I know if I was reading this blog I would be kind of confused as to WHY my family needs to be frugal. We have great health insurance and Early Intervention pays for his therapy. So here is a little breakdown.
Bear had a fever in January for 4 days. When it started we went to the pediatrician. $20
Then he had his checkup with 3 different specialists. $105
Over the weekend it spiked to 104+ so we went to the Emergency Room. $100
January meds for the month: $30
In February Bear spiked another fever while we were out of state so we went to a local doctor. (The one my parents used) $20
His fever, again, spiked to 104+ on a Friday evening so we went to the Emergency Room and they drew blood, did a urinalysis and a chest x-ray. $100 co-pay and $62 coinsurance for the labs.
Sunday his fever climbed to 106+ so we headed to a different Emergency Room at a renowned Children’s Hospital. $100
When we returned home his fever returned at 103.5 so we headed back to the pediatrician. $20
February meds for the month: $30
In March we all caught the plague. We all headed to the doctors office $60
March meds for the month: $42 (including antibiotics for all of us)
In April Bear had his appointments with 3 specialists: $105 and we were sent home with another medication
He spikes a fever, so back to the pediatrician. They think they see an ear infection so we’re sent on our way with antibiotics. $20
All the doctors are on vacation and we can’t get back in with the pedi for a follow up, so we head to an Ear Nose Throat Specialist (ENT). $35
ENT says his ear looks great, but they find fluid in the other one, the tympanogram is flat. So we return in a week to make sure his ear is clear. $35
April meds for the month: $50
In May we have a 6 month follow-up with another specialist. $35
May meds for the month: $30
In June we have our specialist appointment that we had to cancel in March because of the plague. Our insurance only covers the doctor visit and not the counseling half. $35 for the co-pay and $120 for the counseling portion.
We also have to pay for the testing that this appointment sent out. The cost of the test is $5500 and we may have to pay up to 40% of that.
June meds for the month: $30
Bear has a follow up with his physiatrist. He prescribes us AFO’s and a gait trainer. $35
Early in July we go get Bear fitted for AFO’s. We still haven’t seen that bill yet, but I’ll post about them below.
Late July he spikes another fever and we head to the pediatrician. He sort of has a minor rash so they say to wait and see. $20
July meds for the month: $30
August 11 Bear spikes another fever. We choose not to head to the pediatrician. His fever disappears after 2 days. We head to a 6 month follow up with a specialist. $35
August 22 we have another 6 month follow up with a specialist $35
August 28 Bear spikes ANOTHER fever. We head to the pediatrician. $20
Over the weekend it spikes to 105+ and he is constantly screaming, they draw blood and do a urinalysis and administer Motrin. $100 + coinsurance for the labs.
He is still screaming after his fever breaks (4 days) and we take him back to the pediatrician. $20 (this is technically September)
August meds for the month: $30
Now we’re scheduled to meet with the immunologist on Wednesday. That will be another $35. Add to this the amount we pay in gas. Each specialist is about a 40 mile drive each way. We used to be able to schedule them all on the same day, however, they’re all assigning different wait times between appointments. Each time Bear has a fever we go through about 2 bottles of Motrin and 1 bottle of Tylenol. He is intolerant to corn syrup so we have to buy the expensive brands.
Now onto the AFO’s. AFO is an acronym for an ankle-foot-orthotic. Basically they’re ankle braces. Some children with low-tone need them to stabilize the ankle. Bear needs them because of his high tone. His toes are always pointed downwards and his heel cord is in danger of shortening. These make it so he cannot point his toes downward. He must wear them all waking hours. The fun thing, you get to pick cool patterns. His are cars, planes and trucks. However, because his are so little there are very few whole pictures.
His AFO’s are custom made. We went in once and they casted his feet and then they formed the material around them. The second time they check the fit and send you on your way.
I didn’t realize how expensive they are. $1740.
Thank goodness for insurance. Our coinsurance is $293.
So there you have an estimate of our extra medical costs in 2011 alone. Don’t forget, there are still well-visits, immunizations, Hubs’ and I’s physicals, and other things that are trivial. These are only the amounts that we have to pay. The amount insurance has had to pay is astronomical.
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