IVIG treatment home vs Hosp; subQ vs IV

[Sunshine]

Ig treatment in home vs hosp setting; subcutaneous vs intraveneous:

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(working links).

This is an interesting article on IVIG financials in home vs outpatient hospital setting and intravenoeous vs Subcutaeous administration (IVIG vs SCIG)

[stillstANNding]

Link does not work for me.

Sunshine, I’ve just started watching a woman w CF who does IVIG at home and gets it delivered to her house like we get ABC-R.

ANN

[Virginia]

Link did not work for me either.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Sunshine)))))) ~

Unfortunately, the link didn't work for me either.

Yesterday, I asked our nurse about IVIg at home. There is only one other qualified infusion nurse in our county, which is scary, since it is a large metropolitan area.

Her patient requires 4 hours for infusion, and 8 hours seemed a long time for one home health nurse to be present. Of course, how things work in Florida will be different than how they work in California.

When I told her that there was a national shortage of IVIg infusions, she said she had not been informed of that as a problem. IVIg seems to be one of the easier supplies she can get, because she's giving it regularly to one of her patients, and they keep it in stock. Perhaps it is a regional issue, and highly populated states have more of it? I don't know.

Have you researched the home health agency identified to provide you with an IVIg infusion? Read patient reviews on line? I'd start there. Maybe call your infusion center nurses and chat with them. Create a list of questions specifically related to your needs. Sort of a "What if I ..., what's the first thing you would do?"

What does your insurance say about you having IVIg at the infusion center versus at home? Will at home infusion be covered?

In Jim's case, when it was presumed he needed IV antibiotic at home, Medicare denied him. In his case, his nurse would have taught me how to use a computerized pump to administer his antibiotic every 12 hours via his port line. That is much less expensive than Jim staying in the hospital for the antibiotic.

We are paying for all of the supplies needed for Jim's home health blood draws via his port. No problem for Medicare to pay for it at the medical office complex or hospital,but at home? Nope.

I understand the time and energy required to gather all of this information, but I also know how exhausting it is to be presented with bills, which you weren't expecting. Or to receive sub par care.

I want everything to be safe for you, Sunshine.

Love & Light,



Rose

[agate]

Maybe this link will work:

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[Moderator #7]

Please try this link, as it most closely resembles the link ending of Sunshine's post and is new as of 6/28/2019.

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#7

[stillstANNding]

OK, thank you Mod # 7 and Agate. Maybe the woman I follow (YouTube) is on IG subcutaneous.

Also, I would think that it would be cheaper to treat a room full of patients that go to one site than individually in their homes. I understand that hospitals/infusion centers might charge more but I would think the actual cost was lower for a group than at home.

ANN

Edited to add: “The Frey Life” Mary uses IVIG for CID w CP at home.
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[Sunshine]

Yes, MOderator, do the editing.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

OK, thank you Mod # 7 and Agate. Maybe the woman I follow (YouTube) is on IG subcutaneous.

Also, I would think that it would be cheaper to treat a room full of patients that go to one site than individually in their homes. I understand that hospitals/infusion centers might charge more but I would think the actual cost was lower for a group than at home.

ANN

Edited to add: “The Frey Life” Mary uses IVIG for CID w CP at home.
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

ANN ~

I've been pondering this, and I wonder... Hospitals/infusion centers have overhead costs, including the space and chairs, other equipment, cleaning, waste removal.

I'll have to ask our nurse, but I'm thinking hospital infusion nurses are paid more than home health RNs. As I mentioned above, our county only has two infusion nurses (and that's not their primary duty ~ Nancy took care of Jonathan, who didn't have a port or infusions). Our hospital's infusion center nurses are specifically qualified in infusions, and there is a unit full of them. Jim had at least 6 different nurses, probably more. You'd know better than I do, but I'm just guessing that their pay rate would be higher than home health nurses.

The most important part of this is whether Medicare will cover home health infusions. It may cover part, but not all of the cost.

Just my thoughts ...

Love & Light,



Rose