and the card is what I was refered to.

[chris.wg]

I guess my answer will be I know a cpa 2nd hand. My bosses wife so I will have to sit down with her and find out what she says.

[vdub]

I'm certainly no tax expert, but having been a participant in the US tax system for a number of years, I'd say it would be treated just like lottery winnings, game show winnings, or race track winnings. It's income and taxable. But who knows. Our tax code is thousands of page long.

[Psyborg]

I hope it's not counted as income, but if you find out I'd love to know earlier rather than later :)

Though the fact that it all went to a medical expense might offset it as well.

[windchime]

As a person who worked for the IRS I would hazard a guess that the company writes it off unless they told you otherwise. Did they ask for your SSN? They would need that to 1099 you for the cost. I would think they would have to advise you of any tax consequences involved. With that being said I've never heard of something like this being taxable, but that doesn't mean it isn't so.

On the other hand if you have insurance I would think they bill your insurance and then write off whatever the insurance doesn't pay minus whatever your copay is. Just my two cents worth.

[chris.wg]

thanks cindy that's kinda how I thought it worked but... its still something to look into

[windchime]

If I only file short form and it is not actually income I never see the money is it still something that would need to be claimed? I know if I file long claiming medical expenses I would but not sure when it will be worth my while to claim medical expenses since I have a fairly low deductible on the stuff my insurance dose cover. Which luckily is most of my treatments. This was just new water for me I asked about it and the card is what I was refered to.

Chris if for some reason you have to claim it as income (as previously stated highly unlikely) then you would definitely want to go long form to claim the medical expenses as that would be considered one. It used to be you could not claim medical until it was over 7% of your AGI. I think that changed this year and it's more, but worth checking into if all that becomes a reality.

[chris.wg]

Chris if for some reason you have to claim it as income (as previously stated highly unlikely) then you would definitely want to go long form to claim the medical expenses as that would be considered one. It used to be you could not claim medical until it was over 7% of your AGI. I think that changed this year and it's more, but worth checking into if all that becomes a reality.

Thanks Cindy I will keep a eye on this

[Miranda]

I just registered my card...I was having a hard time really understanding how this works??

[chris.wg]

I called and had it sent to me. I got a little run around at the hospital not on purpose but no one knew what it was. This happened after I posted the thread. Lucky for me the infusion registration woman who recommended it to me was eventually who I was on the phone with. I explained to her the issue she said ok I'm bit sure the issue but give me the number. Next thing I know I got a call back from her and she said your in the system set up and taken care of. I hope not everyone who uses this card has issues. But even with the issues rituxan is EXPENSIVE. Its good to know there are means other then insurance to help pay for it.