posted
Hi, I'm working with an infectious disease doctor in Kansas City but wondered if thier were and Lyme doctors near. Please help I have already had a doctor tell me there is no lyme in Kansas. Thanks
Posts: 68 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Hi-I am working with Dr. B in KC, MO at St. Lukes-smart man but likes written communication only and is very very conservative in his approach. Not very helpful in facilitating a second opinion or going to a center where physicians have more experience with Lyme. I have heard the Dr. in Springfield MO and the Dr. in Cape Giradeu (sp?) are radical in their approach. I have read some of their investigations but I am not convinced they are the ones.
quote:Originally posted by joan25: Hi-I am working with Dr. B in KC, MO at St. Lukes-smart man but likes written communication only and is very very conservative in his approach. Not very helpful in facilitating a second opinion or going to a center where physicians have more experience with Lyme. I have heard the Dr. in Springfield MO and the Dr. in Cape Giradeu (sp?) are radical in their approach. I have read some of their investigations but I am not convinced they are the ones.
rosesisland2000
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2001
posted
DITTO, what do you mean by radical? Don't think so...
quote:Originally posted by pab: Just curious, what do you mean by radical?
editing to add...you said, "Not very helpful in facilitating a second opinion or going to a center where physicians have more experience with Lyme. "
Where are the centers you are referring to that physicians are at with more experience? That is surely a curious one...can't really recall any centers that have good Lyme Literate Medical Doctors...
have some opened up since I've been absent?
Rosemary
Oh and to the original poster (sorry I'm on aa page in editing where I can't see your name)...just go on over to Springfield...it's as close as you'll probably get to a real LLMD in you area.
BTW, welcome to LymeNet
[This message has been edited by rosesisland2000 (edited 21 August 2005).]
posted
I sure can relate to the phrase "There's no Lyme in Kansas." Hubby had a very bad experience in Wichita (Dr J there would be my opinion of a "radical Dr") and also an even worse experience at KU. We had to keep reminding the doctor's we were from Virgina and not from Kansas. I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz at times.
Suggest you try Kansas City Dr at this website -- listed on http://www.lymeinfo.net/directory.html Wish I had known about this Dr when we were in Kansas.
Also click on link to special events on the doctor's website -- note conference speakers include Dr C and Dr R.
Hubby and I were initially disappointed with 1st appt with Dr C (our current LLMD)-- Impression was isn't there anything else we can do besides antibiotics ?-- We had already done all the other things he offers which you may consider radical -- the mercury chelation, hormone testing, nutritional IV's, amino acid supplements etc etc
Hubby is still struggling and still trying to find a balanced treatment protocol.
Bea Seibert
[This message has been edited by seibertneurolyme (edited 21 August 2005).]
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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joan25
Unregistered
posted
Sorry all. I guess I was a little extreme when I used the term radical. This is all too new to me and I tend to be more of a traditionalist. Since many of you have written about Dr. C and I have gone on his website, I figured it doesn't hurt to try since I don't think I am getting anywhere here fast. I am planning on contacting Dr. C this week. Wish me luck in my journey and thanks to all of you for your recommendations. JH
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Kara Tyson
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 939
posted
If by 'radical' you mean that he combines herbs and traditional meds, then you would be correct.
For many people untraditional meds make them a bit uncomfortable. That is understandable since US acedamia still views herbs/ nutrition as basically quack medicine and the public also gets that impression.
posted
Dr. B in KC is my Doc, and I'm very happy with him. He's done most of the stuff Dr. C said he would do for me, and he takes my insurance...unlike Dr. C.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking Dr. C in anyway. Don't even really know the man. Just know I couldn't afford him, had insurance, and Dr. B seemed to know his stuff and took me and my insurance. With Dr. B's help I've come a long way from where I was at and he has been very good about encouraging me along the path with other Drs. as well.
Just my two cents.
Paul
Posts: 67 | From Kansas City, MO | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Shadow....His not taking insurance is true only if your insurance does not pay for "out of network" drs. My insurance reimburses me 80% of his charges. That's GREAT in my book.
I'm glad DR B has worked out for you.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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My insurance pays. He doesn't take insurance. I can't afford $600 for the tests he requires before even seeing me. I'm glad you can afford to be reimbursed.
Posts: 67 | From Kansas City, MO | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
What tests? Unless he changed things, he doesn't require testing before you get there, and most of the time doesn't require testing after you get there.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
When I made my appt. with Dr. C not quite a year ago, I was informed that I would need to pay cash and then submit my bill to my ins. company for reimbursement. No prob. I thought. I can do that. It's only $450 or so. Then the nurse informed me that I would need to do urine tests. They would send me a set of containers and I would have to collect for 24 hrs., etc. That test would be about $600 and I would need to do that before I could see the Dr.
I live on disability. I really don't have the $450 to put out up front for the first appt., let alone a grand. So, my ins. co. may have reimbursed me for most of it, but I just don't have it. It really is an out of pocket deal.
All of that said...should I go into how the insurance companies network and pay a small percentage of what we actually see on a bill. As in, most Drs. would say they're charging $400 for an initial consult but would be lucky to actually get half that amount from an insurance company. Drs. that charge cash are getting paid way more than the Drs. that take insurance. Wasn't sure if everyone was aware of that.
Posts: 67 | From Kansas City, MO | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Hey Ryan, I just called his office and they said the tests are optional and are not usually done unless Dr C recommends them at the time of your appointment.
You may have gotten someone on the phone who was new at the time and you were given incorrect information.
I do know that the 24hr urine collection for hormone testing is around $400. I don't know what other test was mentioned to you, and the receptionist said she didn't know what you may have been told. [of course! ]
About the insurance companies not reimbursing in full, wouldn't the patient then be responsible for the remainder?
Most LLMD's do not take insurance so that they are not bound by the insurance companies to treat patients by their rules and regulations. In effect, the insurance companies then control the dr. Not a good thing when you're talking about Lyme treatment.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
Lymetoo...the urine tests were for the hormones, and then there was a separate one for something else. I imagine it's quite possible I talked to someone new. Wierd though that she was saying I would need to do those first before seeing the Dr. She was all set to send them to me and everything.
As far as insurance goes, I've been really lucky. They've been very good about not only paying for any treatment, but even recommending treatment that Drs. were sure they wouldn't pay for because it went above and beyond. For example, I'm overweight. Severely overweight. So much so that I was considering having a form of gastric bypass surgery. The insurance did the preapproval on that, but only on the condition that I have my hormones treated first. Not only were they worried about the thyroid levels being low, but they pointed out that it looked like I was GH deficient and probably needed that treated too.
So very wierd. Am so thankful for my insurance.
Posts: 67 | From Kansas City, MO | Registered: Sep 2004
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Boomerang
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7979
posted
When we made appointment with Dr. C, we were told it would cost $400-$600 cash up front. The bill would be submitted to the insurance company. I was told that it was usually covered by insurance.
They didn't mention any up front testing, or anything like that?
Posts: 1366 | From Southeast | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Shadow...the hormone testing revealed that I had many deficiencies....included was a growth hormone deficiency. That treatment has proven VERY beneficial to me! Maybe it would really help you too!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I made an appointment with Dr. C last week for the middle of October. No required pre-test was mentioned. She stated that she would be sending out a new patient packet to fill out and return prior to us getting there.
She did further state that the intitial appointment would be around $450-$600. Our insurance cover 80% after we submit it. Luckily have have the cash and family is going to help where they can.
Posts: 82 | From Summerville, SC | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
LOL!!! Lymetoo...I'm being treated for AGHD, Hypothyroidism, and Hypogonadism. I don't know how much all the tests cost, but I didn't have to lay out even a penny...as far as cash goes. I will admit, I did have to work at finding a doc who would do the testing for the GH.
Posts: 67 | From Kansas City, MO | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
i just saw dr c for the first time this week. i only payed for my office visit and nothing else. he offered to do other testing if i wanted but that it was my choice to do as little or as much as i wanted. there was no pressure. it is MOST DEFINATLY worth seeing dr c.
Posts: 3 | From springfield | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
I would like to point out that ins co practices vary a lot in how much they pay for out of network doc visits. Mine pays barely a quarter of the bill. So, it can be a big hit.
Think there are more reasons for non-acceptance of ins than was already mentioned. Some lyme docs have been cut off by ins because they treat a lot of chronic cases. This is done to discourage patients from seeing these docs, which it does do. It also means you are paying for ins that you are not able to use. There are other docs that may not accept ins because billing is a pain or because they can charge more. Think you can't really generalize.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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