Need super creative ways to save on Alimentum & Begging for Similac checks!

[KKB]

My original Ped put DS15 on Alumentum. OUCH. (we thought it was a milk allergy, too...)
We then began going to our GP. I mentioned we had been using Alumentum w/ DS & his response was "Are you rich?" He said to try Carnation Good Start. DS tolerated it well, and we went straight to that w/ the next 2 w/o issues.
Ask your doc about it!

 

[vikkii19]

Move to Canada. It's free, the government pays for it here.

 

[tuckerkeys]

My insurance paid for it as long as I had a prescription for it and as long as it was medically necessary..

These 2 words were important to having it paid for by the insurance. My ped. actually wrote on every script medically necessary due to protein intolerance/allergies.....I would get 4 cases of pre mixed formula a month from cvs back from the pharmacy...It wouldn't hurt to ask your daughters ped if they would do the script and if those 2 words are on there they HAVE to cover it ( at least they did for me I had amerihealth at the time and they were 1 of the worst offenders at trying to get out of paying anything...)

Good Luck!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I looked up my Rx plan and it does not seem to cover it.

It doesn't seem to be covered under the Rx plan, but I will see if it's covered any other way. From what I've read online, not many cover it (I have UHC - HRA plan). And thanks! She is such a doll. I'm glad the allergy or sensitivity isn't causing colic. Just some skin issues and upset tummy.

Thanks to everyone for your ideas.

See if your doctor's office will write a prescription for it. When you go to the pharmacy to fill it, then you will find out what would need to be done to get it approved. A lot of things aren't listed in your policy that can be done with a prior authorization.

Good luck! Your kids are adorable, by the way

 

[chicagoshannon]

My son is on Alimentum also. It's so expensive especially when you need 4 cans a week. I WISH they would make it in a larger size. His formula costs us more then our groceries per week.

My daughter was also on it when she was a baby. We were able to switch her to Good Start, like a PP suggested, by then time she was about 9 months I believe. Be careful when switching though. I tried switching my son about 2 weeks ago and he threw up to the point of an ER visit.

I'm not sure if you can get Alimentum through Amazon's subscribe and save but if you can you get 15% OFF each time they send it to you.

 

[vettechick99]

Canada!?! I'm too cold living in south GA. It was 16 today. I about died!! Funny story though, we had a few snowflakes here yesterday afternoon and my second graders fareeeaked out! We see snow so infrequently, like maybe once every 10-15 years. I've seen it less than 6 times in my life. Such a special treat.

My original Ped put DS15 on Alumentum. OUCH. (we thought it was a milk allergy, too...)
We then began going to our GP. I mentioned we had been using Alumentum w/ DS & his response was "Are you rich?" He said to try Carnation Good Start. DS tolerated it well, and we went straight to that w/ the next 2 w/o issues.
Ask your doc about it!

Yeah, we don't know exactly what is causing the issues. I asked them to do a milk allergy test and they said they are lengthy and sometimes inconclusive. But because my other DD has multiple food allergies, both her allergist and the ped suggested DD4m gets on Alimentum since fishy things are starting to happen. So boo on that.

I'll check into Amazon's subscribe and save.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Move to Canada. It's free, the government pays for it here.

Where do they get the $$ to pay for it ~ other Canadians or maybe they're borrowing $$$ from China

 

[Mandylynne]

DS (3 Months) is on Alimentum. He was switched to it at 2 weeks old due to an milk allergy. Our insurance does cover it at 80%. We had to get a prescription and a letter from the doctor, and we had to write a letter ourselves explaining why he needed this formula. The information was than submited to some kind of board that only met once a month. They were the ones that had to approve it. We were so happy to get that letter back in the mail. We buy the formula (usually at Target for $25.99 a can) and than mail the reciepts in. Usually a week later we get the check in the mail. I use formula checks whenever I get them, I also use simulac coupons ($3) printed from the internet. Target will take a formula check and coupon for one can (saves $8).

I do have to say, this is the worst smelling formula.

 

[akcire]

I would try going to a breast feeding support website or group. My best friend desperately wanted to breast feed, but could not. She tried everything. Along the way she joined local groups, hospital groups, La Leche, etc. All the ladies in the group were breast feeding, and most had signed up for all the "freebies". Since none of them were using formula, they all gave her the coupons, samples, and checks.

She still attended the meetings, because the liked the things she was learning about baby wearing, cloth diapering, etc. & I am sure it didn't hurt that she was getting tons of coupon money.

OP--You could also try to write the company directly and ask for support. I helped a few friends write letters for IVF drugs. Typically they got 1-2 months of free drugs for the effort of a letter and the cost of a stamp (which with IVF drugs meant $2,000 or more).

 

[3boymthr]

I will definitely do that. Thanks for the idea.



I looked up my Rx plan and it does not seem to cover it.
Thanks to everyone for your ideas.

Hi, I worked as an underwriter for a major regional HMO here in New England and I currently work as an underwriting analyst for an insurance consultant. Call UHC to see what your options are and what you must do to get this covered. Don't rely on the documentation in the booklet or on the internet. The plan documents for 99.99% of health plans say that food supplements are not a covered benefit. BUT most insurance plans will cover the formula after you jump through hoops if it is the only viable option for feeding the child. You will probably have to get a letter from your doctor(s), documentation that the child is allergic to milk, and you may need to get some assistance from your HR department and your employer's broker but it does get covered. I currently have a client with national coverage thru United Health Care with an employee for whom the Similac version of this formula is being paid. The employee has to pay the third tier copay for a month's supply and the supplement shows up on our reports as a non-covered benefit but the dollar amount that is covered is also being reported out so UHC is paying for the supplement.

 

[aprilgail2]

Nutramigen wasn't covered by insurance, but I ordered online. I also would ask for samples from my daughter's doctor. They were happy to share!

When my daughter was on Nutramigen her Dr used to give us cases of it every visit- and she had to go every 2 weeks for weight checks so that was nice! Plus we signed up everyone we knew for the formula coupons. I bought a lot of formula off ebay too-especially the little nursette type bottles and disposable nipples which made night feedings a breeze- nothing to heat up open the bottle, pop the nipple on and toss in the trash when done!

 

[aprilgail2]

Check ebay, CL, bookoo.com for formula checks. Friends buy them for 30 - 40 cents on the dollar, and our grocery store takes them up the amount of the can (so, if the can is $25, they will take 5 - $5 checks). That ends up being around $10 for a $25 can.

That e-bay lady is committing insurance fraud and should be reported!

Exactly HOW is this insurance fraud?????? Has nothing to do with insurance!

 

[dawson5]

Exactly HOW is this insurance fraud?????? Has nothing to do with insurance!

I think this is what she was referring to:

Our insurance won't cover any type of formula until after 9 months, and then it had to be the "sole source of nutrition".(and breast milk only worked for one DS)

We signed EVERYONE we knew up for formula coupons. The 60yo secretary's husband got a hoot out of getting the formula samples in the mail. It was a joint effort by everyone in my office to keep our babies fed. I finally had to put one on Neocate . We had to directly order that from the pharmacy, although it doesn't really require a prescription. It is made in Liverpool. We were getting some friends that lived overseas to bring us cases, but that only went so far. I finally checked eBay. Several people were getting it for their children for whatever reason didn't need it. I finally made a direct connection with one of them and she would forward the case to me as they were shipped to her home. Her insurance was covering it 100% and passing on the formula for about 25% - about the cost of a regular name brand formula. That lasted until DS was 11 months and we were able to get him back on Nutramigen after they had an ingredient change.

So, keep checking around - it can be done. Our neighbor also with twins, quit working for 1 month to get WIC (just needed the formula) for the year.

 

[aprilgail2]

I think this is what she was referring to:

ahhhhh ok---that makes more sense!!!

 

[kritter]

I had twins eight years ago. My ped. was happy to five me the reps. name and number. I called him and he gladly sent me one case of formula about every four to six weeks. Can't hurt to check with the Doctors office and then call the rep..!! GOOD LUCK!!

 

[TiggerStac]

See if your doctor's office will write a prescription for it. When you go to the pharmacy to fill it, then you will find out what would need to be done to get it approved. A lot of things aren't listed in your policy that can be done with a prior authorization.

Good luck! Your kids are adorable, by the way

Our son was on it for 8 or 9 months. It wasn't covered under our prescription benefit but under a DME. We had to get it mail order from our pharmacy program. I was able to buy and submit a claim until my prescription came in. They covered it with a diagnosis of something about not being able to absorb anything else. no, he wasn't absorbing it if he was vomitting it up!

 

[rie'smom]

Move to Canada. It's free, the government pays for it here.

Nice place to visit but I would not want to live in Canada. It's too darn cold. Buying clothes to make the winters bearable would make formula seem cheap.

 

[vettechick99]

Does anyone know if I can interchange Alimentum and Nutrimigen?

Also, if anyone gets Similac checks they aren't going to use, or would like to trade for Gerber or Enfamil, let me know!

 

[quentina]

I just got enfamil(SP??) checks yesterday. If I get similac, I will send them to you.....my kids are 13, 8 and 6.....not sure why I get them???

 

[GoofyGolferGirl]

Several years ago I was a manager of a grocery store and there were certain formulas that were covered by WIC not matter what your income was. I think it was Alimentum and Nutramigen, I am not sure that this is the way it still is but it would not hurt to call your local health department. I remember a doctors kids were on this and they used WIC.