Unexpected Medical Bills

Hello everyone, my name is Rachael. Some of you may know me, and others may not. In January of 2014, I was diagnosed with Advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis and boy has it been a journey. During the eight-plus years of this journey, I have prided myself on not letting my autoimmune define me. There are bad days for sure. However, with effective treatment plans, I have been able to live the active lifestyle I was used to and not allow RA to control my life.

While I may not be able to bungee jump, it has allowed me to enjoy time with family and friends, doing the things I enjoy like camping & river days, grabbing chilly cheese curly fries at the local fairs, and enjoying time with my niece and nephews. It took a couple of years to find an effective treatment plan that allowed me this lifestyle.

In the eight years since my diagnosis, I have gone through six (yes, 6) different treatment options before my doctors placed me on a biologic infusion. There were days during these trial-and-error treatment plans that I would be crying, literally not able to move. From not being able to put pressure on my feet or use my hands for simple tasks such as brushing my hair; with the worse days being the days my better half Darren had to help me get dressed & undressed, showered, in and out of bed. It was humiliating not being able to do these things I’ve done all my life without assistance. As the years have gone by, I have lost most movement in my wrists and occasionally, I will walk like a penguin because I am stiff and sore.

The current biological infusion has been my saving grace for the last four years and has worked effectively. However, it is no longer a covered benefit this year, which was not brought to my attention until after I had two treatments. My doctors and I have gone through the appeal process, and at this time, it is still being denied. Pre-authorization was obtained before each infusion, but pre-authorization is not a guarantee of payment according to the insurance company. I was informed that I would be financially responsible for the treatment since my insurance has denied it. Due to the nature that I was informed and what the clinic and I have discussed, they are willing to set up a payment plan with me for one year. Due to the cost of this treatment, I am not able to afford this.

It pains me to ask; however I need assistance with covering the cost. Honestly never thought I'd be in a situation like this.