After your doctor prescribes monthly injections of Sandostatin® LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension), one of the first questions you will probably have is, "Will my insurance pay for it?" The answer will depend on the details of your individual insurance coverage, but drugs given by a healthcare professional are reimbursable under most plans. To assist you with your questions about health insurance coverage, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the maker of Sandostatin® LAR Depot, sponsors a free hotline staffed by a healthcare consulting team. This hotline is offered as part of SandoSupport, which is a comprehensive collection of patient resources designed to assist you.
Call 1-877-LAR-HELP.
How to Use the Hotline
Call toll-free 1-877-LAR-HELP (1-877-527-4357) to be connected to a Sandostatin® LAR Depot reimbursement specialist. Reimbursement specialists are available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 7 PM EST. If a specialist is unavailable at the time of your call, you will be asked to leave your name and telephone number. All calls are returned within 1 business day.
A reimbursement specialist can help verify the coverage for these insurers:
- Commercial insurance (eg, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Oxford Health Plans )
- Medicare
- Medicaid
Please have the following information available when you call:
- Your name, address, and best phone number to contact you
- The name, address, and phone number of your insurer
- Your policy number, group number, employer name, and date of birth
- If applicable, the insurer's reason for rejecting claim
- A copy of the claim and the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form generated from the claim (if applicable)
Please keep in mind that the hotline is not a substitute for independent professional advice or legal assistance; it does not appeal claims for callers and cannot guarantee that your claim will be successful.
Understanding Your Coverage
The extent of most people's healthcare coverage is determined by their employers. Employers negotiate with insurers each year to develop a package of benefits to offer their employees for the coming year. Most employers consider their employees' opinions when negotiating new contracts each year.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Sandostatin® LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension) is a prescription medicine indicated for patients in whom initial treatment with immediate release Sandostatin® (octreotide acetate) Injection has been shown to be effective and tolerated for:
- Long-term maintenance therapy in acromegalic patients who have had inadequate response to surgery and/or radiotherapy or for whom surgery and/or radiotherapy is not an option (the goal of treatment in acromegaly is to reduce GH and IGF-1 levels to normal).
- Long-term treatment of the severe diarrhea and flushing episodes associated with metastatic carcinoid tumors.
- Long-term treatment of the profuse watery diarrhea associated with VIP-secreting tumors
In patients with carcinoid syndrome and VIPomas, the effect of Sandostatin Injection and Sandostatin LAR Depot on tumor size, rate of growth and development of metastases has not been determined.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Warnings and precautions: Treatment with Sandostatin LAR Depot may affect gallbladder function, sugar metabolism, thyroid and heart function, and nutritional absorption, which may require monitoring by your doctor.
Before taking Sandostatin LAR Depot: Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart disease or are taking other medications, including: cyclosporine, insulin, oral hypoglycemic agents, beta-blockers, and bromocriptine.
Common side effects: Most patients experience side effects at some time. Some common side effects you may experience include:
- Acromegaly: diarrhea, gallstones, abdominal pain, and flatulence
- Carcinoid tumors: back pain, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, and dizziness
Other information: Patients with carcinoids tumors and VIPomas should adhere closely to their scheduled return visits for reinjection in order to minimize exacerbation of symptoms. Patients with acromegaly should adhere to their return visit schedule to help assure steady control of GH and IGF-1 levels.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
