Managing the medical costs associated with chronic illness

Up until my husband, Donnie, became ill with pulmonary fibrosis, our family had been relatively healthy and free of any major issues. Each of us made it to our annual checkups, plus an additional appointment or two during cold and flu season. We probably had a handful of prescriptions between the four of us, and we didn’t need to spend much on medical care.

Things look a lot different today. Between my husband’s medical expenses and our daughter’s diabetes medications, healthcare is a much larger expense for our family these days. It’s something we are constantly trying to navigate.

A couple of weeks ago, I visited our local medical supply company to ask if we would eventually own the two oxygen concentrators Donnie has been using for the past four years. When we first started making monthly payments, we just assumed we’d pay them off at some point. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.

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Representatives from our insurance company said it has a contract with durable medical equipment providers to rent the machines rather than purchase them. That means that even though our insurance has technically paid out enough money to purchase the units several times over, we will always be stuck with a monthly bill. While supplies and maintenance are included (hoses, cannulas, etc.), I still feel extremely frustrated by the perpetual monthly bill and the waste of resources.

We are currently considering whether purchasing two new units would benefit us in the long run. Even if we had a monthly payment for a while, we would probably spend much less over time and would eventually own the equipment. I’m honestly not sure if this is the best decision for us, but it is an option we are carefully weighing.

Planning for other expenses

Another area we need to carefully budget for is copayments. A copay doesn’t seem like much until you have a chronic illness that requires constant medical supervision. Add in multiple family members, and it can get expensive fairly quickly. Donnie alone has over 20 appointments a year, and that’s only counting the planned ones. Each appointment has a copay of $25 to $50, depending on the doctor and type of appointment. This doesn’t include testing, lab work, or medication copays.

One way we plan for this is by taking advantage of the flexible spending accounts (FSAs) offered by both of our employers. An FSA is a special account you fund to pay for certain out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Contributions are made pre-tax, which lowers your taxable income.

Each year, Donnie and I both select the amount we would like to withhold, which is divided across our paychecks. The total is deposited into our FSAs for eligible expenses throughout the year. We use it for doctor appointments, prescriptions, medical testing, and even eligible over-the-counter items. It gives us peace of mind to have money set aside for medical expenses we know we’ll need.

Another resource worth looking into is The Assistance Fund (TAF). According to its website, “TAF’s mission is to help insured people with life-changing diseases overcome the financial barriers preventing them from accessing treatment. TAF’s vision is to see the day when no person goes without treatment because of an inability to pay.”

For a list of eligibility requirements regarding copay assistance for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, please visit TAF’s website.

While we’re still early on this path, I’ll share more helpful tips as we find them. If you’ve learned some ways to save money while navigating chronic illness, I’d love to hear from you!

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.