Everything about the Auvi-Q blows my mind. From the back story of how the Edwards brothers began their journey as teenagers with a mission to solve a problem, to the fruition of the young men creating a small smart phone sized talking epinephrine auto-injector device which ended with tragic recall. Then, the story picks back up with the Auvi-Q returning to market within the next few days (by Feb 14th, 2017), better, stronger, utilizing robotics and technology, while being distributed via very nontraditional routes (see the how to get your Auvi-Q below). AND, by the way, patients with commercial insurance will pay zero costs out of pocket for including folks like me with high deductibles!
Goodness what a wild path!? Won’t it be something when Eric and Evan Edwards are sitting in their rocking chairs telling their grandchildren about the Auvi-Q? I imagine they will be bald by that point. I know I would be after traversing on their lively epinephrine road.
Our allergic community was thrilled when the Auvi-Q first hit the market. The compact size was perfect and met the needs of many of our teenage children who wanted pocket sized epinephrine auto-injectors. The Auvi-Q even fit nicely in a lady’s evening bag, a clear win-win for everyone. Then, that tragic day hit when the recall was announced. The scramble was ugly as our community sounded the alarm to their circles. Teens complained and fought back as they did not want to give up their perfectly sized Auvi-Q. There was a collective sigh heard across the continent.
Until now, when sounds of joy rung out as we learned the other day that the Auvi-Q is ready for it’s rebirth and return to our hands.
BUT and this is a very big BUT, how you obtain your Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injector device is a whole new approach!
Basically, you’ll be obtaining your prescription via Direct Delivery – no pharmacy involved!
Of course, visit the Auvi-Q website for all the details, below is my interpretation.
Critical piece of information: download the Enrollment Form PDF to find a wealth of information and questions answered.
If you have Commercial Insurance:
- Download the Enrollment Form found on the Afford Ability webpage on the Auvi-Q website.
- Discuss and complete the Enrollment Form with your physician. Kaleo instructs you to print out and take the document to our physician to be completed and submitted by your doctor, if the physician believes the “Auvi-Q is right for you”. Nice touch. I like this statement as it does not feel like Auvi-Q is seeking world domination and is encouraging important conversation while respecting my choices.
- Sit by your phone. Instructions tell us that within two hours of receiving your completed form, Kaleo will call you to verify your prescription and to obtain insurance information. You choose where the Auvi-Q package will be sent, your home, physician’s office, etc.
- Pay zero dollars. Kaleo will cover the costs between what your insurance will cover and what you should owe. For example, I am cash pay, my insurance has a high deductible that does not cover any epinephrine auto-injector. I will still pay zero dollars.
Note: there are no co-pay cards, you will not be visiting a pharmacy with a card in hand. If you are at the pharmacy with your prescription and you are having trouble, the Auvi-Q website tells us to give them a call: 877-30-AUVIQ
If you have government insurance (like Medicare or Medicaid)…
- Check Your Plans. You’ll need to do a little homework to see what is covered.
If you don’t have commercial or government insurance…
- Look into the Kaleo Cares Patient Assistance Program. – This program for folks with an income is less than $100,000. Check out the Auvi-Q link to learn more about eligibility. There are qualifications such as being a US resident, not having Medicare or Medicaid. I believe your cost will be $360, but check with the Auvi-Q people to confirm.
As you can see. This is a very different type of access to medication. I can’t help but wonder if this is the start of a new trend? Only time will tell how this story ends, but I am grateful to be here to witness it and I hope our community will enjoy more options, access and innovation.
I do have one more wish, that the Edward Brother’s don’t loose all their hair.
Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post, talk about the Auvi-Q or to create images that amuse me using old Edwards family photos. My goal is to share what may or may not work for you. We’re all unique and require unique solutions to our health issues. Please make sure you speak to your physician before making any changes to how you manage your health.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..