Re: Botox expensive?
Hi Tracy,
Welcome to the blepharospasm bulletin board. I attended the recent BEB conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. I asked the Allergan representative at that time what the cost of botox was per vial. Allergan charges $392.00 per 100 unit vial of botox. I am not sure whether most doctors get their botox directly shipped from Allergan or from pharmacies. I'm sure if it comes from a pharmacy, there would be another markup. Doctors charge varying amounts for the botox and also for administering it. Over the past couple of years, I have been charged anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to over $1,000 for the botox and administration of it. Allergan did say that their price had gone up some but I'm not sure exactly how much it was before. But my quote above was from August 2001. So, to answer your question-No it has not gone up that much but your doctors may have realized that other doctors are charging for the botox and quite a large sum also for administering the botox. I'm not surprised but not happy about it either. Again welcome to the bulletin board. I'm glad that you respond well to the botox. We don't hear too many people saying that, although I'm sure lots of folks do respond well. Would you mind telling us a little about your symptoms and how bad they get and what they prevent you from doing and then how the botox relieves these things. I think that we mostly hear from people here that don't respond well to botox. Thanks,
Shirley in AR.
Re: Botox expensive?
I've been getting charges about $850 total. $450 or thereabouts for the botox, & another $400 for the Dr. service or procedure. By the way, mr neurologist learned the procedure from Dr. Stacy, & he was very interested in seeing my notebook, He borrowed it to make some copies. Insurance has covered all of it, Blue Cross & Tricare. Joann
Re: Botox expensive?
Hi Tracy,Welcome to the BB. I'm happy to hear that Botox works for you. I have questions: Have you gone from private pay to insurance paid billing? The reason I ask is that my actual bill is approximately $1800, but the neurologist agrees to take what Medicare allows, so with Medicare and my HMO payments, he only gets about $800. Lots of ins and outs to the billing process. Sally in North Idaho
Re: Botox expensive?
Dear Friends, I have got gotten out my last statement from medicare about the charges for my last botox injections. My Oph.charged $400. for Botox--40 unites $225.for injections. Medicare approved $176 for both and only paid him $140 for both, my medagap policy paid him only $35.He did not make much money on me.I can understand they may make it up on other patients, and as he had a clinic that day for botox patients, the other 60 unites were used for other patients, and he could make up the $400. he had to pay Allegran for the 100 unites of botox.All is not what it seems. Edith in Ohio where it is 40 this morning and I am thinking of Fl.
Re: Botox expensive?
Tracy,Welcome to the board. It is always wonderful to hear from others that can understand what we are going through. I have only been diagnosed for about 7 months and haven't posted too much. But I did need to respond to this one because I think I asked a few months back about the cost of the Botox. My first set of injections of 50 units total was (according to the girl in the office at the neuro-ophth I go to) was about $3300. What I am reading leads me to believe that others are way way lower than what my doctor charges and I am surprised that my insurance would pay that if others do not charge that much. Coleen in Central PA who is trying to de-stress after the last week with the worst current event in my life time. I am trying to find the good in even these events. It is wonderful to see the country returning to a sense of oneness and patriotism. It is a shame that it took this to have that happen.....God Bless all of you.....Coleen
Re: Botox expensive?
I have one answer to the price of Botox. My first injections were over $1500. I was the only person getting the shots that day and they came from a hospitals supply. Now they are $799 total for Botox and injections. My doctor schedules a day for botox and it is cheaper when he gets alot of it in at one time. His office is full of people waiting for shots when I go.
Re: Botox expensive?
Marlyn, this explains a lot. Mine too cost about 8 hundred dollars or at least this is what I've been lead to believe. I too go in on a 3 month schedule for a baby dose and there are other patients waiting for their injections. Good thing, the bulletin board, lots to learn. penny
Re: Botox expensive?
It's been 2 to 3 years since I had Botox, but at the time my neuro would call in a prescription to the pharmacy in his building and we would pick it up, pay for it and send the charges to our ins. co. for reimbursement We paid $450.00 for the Botox at the time. The nuero's charges were very reasonable as well.
I'm quite shocked at some of the exorbitant charges I'm reading about here.Christel in Ca.
Re: Botox expensive?
Coleen, I started injections in March this year when I was diagnosed, I thought they were costing about 4 hundred dollars (I get the baby dose which I believe is 50), however I was talking to the dr's secretary few weeks ago discussing the cost and she said without looking at my records she thought they would probably be about 8 hundred. Hope this helps. By the way, rumors are that this same procedure done for cosmetic reasons is twice the cost. penny
Re: Botox expensive?
I am very surprised at the high charges for Botox. I go to a clinic where the neuro-opth gives them one day a month (which seems reasonable that this contributes to an efficient use of the botox vials), thus lowering the cost somewhat. I have never been billed more than $700 and my insurance has paid 80% each time. One reason for the "exhorbitant" cost may be due to the demand for the cosmetic use of it and those willing to pay high prices for "beauty" :-))
Re: Botox expensive?/Welcome
Hi Tracy, welcome to the bb. I can't answer your question about the price of botox as I live in Toronto, Canada and its all different here. The price of botox has been discussed before on this bb and I'm sure you will receive answers from others. Again, welcome but sorry to hear you have beb.June in Toronto
--modified by June in Toronto at Fri, Sep 28, 2001, 14:43:36
Re: Botox expensive?
The Botox I got in March and July was 1035.00 for each visit. I've changed doctors and will get it on Oct. 4 and will let you know haow that one turns out. This new doc has to go to an outpatient clinic at the hospital to give Botox on Tuesdays and Thursday, because she can't get insurance in this area to pay for any kind of injection...even B12 in her office. When I told her the other neuro in Columbia had given it in her office she took me directly to the insurance person and had me tell her and they asked me to bring my papers from the insurance company where they showed they had covered it. I sent copies and told her to call this other doctor's insurance person. The office had another neuro who gave Botox, but I didn't want to use him so it is still open even though my doc moved to Florida. Hope I haven't opened up a can a worms. My insurance denied the one in March and I called the office and they called the insurance and it got fixed and was paid both times in full. When I was going to Vanderbilt I picked up the Botox the last 2 times and paid only $3.00 for it like all my prescriptions, but the pharmacists called first to make sure what to charge me because he said it was over $400.00 for a vial of Botox. Vanderbilt would still charge me about $480 for each eye and my insurance covered all that too.
--modified by Delaine Inman at Fri, Sep 28, 2001, 22:02:11
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