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I have appt with LLMD. How much does this cost?

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Posted 11/26/2008 1:37 AM (GMT 0)

I have appt with LLMD because I am positive for 9 out of 10 (strain or test?) I was told for years chronic lyme doesnt exist. My symptoms got worse over time. Headaches, GI problems, nausea, memory loss, 2 deg. disc in back 1 in neck. constant back pain. developed phobias, especially clostraphobia. joint ache. especially in knees and hands. teeth hurt all time (even after I had all my teeth either checked or capped by dentist. stiff neck and jaw. swollen lymph nodes. Enlarged heart and chronic fatigue. Sweating. Just a general sick feeling. The worst is either the GI prob or heart. my blood pressure was 181/90 yesterday and i can feel my heart hitting bones. All of this came on suddenly in 2005. Now my wife thinks Im going crazy (hypercondriac?). All the PCP doctors what to drain my bank accounts with tests. I want treatment but dont know if I can afford it. Can anyone tell me what to expect? Thanks.

Posted 11/27/2008 12:49 AM (GMT 0)

When I went to an LLMD it was $300 a visit and he didn't accept any insurance (not that I had any). Good luck with this!

Aaron

Posted 11/27/2008 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
Most LLMDs do not take insurance. Their costs vary so much it is hard to even say how much it will cost. Can you call and get the estimated cost before your appointment so that you know what to expect?
Posted 11/27/2008 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
You have to search for ones that take insurance.

It's hard but it can be done.

There are two schools of thought: doctors that believe chronic lyme exists (persistent infection) and who treat it w/ antibiotics and those who don't believe it exists (and let people suffer).

The truth is they spend a lot of money on research trying to disprove the use of antibiotics for those with ongoing post lyme syndrome symptoms -- some call it chronic. No money is ever spent on anything new.

It sucks to have Lyme. The few who believe us won't take our insurance. And the only ones who believe us either had or had a family member who did.

Explain that one.
Posted 11/28/2008 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
OK, I found one for around $150 a visit. I cant believe that we have to live like this. Im so disappointed in the medical community. I'm skeptical about ever going back to a "regular" "doctor"
Posted Yesterday 3:56 AM (GMT 0)
It's not the cost of the visit to worry about its the $800+ worth of abx a month...
Posted Yesterday 4:23 AM (GMT 0)
I don't have any llmds nearby that would take insurance. I believe most are in this situation. for those of you who have ones that take insurance, you are very lucky.

Post Edited (Maureen21) : 11/29/2008 9:27:18 PM (GMT-7)

Posted Yesterday 6:25 AM (GMT 0)
Lymelies,
My LLMD doesn't take insurance either. The first appt was $400, then monthly follow up appts are $100 -175. I submit the super bill and reciept to my insurance carrier and they've reimbursed me about 80-90%. Most insurance carriers do still pay for "out of network providers". Call them and find out.

Treatment last a long time! You need insurance. I'm hoping you and your wife both have insurance, cause then you might have double coverage.

Good luck and God Bless! Let us all know how the LLMD appt goes.
Lisa
Posted Today 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
wow $150? $400? that's it?   Dr. F in NJ will cost me $750 for first visit.  I dont even think I should go.

Posted Today 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
My first LLDr. visits ranged from about $75.00 up to over $500.00.... but, my current LLDr. is the best in FL. I think I pay from $50 to $150 a visit. My insurance has always covered my visits. Now I have Medicare primary and then Cigna. My latest round of IV abxs cost:

New Patient: $106.47 (only paid this once)
IV Rocephin: $192.00 (per day, 4x per week)
Office service: $213.42 (per day, 4x per week)

So after my "new patient" visit, my IV abx cost $405.42 a day x 4 days = $1,622.00 each week x 10 weeks = 16,220.00.

This was the 3rd time in 8+ years that I have had IV abxs. The rest of the time I have been on oral abxs.
Posted Today 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
Careful.
I had my LLMD charge me 6,000 cash for my first app with her. She said it was for all the blood test and x-ray and 2 hours of her time that she sold to me. But then she turned around and charged my insurance company, three times, for the same test.
They caught it of course.
Then she told me that it was a good thing that I was rich....really tacky.
Then she wanted me to get IV treatment for a year and a half at 3,000-5,000 a week. I split to europe instead..lol
figured it was a better way to spend my $$ and went to a dr. in germany instead.
Some Dr.s are out there to profit off of the suffering. So be careful!
This women was in a flilthy office in Fort Luaderdale Florida. Her office faculty were gross people. She was referred to me by the ILADS web site. I was not about to get treatment from her. I am not able to blow that kind of money, are you kidding. 20,000 a month...no it would be 40,000 a month with my Lilly.
Please.
Posted Today 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Lymelies, it's Cleric from over on YouTube. My first LLMD vistit was $500 and he doesn't take insurance. But, he did spend over 4 hours on my examination. Now I pay $185 a month, and I hope to go to every other month visits after this next month; his suggestion. Like HopingToFindCure said above, my Doc and all of his family had it, and in his case, very badly. He is nearly all the way back, but not quite all the way there yet. He's a very understanding guy and takes a limited number of Lyme cases and that's all. He ain't starvin', but all in all I think that he's pretty fair. Every appointment is at least an hour and half and I can (and have) call him day or night. I have told him that I have great concern about the cost of this disease as I only make just over $20,000 a year. (That is, I do now. I'm gonna try to keep working at my theatre. I have really, really had to modify though. So far my Board of Directors ie.my bosses, are good with my diminished capacities.) He seems understanding and I'm glad for that.

I do have drug coverage (80/20; them-80 me-200, and that helped so much as for the first few months my drug bills were a couple of grand a month. I was on Mepron and Zithromax, both of which cost a ton. I'm now on Doxy and Plaquenil which are not bad at all, money wise, but I don't know if they are are aggressive enough. Thinking of asking him about the advice of other folks on here who suggested more aggressive medicine, but I don't want to go back to what I was spending if I can help it. I suppose I will if I have to, though. I know that going totally bust is pretty par for the course with this hellish disease but I'm still gonna try to avoid it.

I wish you luck, man. Feel better. I'll see you over on the Tube.
Posted Today 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
lymlies,

Where do you live? You said you tested positive? Can you expand a little on that? It may make a difference on whether your insurance covers your treatment - even IV. My insurance (Aetna) has covered many months of IV but not my doctor who is considered out of network. The out of network reimbursement does not kick in until I have spent almost $35,000 so it doesn't do me much good.

There are some physicians who do take insurance for their payment and treatment, including medicare. There are not many but they are out there. Also, what is your medical coverage like? It is tough to figure all this out when you feel so ill but try to focus on it.

LD's use different labs - for different tests. All my labs were covered. Some LD's administer the IV's in the office twice a week which allows you to get coverage for the drug, bandage change, and bloodwork.

So the point is, it can get complicated but you need to start with what kind of insurance coverage do you have and what kind of test results do you have.

bcaring
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