So today I was supposed to get my first of the iron infusions to help solve my anemia. But it not only didn’t happen, unless I get tons more money, it’s not going to happen either.
I get there expecting to pay my $25 office visit but am told there is a $611 balance on my account. They send me back to see the financial lady. So $611 apparently for bloodwork and meeting with the nurse on my first visit because they are completely overpriced and at the time of my appointment, I had not yet met my $1,000 deductible. $611 Seriously?
So then she tells me today was going to be $88. Um, why? Oh that’s my 20% co-pay portion. So the ONE infusion today is $440?? And I need to have this every week for six weeks? So I ask her what about the $25? I thought that was what my visits cost. Oh, yes, they add that on days I meet with the doctor. (Which, mind you, I met with the doctor ONCE for 30 seconds. Both visits, I met with the nurse.) So on days I have the infusion and meet with the doctor nurse, I pay $88 PLUS $25. Oh and that’s not including my labs. Oh and the $611 is only from my FIRST visit. Who knows how much my second visit and second set of labs from last week will bring my total to.
I broke down crying. I told her about what’s going on. How I had to raise all kinds of money for surgery, how I’ve spent $5,000 so far this summer on medical bills, co-pays, insurance premiums and such. How I have $13k in bills from my ER stay. And how I have NO INCOME right now. She says their financing plans are 30, 60 and 90 days. (Oh yes because that will help.) She says they’re not going to let me run up a bill that’s “thousands of dollars” getting the treatments if I can’t pay for it at time of service. She canceled my infusion schedule and said to come in next week, pay $25 office visit, meet with the doctor (nurse) and discuss what treatment plan we can work out.
In other words, waste more time and money.
So…unless I can come up with $611 plus another $700 or so to pay for the six weeks of treatment, I can’t cure my anemia.
I cried all afternoon. I really can’t take this anymore. These bills and money worries are going to be the death of me.
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Really wish I could something to help, other than to post angel packages.
Can you get iron tablets? would imagine they would be cheaper than infusions, but don’t know if they would be as effective.
You are in my thoughts.
My anemia is complicated. I don’t absorb iron properly. Taking iron in forms like pills makes me violently ill as my stomach rejects it. The problem is that my stored iron (my “ferritin” level) is low. That’s the raw material in bone marrow. When that’s low, my body lacks the ability to properly make red blood cells which makes me anemic. So I need the infusions to re-supply the ferritin so my body can work properly again. It’s like a car with an empty gas tank. I had this once before about ten years ago and it lasted for quite awhile but I need it again since I’ve almost run out of it again. If I could get it again, I’d probably be good for life since the hysterectomy cured me of my excessive blood loss, you know?