Product Update – Are you covered for the new cancer treatment drugs?

Things change…

Insurance companies are making changes. New products and changes to older products mean an increased choice and greater flexibility to our clients – so they can be closely tailored to fit your circumstances.

Sovereign have introduced a new Cancer Benefit in the latest upgrade to their Medical Insurance policy which includes paying for non funded Pharmac drugs for cancer treatment.

Your present Health policy may have no provision to pay for non-funded Pharmac drugs for the treatment of cancer.

The melanoma & lung cancer drug Opdiva costs $235,000 for a year treatment. Yervoy  for previously treated or newly diagnosed advanced melanoma )is $204,000 for a 12 week course and advanced prostate cancer drug Provenge requires an outlay of $146,000.

The market for surgical and non-surgical Pharmac and non-Pharmac treatments and drugs is moving quickly. New innovative products, particularly for the treatment of cancer, are coming on to the market at a dizzying rate and at a price that is prohibitive for all but the wealthy.

Families already cannot access a range of medicines and treatments that are available in other countries, such as Australia, and funding constraints inhibit Pharmac's ability to fully resource the latest innovative, life-saving cures.

But we can be sure about one thing – prices will continue to rise, begging the question whether only the lives of the wealthy can be saved in this new inflationary environment.