Gilead Co-Pay Card

[VersatileBreeder]

This is kind of a trivial issue, but I figure if I can get any advice on this anywhere, it would be here.

After three months of being on Stribild, I finally decided to apply online for the Gilead co-pay card yesterday. My co-pay for Stribild is only $40 a month. It's not a real hindrance on my finances, but I am trying to save money in any way that I can, so I figure if I save $40 a month, that adds up to $480 a year, so why not save it? Here's my issue...

The co-pay card will be coming in the mail in the next 7-10 business days. My roommate, who is also a good friend of mine, usually is home when the mail comes and he usually gets to it before I do. He brings the mail in and he sees what envelopes are mine and which are his. He doesn't know I am poz and I want to keep it that way for a variety of reasons, but mainly because he is extremely hypochondriacal (driven mostly by anxiety and OCD issues he has). He would freak out if he knew he was living with someone who is HIV+, even though he is at absolutely zero risk of getting it. He knows I am bi and he knows I mess around with guys and he is cool with it, but he always urges me to use condoms, safe sex, etc. I don't want this envelope from Gilead to trigger him knowing that I am poz. If he sees an envelope from Gilead, it may go one of a few ways. Either....

1) He sees it but doesn't think anything of it and just puts it into a pile with my other mail (that would be best case scenario).

2) He sees it and asks me, "hey what's Gilead?" (Sometimes when he sees some of my other mail, he'll say things like, "oh looks like Chase and Citicard are never gonna give up on trying to get you to sign up for a credit card...")

3) He sees it, doesn't know what it is, but out of curiosity googles Gilead and sees that they are a pharmaceutical company that specializes in anti-viral drugs (like HIV drugs) and wonders why I am getting mail from them.

So, from your perspective, I am wondering...

1) For those of you guys who have gotten the co-pay card from Gilead... Do you remember if the card came in a plain unmarked envelope, or did it say Gilead on it?

2) If he does ask me what Gilead is, how should I play it?

I know some of you guys may advise to just tell him straight up what it is, but that is not an option here. I am following the advice my ID doc gave me when I asked him who I should tell I am poz. His advice was "keep it to yourself. Only tell those who need to know like sexual partners or those you feel you really want to tell. But if you are not comfortable telling someone, keep it to yourself."

[fillmyholeftl]

I don't recall getting a card. They contacted pharmacy directly with the info... Don't be paranoid... He'll just put it aside.

:-)

[jtonic]

1) For those of you guys who have gotten the co-pay card from Gilead... Do you remember if the card came in a plain unmarked envelope, or did it say Gilead on it?

2) If he does ask me what Gilead is, how should I play it?

1) The Gilead card should look like this. It comes in a plain envelope, but the company name still appears on the outside (along with their return address). There's no indication as far as the content.

2) I don't think your roommate will open your mail. Worst case scenario is that he looks up Gilead. He'll see that Gilead does all kinds of meds, including cardiovascular, liver, inflammation, parasitic, etc - HIV is only one of their medicines. If he does ask you about it, just say it's spam or some type of promotion to participate in clinical trials. That said, I really don't think he'll go that far.

[tallbtm]

I never got the 1st Gilead co-pay card in the mail. I just printed out the one their website generated and faxed that to my pharmacy after calling to tell them to expect it. I did call Gilead and got them to re-send the card (which they did) but I can't recall what the envelope looked like. Pretty bland I think -- no screaming print to indicate what was inside. I may even have missed the first card and thrown it out with junk mail.

You don't actually need the card, just the member numbers and reimbursement codes for the pharmacy off to it.

If it comes and your roommate asks, just say, "Oh, junk mail." I don't think it'll be any big deal.

Let us know how it goes.

[Guest JizzDumpWI]

if he confronts, let him know that Gilead has a program to reduce cost of PrEP. You can briefly explain what PrEP is. You don't need to say more than that...

I have never received snail mail from Gilead. But in you situation, I would spin it with truthful but deceiving information (my suggestion above).

[VersatileBreeder]

I got the co-pay card in the mail today. Funny thing is, it came in a plain white envelope with only a Phoenix, AZ return address AND it happened to be that I was home to get the mail anyway... So I guess that settles that. I swear I worry about the dumbest crap sometimes.

 

While we're on this thread... I understand that this co-pay card is good for 12 months. Does anyone know if Gilead extends that 12 months once they're up or if the card is renewable? It is good to save money for a year, but it's kind of a tease. Would be nice to know I have that saving indefinitely. 

[lower_bucks_bottom]

I get a new card each year. Actually the "specialty pharmacy" my health issurance uses gets it for me each year.

[whtbbcumhole4blk]

Prior to getting my prescription for Atripla, I signed up for a Gilead card as well. But on the day I received the 'script, the nurse at my ID doctor gave me a packet from Bristol-Meyers Squibb that included a copay card, so I ended up going with that. As far as I can tell, the BMS card doesn't have an expiration date.

[fillmyholeftl]

When I was eligible (Prior to having my Medicare & no OLD comments) I had it renewed a few times

[TheLAbottom]

I don't recall getting a card. They contacted pharmacy directly with the info... Don't be paranoid... He'll just put it aside.

:-)

me too, my pharmacy took care of it. They have the "card" number on file.

[skyguyy]

go out and get a PO box....so you don't have to worry about this sort of thing in the future.  Piece of mind would be worth it.

[Yeolad]

I would say move to the uk (England) and your hiv meds are free at G.U.M. clinics