Hi! I'm not new to the world of Lyme (a little background: I was dx'd with fibromyalgia 9 years ago, but I've been undecided whether I might really have Lyme. I've had 7 negative Western Blots - no Igenex tests. I haven't been treated for Lyme, just a few months of doxy)
How do you afford a LLMD consultation? I have insurance, but of course, they can't take ins due to all the issues. All of the LLMD's I've contacted want payment up front, and it's about $500 for the first visit.
Does anyone know of an LLMD in NY that will take a payment plan?
Thanks!
Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :
Hi....Yeah...We're all sick and tired of being sick and tired...
I only answered cuz I saw no one else answering you yet...
I don't have much to offer...cept...maybe a "Free Clinic"...
Possibly asking your church for the financial help?
If you have some cognitive problems you may want to contact Columbia University...Dr Fallon's research in that area.....
Good luck I know someone will address your issues soon.....zman
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Im -- I was in exactly your position a year ago. I decided to only see a LLMD who accepted my insurance. After all, I was paying more than $500 a month for my BCBS, and it seemed only fair.
After I kept reading here and elsewhere and started calling doctors' offices, I changed my mind. I decided I had to make getting well my top priority. If I was going to do that, I had to find the best LLMD for me -- whether that meant someone who accepted my insurance or not.
I made an appointment that week wtih an out-of-state LLMD who did NOT accept my insurance. I've been seeing that doctor ever since, and I'll tell you in retrospect it was the best decision I've made.
As to the cost and affording it...it hasn't been easy. I've done any and everything I could possibly do to make it work:
This has included taking two mortgages on the house, borrowing money from relatives, selling stuff on ebay, working when I didn't have the strength to work and tapping heavily into my retirement account.
Those sacrifices got me to a point, today, of being so much better than I was this time last year. Not healed yet but a LOT better. Because of that, I'm able to start expanding my business and increasing my income.
Will I ever be able to recoup the financial losses I've accrued? Who knows. But had I not made that initial decision to seek out good medical help, I hate to think how much worse I would be today.
I hope you're able to find some answers for yourself!
Andie
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Most ins cos, although maybe not HMOs, will reimburse you for part of the cost of out of network docs. Look into this. See what your contract says. You may be able to submit a claim and get partial repayment.
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
Out of pocket expenses, here. I understand that's normal for most. Sad, but true. I'll bet if we had a more romantic/dramatic illness things would be different.
What we need is for Steven Spielberg or Oprah to get real sick with Lyme, then it will become glamorous and green ribbons will festoon the lapels of award shows.
I wax poetic.
Kelmo
Posted by TBD-PA (Member # 9790) on :
Why are LLMD's so expensive? The typical visit for a patient with a long history of symptoms affecting many organ systems--this can take more than 90-120 minutes. An HMO expects a 'typical' visit to last about 15 minutes, not nearly enough time to figure out a complex problem, much less explain the treatment methods to someone who probably has problems with memory anyway! Add on to this malpractice fees, and usual office expenses, and this is part of it too.
Many medical expenses can be part of a tax writeoff, so get a good accountant that undertands these issues. Lastly, the Lyme Times has had afew great artices on dealing with insurance and reimbursement!
GOOD LUCK
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
quote:Originally posted by TBD-PA:
Why are LLMD's so expensive? The typical visit for a patient with a long history of symptoms affecting many organ systems--this can take more than 90-120 minutes.
An HMO expects a 'typical' visit to last about 15 minutes, not nearly enough time to figure out a complex problem, much less explain the treatment methods to someone who probably has problems with memory anyway!
Add on to this malpractice fees, and usual office expenses, and this is part of it too.
Many medical expenses can be part of a tax writeoff, so get a good accountant that undertands these issues.
Lastly, the Lyme Times has had afew great artices on dealing with insurance and reimbursement! GOOD LUCK
Also document every phone call you make to your insurance company: date/time/who you talked to and what specifically was said. I type my comments as they talk; can't read my writing & I'm fast typer vs. writing.
Andie, you had wonderful comments! It was very eloquently written.
It's an investment in your future; quality health or not. Bettyg
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