Before she became eligible for Medicare, Deborah Rosenwinkel, who lives in Wheaton, Ill., and has rheumatoid arthritis, used a manufacturer’s discount card for Enbrel, a biologic she injected at home once a week. The $12,000 card covered her deductible and co-payments, while her individual insurance policy picked up the balance, of up to $80,000 a year.But when Ms. Rosenwinkel turned 65 last February and enrolled in Medicare, she was no longer eligible for the card. Even when a Medicare Part D plan covers Enbrel, annual co-payments could run as much as $7,000.Ms. Rosenwinkel’s rheumatologist advised her to switch drugs. Because the new medication is injected monthly in the physician’s office …
