For me this year the 'deductible' went up, as did the 'catastrophic' deductible, which used to be one and the same. Now they are different. I'd get things met w/my percent of the infusions about 20% and I'd met all deductibles for the year by FEB - IF they submitted claims properly and on time... but the infusion provider hasn't done well in that quarter for more than two years and it's getting both stressful and funny that the provider and the insurer can't talk it out about how to file claims right....as a result I've gotten some whopper bills from the provider that would scare your socks off! I dutifully call the insurer and the provider each time it's wrong [every month] and am promised that it'll be fixed [wrong each subsequent month] and It is getting down right silly. But...once the key deductible is met? You should be home free. As for getting things set up? It's the doc's office responsibility w/the diagnosis and filling out the insurance forms correctly...
All I know is that after my first 4 day infusion in the docs' offices [they no longer do that now] I went out and shopped for the first time in 15months! I walked and felt alive and didn't have too much pain afterwards, as I would have w/o the IVIG. WHO would have thought that walking thru Kmart would be a treat?
I did have a reaction from an infusion in the hospital? But I found out later that it wasn't the prescribed brand, it wasn't properly handled from the pharmacy to into me and my reaction wasn't properly attended to. After that I switched to the home infusions, which is where it's been only billing issues, not service issues or nurse issues- The latter two are GREAT!
One interesting thing I've found about getting IVIG? Is that I get a terrible attack of the 'munchies'-I am ravenous often after a really good infusion!
There are other side effects at times, that I won't go into, but go find out the BRAND and web up 'brand name prescribing information' and read all about the stuff! Sooo, if you get any side effect? you won't panic, you know that it IS a side effect. 's And where is SILVERLADY [-billye] when we need her? She has the Sjogrens' and has been a great contibutor to this board in the past.... Billye? Are you out there? Hugs to all! - j's