Originally Posted by SandyRI

I started the 10 day protocol last April 19, and in less than a year I have had 38 infusions (just had 37 & 38 yesterday and today). it took many months of fighting, but I finally got approval from RI WC Court for the treatments. Two months after I started them I returned to work full-time.

It just upsets me to no end that most of my RSD friends cannot avail themselves of this treatment because of the cost and the fact that their insurance companies, or Medicare, doesn't cover it. or if they do cover it, they pay a fraction of what the docs want to be paid for the treatments, and the balance due from the patient is outrageous (for instance, in RI for United Healthcare, it's $1500!). Ketamine has been amazingly effective for me -it gave me back most of my life, yet insurance refuses to pay a reasonable price for it. But insurance did pay $2000 for each of my lidocaine infusions without a hassle. and lidocaine infusions weren't nearly as effective.

So that's my beef. It makes docs look greedy when they want $2000 per infusion. And insurance companies are fighting like crazy not to cover this for us, even though it's been demonstrated to work better than any other treatment, and we are getting our lives back. My doc in RI is not glower his price, so he has few patients - only what the RI Workers Comp Court hands
him. I know of MANY who suffer, but could NEVER afford to pay $1500-$2000 (depending on insurance) for EACH infusion for the REST of their life!! that's crazy money..

We need things to change, I am tired of watching others suffer...

that's my rant for today!! XOXOX. Sandy