OMG....Lab costs!

Hello DM, it amazes me how we cope with the financial burdens this disease places upon us too, it is tough on most of us; I make no secret of the fact that Lyme disease has robbed my hubby and I of the chance of being able to afford to rent an apartment so we can add homelessness to our list of woes.

My constant hope is that things will get better for you, for us, for everyone.

I was lucky in that my LLMD believed less is more. Very little bloodwork, only the basics. It stinks that they required all that, I know it can be informative but goodness!

I went to auctions once I started feeling better and I resell on Ebay. This is really good to do before the holidays. Last year during 3 months (Oct-Dec), I made an extra $1800, which paid off the remainder of my medical bills. The initial costs for lyme is the most expensive and then it usually stabilizes once you are on a treatment plan. Try not to freak out until you figure out how much insurance is going to pay, the rates will probably drop it to..4,000-6,000 as long as many aren't specialty labs before insurance pays for anything.

For me, (crappy insurance but hey-whose isn't nowadays) I found out that it was cheaper to prepay for labs, I use directlabs.com but there are a Lot more. My first ultrasound was $600, and my next one which I found out I could also prepay for will only be $333 - though I do have to go to a different lab. Then I would submit to insurance. It ends up saving me 20-40%. Its ridiculous.

After lyme I scrutinize everything drs want done. For prenatal they wanted TEN TUBES of blood. TEN! It would've costs $300 (discounted) not to mention, Really? Get tested for Rubella...there were 11 reported cases in 2006 in the US of rubella...No thanks and syphilis....well lyme drugs would've fixed that...Hepatitis...maybe but I got the vaccine and pretty sure my liver enzymes would have showed something. All in all I only ended up getting 3 tests.

I go in next week and I'm pretty sure the dr is going to be okay with my decision as I can reasonably substantiate why I didn't get XYZ. Even if you thought you scrimped before on money, you will learn how to scrimp even more. I was notably thrifty before lyme and afterwards 3x/bad but hey - I'll be able to pay off my credit cards and everything else a lot faster. Its tough work but in the end it will totally be worth it once you are healed.

Lymelymie, prayers for you and your situation! Your great attitude and strength are a tremendous asset. The best of luck!

Thank you for the responses guys! My husband has been laid off three times in the past six years so our savings has been depleted. He just got hired on full time at his new job two months ago. I am so grateful!! This is our first set of medical bills related to any chronic illness so it was a huge shock. I'm hoping my insurance will cover most of it. My LLMD said they should. I spent three hours on the phone with her office and my insurance company both of which were very helpful. I'm hoping for the best! I appreciate your advice and realize that this was probably necessary to figure out what I am fighting. She tested me for everything from Celiac to West Nile to STDs. Kinda crazy! We're waiting on result from IgeneX as well since my ELISA was off the scales positive but I only popped positive on band 23 of the Western Blot through a big box lab. LLMD is certain it a flair up of Lyme since I was diagnosed with it when I was 15. This roller coaster is wild but I guess it's time to strap in for the ride.

I'm hoping so. My insurance company actually suggested I try to get my LLMD to submit paperwork so I get in network rates. No one around here in network is a LLMD. They said if that couldn't happen the worst that would is that would pay out of network costs and they would reimburse me at 60% after my deductible. Labs may are may not be covered depending they are "approved". I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I have a feeling IgeneX will fall into the whole out of network thing.