posted
I am so frustrated with BCBS Insurance. I've had a chronic Lyme 13 yrs (2 yrs diagnosed) went through a couple protocols of oral antibiotics for about 2 yrs.
My Dr. suggested IV antibiotics in order to break the blood brain barrier and we both were prepared that BCBS had been good about coverage of long time IV treatment in the past and maybe will for me.
I had a PICC Line surgically placed and only received 4 weeks of treatment, which felt like it was really helping. Then BCBS said no more IV.
I think I should be cured according to CDC and other resources. I've had probably done five appeals now and have been denied each one.
My Husband and I maintain my PICC line ourselves with flushes and bandage changes and buying these supplies.
I'm at the point I guess where I need to have the PICC line removed but don't want too, don't want to give up.
I risk infection or a clot in my line and furthermore my heart having this picc line placed. I don't know what to do
Posts: 36 | From Arkansas | Registered: Feb 2012
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
People in your situation, if they want to continue IV, will pay for it themselves. You can buy the meds and supplies. There are a number of sources. PM me if you want one name of a place to get them. But there are others. Bea can suggest ways too, I am sure. It can be done a lot less expensively than thru a home health company.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Can you enable your pm's in your profile? It's the envelope icon. I'd like to pm you -
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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gmb
Unregistered
posted
GretaM is right on tsrget. See if BCBS will cover generic Rocephin IM 2gr vials. If so you can get a 30 day supply at whatever normal co-pay you have for generic orals.
You can mix it yourselves for IV infusion.
Read the booklet "Infusion for Lymies", available on the web, for other ways to reduce cost with bulk order supplies.
posted
I have found that most insurance companies will cover Bicillin shots when they refuse to pay for IV. That may be an alternative for you.
-------------------- Faithful
Just sharing my experience, I am not a doctor. Posts: 2682 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2009
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
Just want to tell you to hang in there. I am sorry you are going through this. Seems like you have gotten some good advice.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I have BCBS and they also refuse to pay for my IV meds. I have also appealed to no avail.
However I do have a PPO through BCBS and they cover infusion services, so they pay for all my infusion supplies.
I pay for my IV meds out of pocket, but my home health care company gives me a different rate which is much lower than what they charge insurance.
If you cannot manage to do this on your own, then phone some IV home health care companies and ask what they will charge you if you pay them directly.
Posts: 187 | From Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2013
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We got a couple of months approved based on the Lyme diagnosis, but then we were cut off of home IVs by the insurance company.
Instead, we are getting the vials of powdered rocephin through our pharmacy and amazingly, the prescription plan paid for it. we've only done it once for 7 days, but we'll try again next week.
We bring the vials to our LLMD's office where they do IV's and they mix up a week of IV bags for us. We take them home to put in the refrigerator. My son does the IV's every evening at home.
Once a week, the nurses at the LLMD's office change the dressing and check the PICC site and send us home with all the supplies we need. So last week I spent a total of $175 including the $10 co-pay on the drug at the pharmacy. I'm going to submit the dressing change/supplies to my insurance and maybe we'll get lucky.
Some people buy all the supplies and rocephin from
I think there's a company called Creative Compounding, or something like that. They only have a license to serve certain states.
I can't remember where I learned about this... it may have been on Lymenet but I can't remember.
Maybe somebody else knows more..
Mary
-------------------- Son, 26, Dx Lyme 4/10, Babs 8/10 Had serious arthritis, all gone. Currently on Valtrex Daughter, 26,bullseye 7/11 arthritis in knees, cured and off all meds. . Self:Lyme, bart, sxs gone, no longer treating. Posts: 496 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Jul 2010
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