Injecting yourself -- careful of insurance requirements

[Guest guest]

I have enjoyed reading about those who give themselves injections.

If they are properly trained and comfortable doing it, why not? Just

a word of warning.

I have been through two insurance plans, Blue Cross of Califiornia,

and when my employer switched plans, Blue Shield. After two years on

Blue Cross, they decided to do a retrospective review and disallowed

the previous year, until I had multiple doctors appeal with me and we

submitted the doctors charts showing my benefit and improvement.

Blue Shield only approvs for six months at a time, and may want to

review records.

If you are under plans like these, be sure to see your doctor

regularly. Those records of visits and the documentation of your

benefitting on xolair may be crucial to continued insurance

coverage. I note that some wince at the cost of paying for a doctor

visit, even when insured. Understandable, but if it allows you to

keep using xolair, it sure is worth the cost.

If you are lucky and have insurance comopanies that don't require

such record keeping, or regularly seee the doctor even though you do

self injections, or are self-insured, you probably don't have to

worry. But be sure you are on top of the insurance angle if you are

relying upon it if you are doing your own injections.