I for one, know very little about pulse steroids? Mainly because I had other medical issues which precluded the use of steroids for me. I've been able to go the IVIG route and it's kept things from getting worse...and even has helped things improve in many aspects.
Your partner has a good advocate in you tho!
Since you are in NYC you are likely to find more possible options than say, if you were in the middle of PA. If you get my drift. There are plusses and minuses to that tho in that the demands for treatments will be high and the resources [as we all know] are shrinking.
I would suggest that you check out each of the bigger and better neuro teaching hospitals around [Look up USNews top hospitals-and you will find the best...go from there] Many of these hospitals are willing to take on patients who can't afford standards therapies etc and your friend could be in a clinical trial to boot. Who knows?
There is a LOT of stuff up in the 'important information/Sticky' portion at the top of the forum page: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread177.html
It's a heavy read about neuropathies? But it's doable....
Also take a look at the Autoimmune forum....posted here is good on CIDP that mite help in some ways..... http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread234.html

Hope this helps! - keep asking questions! - j