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Thursday, February 17, 2011

I cried at work today

Today I returned a call from the office manager of the RI. I was expecting her to tell me that the intralipids were covered or not and the cost of the home nurse etc. I was excited to get started and was bracing myself for the cost of the meds. It was tough bc if what the Dr was saying about the killer cells is true, then I have no chance until I get this treatment.
I was in total shock when she said, well okay that will be $1,250. Woah, I said so it was not covered, that is a surprise. If that per month? Yes.  Then she says well that is not for the meds. That is for the Dr to monitor you. I had an immediate reflex and started to cry. What? I said, I just paid him 1,000 for two phone calls and I thought he was just going to prescribe the meds and discharge me. This is outregous. The Dr never mentioned any fees, he only mentioned insurance. Then I said he only spent 5 min with me yesterday. So she gets mad and tells me that he spent time before my phone call going over my results....I said, do you realize that you are charging me more than my monthly mortgage payment?
She asks me if I am doing IVF, I said no and  then she puts me on hold. She comes back and says well since you have a financial hardship we can do a 50% discount and it will be for 3 months and not one. Even though 200 a month is now in my price range, I was still really mad that I was ambushed by more surprise sky high fees. So I keep pressing her, and say that I thought I was getting  a prescription. She says well if we give you meds we are liable and have to monitor you. The Dr needs to charge you  to write the prescription, order blood tests, and look at the results. Then I asked her how much the meds cost and she says she doesn't know. So she never even called the insurace company. Then I said wow, so this is going to cost 200 plus meds, and she chimes in "well if you cannot afford this then we cannot treat you" So I told her that I had to talk to my dh and then find out the price of the meds first......
Then I called my dh crying my eyes out. He is super mad at the Dr and calls him the money pit. Since this Dr is a RI he is rare and costly, but this is out of control.
Then I called my wonderful napro Dr and left him a message. I thought I was ok and then I think I started to cry, but I am not sure if he will be able to tell. I don't know what he will do. But I trust him 100% and wanted to get his opinion about the whole thing.
I searched the internet, which is what I do best and found out that my local RE is now offering intralipids. If you asked me yesterday, I would have not been thrilled to go there since he is not RI, but now if I can do it and only pay a copay I might have to. I am going to call their office tomorrow and see what the deal is.
I am not sure what to do about the RI. I don't want to burn that bridge but I am so mad at the way I am getting treated. I also want to make sure that I am getting the correct dose if I go to the RE.
The RI's website says "A follow up consultation with Dr. JB will then take place, at that time he will outline your plan of management. Treatments can be carried out at our facility in New York where we perform full fertility services or care can be coordinated with your fertility specialist anywhere in the world.
So I would think that telling me the dose would be part of the plan that I already paid for. She never mentioned coming into the office so I don't know if that is an option.

Errrrrr I know that I have to endure ups and downs, but I was up yesterday and it only lasted a brief moment. I have my US tomorrow to check that follie. FX that it ruptured, bc then I can have some peace about paying the RI so much, bc the lupron trigger was his idea.

3 comments:

  1. I am so mad!!! Really I am boiling. How can a man that is supposed to have a commitment to curing people do this? I have when medicine is a business when it should be one of the most noble vocations charging what is fair, but never this.

    i am so very sorry that you have to go through this.

    If you want I can try and help you get a consult with the very top RI in Mexico that actually consults and has done papers with Kwak-Kim. He trained under the very best in the US. I know several people that have your same condition and have been succesful with him at a fraction of the cost of this horrible man. I have never used him, but know several people that have.

    It might be an option if he can prescribe in the US. I know that for an in-office consult he charges 100 USD approx. All his tests are done in Chicago. He is quoted in this link and his name is Jaroslav Stern. He does not have the best bedside manner (it seems is a recurrent topic with RI) but people allover consult with him. http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=immunology&id=19

    I will pray for you Simone.

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  2. That's ridiculous! I'm so sorry. I have no advice, but praying for you :)

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