do you or your kids get allergy shots?

[Grumpy's Gal]

and does your health insurance pay for them? (I also posted this on the budget board but I'm trying to find information sooner .....)

I *thought* my insurance would pay for my DD's allergy shots but apparently......we still have to pay a 20$ co-pay and a portion of the shots. They won't let us count the weekly co-pays towards our deductible........I'm just frustrated.

Thanks for any information you can provide. I'm just trying to figure out if ANY insurances pay for the shots or what other people have done.

 

[disfan07]

Do your copays usually count towards your deductable?

I know for our insurance even after meeting the deductable and surpassing the OOP limit, we still pay the office copays (we have been at 100% for me since october--we go july to july-- and we atill pay about $120 per month)

We just found out that I will have to go to the neurologists office 6 times in the next two weeks for B12 injections and while we dont pay for any of the injections, we will still pay the $40 office copay

So if that's the case, than it makes sense that you still have to pay the copay and part of the shots.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Mine paid for them... sorta. I stopped getting them after a couple months because I simply couldn't afford it longterm. I had to pay an office visit fee plus ~20% of the cost charged to my insurance. It ended up being close to $100 a visit. He wanted me to come weekly. With the additional driving across town to his office, waiting for a nurse to call me back, and waiting a few minutes after the shot to ensure there wasn't a reaction, it was just too much money/time for me.

I really wanted to just do them at home but they wouldn't let me do it...

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Mine paid for them... sorta. I stopped getting them after a couple months because I simply couldn't afford it longterm. I had to pay an office visit fee plus ~20% of the cost charged to my insurance. It ended up being close to $100 a visit. He wanted me to come weekly. With the additional driving across town to his office, waiting for a nurse to call me back, and waiting a few minutes after the shot to ensure there wasn't a reaction, it was just too much money/time for me.

I really wanted to just do them at home but they wouldn't let me do it...

most allergists won't let you give your own shots because there might be an allergic reaction.

I know we need to do this but with the economy being bad now, it is not an ideal time....

 

[bumbershoot]

most allergists won't let you give your own shots because there might be an allergic reaction.

Interesting. If you really want them, call around, see who will let you.

As a teenager I gave myself the shots. $15 per shot, 3 shots at a time, twice a week. Too much money. So they suggested that I learn to do them myself, and I did.

Of course, I never had ANY reaction at all, not even the one they were trying for.

After a year of having them with absolutely nothing changing, I quit.

My mom dragged me to see a chiropractor. Two visits? Allergies gone. As long as I'm under regular care, NO allergies. Best thing my mom did for me, I think!

I'd try it. If your over-reactive immune system is due to vertebral subluxations, it can change your universe.

 

[kacaju]

Our insurance covered them. My daughter got allergy shots for about 4-5 years (lost track)
She started weekly, then moved to everyother week. Then once every 3 weeks and then monthly. It took a long time, but I am very happy we stuck it out.

 

[loveysbydesign]

My insurance covers the serum but not the shots. I pay $14 each week to have them. My Dr. will not let me give them to myself due to insurance liability issues. My old Dr. did let me give myself shots but they don't take our new Aetna insurance. I miss having Personal Choice insurance...it was so much better.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes my insurance covered allergy shots, I got them for 6yrs in the past. No deductible or copay back then.

However *if* I got them now....

We do not have a copay but we do have to meet a deductible of 2500 at the beginning of the year. Then after that we pay a percentage of the bill, I think 10%.

Not sure how they would bill shots on this plan, but they would not be 100% covered like before. Now granted we went to a different plan.

 

[beattyfamily]

Now: Blue Cross/Blue Shield, they are covered but when I see the doctor, $35 'specialist' co-pay.

Insurance before (can't remember who): had to pay $15 co-pay for shots.

I got the shots for 7 years and am SO glad I did.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Both my boys get allergy shots. The serum is covered by the insurance. There is a $5.00 co-pay for each visit. One boy gets one shot, the other gets two shots - same co-pay.

Our doctor is awesome. They have a dedicated staff of nurses who give the shots. You just walk in, anytime the office is open [15 minutes before closing], sign in on the shot sheet and get your shot. Wait your 15 minutes and you are done. It is a farther drive then taking the serum to my ped office, but at the ped office I have to make appointments. With the allergy doctor, we can go whenever.

The co-pay would be the same at either office. Our old insurance had a $15 co-pay for the shots. I like this new one better for allergies, but not much else.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

I have to get 3 shots every week! I'm apparently allergic to everything under the sun. My insurance pays for all the shots and there is no co-pay. When I got tested I had to pay a $20 co-pay and insurance covered the testing. Good luck!

 

[TN Hockey Mom]

Our insurance company pays 100% for my DS11 to get them weekly. I've never had to pay anything for his shots (even when he was getting them twice per week).

We have United Healthcare thru my husbands employer. They're switching to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island on June 1st. I'm assuming they'll still be covered 100% because his employer is self insured.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I have to get 3 shots every week! I'm apparently allergic to everything under the sun. My insurance pays for all the shots and there is no co-pay. When I got tested I had to pay a $20 co-pay and insurance covered the testing. Good luck!

Thank you dolphinresuegirl. You will make my youngest feel much better. He really doesn't like that he has to get two and his older brother only one.