I would weigh the costs carefully. I think the $325 is very reasonable, based on what other posters here have shared over the past couple of years. But it's still shockingly expensive, I know. But I would also suggest that if the $650 ($450)/app doc is better, I'd opt for the better doc. How can you tell? Ask if you can get referrals from other patients - in the lyme world, this is done frequently. You can also (carefully) post here asking for referrals using the LLMD's initials/
location. Also, I think you're in the LA area so $450 isn't too bad for LA.
There are other cues that I think are helpful in deciding a good fit for you besides cost (that can often be more critical in the long-term). Does the LLMD ask for information from you beforehand (suggesting that they intend to fully evaluate you, rather than spending your appt firing a bunch of questions at you in a rushed fashion and are going to spend time preparing for the appt)? Who is your point-of-contact? What is the waiting list time? What labs can be drawn on-site? How much are follow-up appts? Can you do phone consults?
My LLMD actually runs a 501.c3 so she does a lot of not-for-profit services but charges $300 for the first appt, which was 2 hours with her (highly trained) nurse, then it was $450 for my 2nd appt, which was 2 hrs with the LLMD (although it turned into 3hrs).
But she also asks that all new patients fill out a 35+ page questionnaire and mail it in advance so that she and her nurse can prepare for the appts. This took me about
3 hrs. My understanding is that she met with her nurse upon receipt of my questionnaire and reviewed it, and helped the nurse prepare for my first appt. So their prep is part of the cost of that initial appt. (BTW - if you don't get a questionnaire to fill out before hand you should organize this kind of info and bring it with you to your appt - both YOU and the LLMD will appreciate it! Burrascano has one and I can share the one I filled out).
She also shared with me that they charge this large fee up front to discourage would-be trouble-makers... For context, I also have an integrative health guy who is also a gastroenterologist, doesn't participate in insurance and he charged $350 for one hour. My LLND charged $185 per hour, $85 for 30 minute phone consults.
And I have had numerous appts with her that went well over the designated time frame, have been able to communicate with her via emails and phone calls. She's offered to be available for less expensive phone consults, etc.
You can tell a lot about
the quality of an MD's practice by how willing they are to help you--how flexible they are and how much they understand that most of their lyme & co patients have trouble with---well just about
everything (cognition, mobility, finances).
This is certainly true for LLMDs (although most of them already qualify as elite patent care providers simply due to the fact that they are investing extra time and effort to learn about
the specialty and put forth the commitment to treat which requires extra effort, and they are clearly taking risks to treat.
But of course, you don't know if the LLMD is a good fit for you until you meet with them, which is so key for us lymees since our treatment is so very complex and layered and long-term in many cases. Unfortunately, due to the lack of LLMDs available many people take what they can get.
Hope this is helpful -
-p
Post Edited (Pirouette) : 5/12/2016 7:15:21 PM (GMT-6)