Post from OIT101 Facebook Group. Join to read responses.
Without going into any discussion regarding specific insurance plans or how much you paid/pay for OIT, how did you determine the cost was something you had to pay or find a way to pay?
I know some families have fundraised through Gofundme and their churches. I know some doctors have funds from families who want to financially help others through. Our nonprofit is brand new and we don’t even have money to pay staff so that has never been on my to do list frankly.
Personally, we paid cash. $500/mo. — no limit on doses or visits. for a year. We would have paid another year if we knew that was the plan but we moved home “accidentally.” We also rented a townhouse to make sure the 10 hour drive back and forth from Ohio to North Carolina did not interfere with dosing. I remember telling my husband our daughter would rather have her brother alive than a college fund. We refinanced. My mother and step father gave us $3000. We did what we had to do. Money wasn’t even a concern when I was making phone calls around the clock, across the planet trying to find someone to treat my son. I didn’t actually expect anyone to say, “Yes.”
I know some people moved for treatment, lived in allergy infested apartments, which only made their child’s medical issue worse, and flew across oceans for treatment. I cannot say that any of us are Bill Gates wealthy by any means but we are the most CREATIVE people I’ve ever known. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
That said, OIT isn’t going anywhere. Everyone has time to start planning for treatment. Check with your potential OIT offices and see if they have payment plans. Hard to believe but our doctors are really offering OIT to save lives–often losing money for quite some time before they are able to see the slightest profit. Our doctor was still driving his car from college probably and his shoe fell apart one day in the office. They have mortgages, spouses, children, student loans, and a business with staff, utilities, rent, etc… to pay for too. If you said the word “profit” to any of them, they would probably laugh. Their goal for quite some time is to be able to cover their expenses.
The GOOD NEWS is that we have them now– board certified allergists who are willing and know how to treat our loved ones. If you want it, you’ll make it happen. I believe in you!