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Medicare revokes payment for Aranesp

My father is 90 years old.  He was diagnosed with leukemia a little over a year ago.  He went through weekly blood transfusions and platelet transfusions until his doctor started him on Aranesp.  With the Aranesp, my dad only had to have one shot every other week, and that controlled his hemoglobin level.  He hadn't needed a transfusion in over 6 months thanks to that shot.

If you read the article linked above, you will see that Medicare is no longer paying for Aranesp if a patient's blood level is over a certain range.  Unfortunately, below that range patients usually have to have an immediate blood transfusion to control the severe anemia.  At my dad's first doctor visit at the cancer center after this rule change, they could not give him his Aranesp shot, even though his blood level had fallen into the severe anemia range.  They sent him home.  Yesterday he had his second visit at the cancer center after the rule change.  He had to undergo a platelet transfusion, which caused him an allergic reaction.  He then had to be given medication to control the reaction, which caused him to become agitated and jittery.  He was in the hospital from 9:30 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon.  He is still exhausted from his ordeal.

Aranesp costs Medicare $1650 per shot in Maine.  Even though this is a lot, do you really think it equals spending all day in a hospital room with doctors and nurses and platelet transfusions?  I doubt it.  I think the people who run Medicare just saw the big number and decided that was where they could get some money back in their budget.  Just think of all the people who rely on Aranesp to keep their blood under control, all the cancer patients who are now suffering tenfold because of this ridiculous decision.

Thanks a lot, Medicare.  My father is now suffering unbelievably because of you.  He worries constantly that he might bleed or bruise, because that could mean another transfusion.  He is exhausted and run down, so much so that it takes him most of a day to take a shower.   He isn't happy anymore.   You took that away from him.