Infantreflux.org | Neocate Or Elecare?!?!

Tagged: Insurance

This topic has 20 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 13 years, 3 months ago by hellbennt.

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January 19, 2010 at 12:17 pm #65574

Anonymous
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I am patiently waiting to find out if my insurance will cover Neocate. I am becoming very nervous and doubtful that they will cover it. It would be VERY difficult to afford Neocate out of pocket.

I currently purchase Alimentum from ebay for Emma so I was looking around ebay at Neocate AND Elecare. Elecare is going for about the SAME PRICE as I pay for alimentum!

What’s the difference between Neocate and Elecare?? If insurance doesn’t cover the neocate, would it essentially be the same thing to do elecare?

I also noticed elecare comes in unflavored and vanilla? I would think I’d want to try vanilla b/c unflavored just seems BLAH…but I guess that’s for babies with lots of sensitivities??

Ideas? Opinions? Personal experiences? Neocate or Elecare?

January 19, 2010 at 12:48 pm #65575

Anonymous
Inactive

OK, I just figured out that vanilla is for babies 1 yr +. So we’d have to go with the unflavored. 🙂 I guess it can’t taste any worse than alimentum! LOL!

January 19, 2010 at 1:38 pm #65576

Anonymous
Inactive

I went to the Neocate website and they have very helpful info about getting insurance companies to cover at least part of the expense. I contacted my perscription co first who told me it would not be covered b/c it’s available OTC. Then I contacted out health insurance co, and they said they would cover 90%! I don’t know why there is a difference, but I’ll take the 90% coverage!

Good luck!

January 19, 2010 at 6:25 pm #65580

Anonymous
Inactive

My DD was on Elecare for over a year. It was covered by our insurance. As far as the difference…the biggest being how it’s manufactured. If I remember correctly, Neocate is made on lines where cross-contamination is possible & Elecare is made on it’s own lines(no cross-contamination). There is a little difference in ingredients as well, but can’t remember specifics. To sum it all up, Elecare was great for Averi. She had no problems switching from alimentum to elecare & it helped her a great deal. HTH!

January 20, 2010 at 12:00 pm #65587

Anonymous
Inactive

i would think no difference as well.

January 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm #65595

hellbennt
Keymaster

here is a thread (topic w/ posts) about how to get insurance to cover:
https://www.infantreflux.org/forums/topic/going-to-the-top/

January 20, 2010 at 9:10 pm #65602

Anonymous
Inactive

Thanks Laura! I tried Apria and they don’t have a contract with my insurance company, but they gave me some other phone #s to try. The fight continues! 🙂

January 21, 2010 at 7:51 am #65604

hellbennt
Keymaster

yeah if Apria won’t do it you can do what the above thread says” Go to the Top!”

January 21, 2010 at 12:05 pm #65607

Anonymous
Inactive

DENIED!! Dang it…my prescription plan is saying Neocate is OTC and not covered…no exceptions. I guess I’m going to have to inquire about the durable medical equipment portion of my plan. I have a few #s for places LIKE Apria that I’ll call today and see if they can advocate for me.

In the meantime Emma is practically refusing Neocate and will only drink an ounce here or there…I’M READY TO GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 21, 2010 at 12:36 pm #65609

Anonymous
Inactive

Definitely call your insurance company’s medical equipment division. It’s not a prescription under my insurance either(or anyone’s I don’t think). Here’s what I would do: Call your local medical equipment store. Usually, they are huge and near the local hospital. They sell beds, crutches, etc. Ask to talk to someone who does their billing. Since they do this stuff all the time, they will def. know who to talk to and how to get it covered. This is what I did and our medical equipment lady is awesome. She delivers the Neocate right to my work or home.

January 21, 2010 at 12:37 pm #65610

Anonymous
Inactive

Don’t give up!! Madden was only drinking 12 oz. a day the first few days.

January 21, 2010 at 12:39 pm #65611

Anonymous
Inactive

I just feel bad b/c the sitter is texting me saying that Emma won’t drink and she’s miserable (Emma). I don’t want the sitter to have to be miserable too.

I caved and told her to mix 50/50 to see how she took it…I’m waiting to hear if it made a difference. I guess if I have to do a gradual transition it’s not the end of the world…I’m just ready to KNOW if Neocate is right for her!!!

Uh…the only good news in this mess is that my insurance IS going to cover zegerid now. I won’t start it until we get the neocate figured out though…don’t want to do too many things at once.

January 21, 2010 at 4:12 pm #65615

Anonymous
Inactive

Emma hasn’t had a dry diaper since this morning…I’m going to have to do something different. Maybe 3oz alimentum and 1oz neocate just so she’ll drink it. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

January 21, 2010 at 4:45 pm #65616

Anonymous
Inactive

Did you try contantacting your health insurance company rather than the perscription plan? For whatever reason, my insurance will cover 90%, but the script plan said they wouldn’t cover anything.

January 22, 2010 at 1:42 pm #65628

Anonymous
Inactive

did she drink it better that way??
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