Augie's Doctors

[Augie]

Hi folks,

If that seems like a lot of money, that's nothing compared to what the IV drugs for LD cost.

IV Rocephin or IV Claforan cost about $1,200 a day - or about $10,000 a week. A full-term course of these drugs is 12-18 months. That's about $600,000. It's not $600,000 (just a one-shot deal). It's $600,000 per treatment. Typically, these treatments must be repeated over and over again - at a cost of $600,000 a pop. These drugs cost about $500,000 a year. It is not unheard of for the treatment of a cLD patient to run into the millions of dollars.

Augie

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[Augie]

Hi folks,

One of the biggest questions surrounding LD is when to stop giving antibiotics.

I feel that the patient (and NOT the doctor) should make that decision. The doctor doesn't know how the patient feels. It has to be a mutual decision between the doctor and the patient, but the patient must have a lot of input in that decision. Dr. Burrascano and Dr. Nair both feel this way.

If you are a cLD patient, you must be "pro-active" with your doctors. You can't just sit back and let them dictate to you. You must take a very active role in your care and treatments. The doctors treating cLD patients need to learn (or re-learn) how to listen. I think that's a lost art among doctors today.

Augie

[Augie]

Hi folks,

In this post, I want to discuss my disability process.

When I was stricken with my illness, I lost my health insurance. In 1990-1991, I applied for disability benefits from the government because I needed health insurance. It took the government almost 2 years to declare me "disabled". The biggest problem was that, back then, the government did NOT consider LD to be a disability. You couldn't get disability benefits for LD. That has since changed.

I was prepared to "go all the way" and become a landmark case. I was prepared to become the first person in the USA to be given disability benefits for LD. But it never got to that phase. Back then, there was a 5-step process for applying for disability benefits. Step #5 was filing a lawsuit in federal court and becomming a landmark case. I made it as far as step #3. I went to court and appeared before a judge.

Augie

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[Augie]

Hi folks,

I went to court and appeared before a Social Security Administration (SSA) judge (Judge Levin). The SSA doctor (Dr. Plotz) in court never examined me. The first time (and ONLY time) he saw me was in that courtroom. He had never been to SI before. He said, "This is my first visit to the Isle of Staten". He was a real asshole.

Dr. Plotz insulted me throughout that entire courtroom appearance. He just wouldn't stop hurling insults at me. He insisted that I did NOT have LD. He told the judge that I was just imagining my symptoms. He convinced the judge that I was "crazy".

Judge Levin declared me "disabled" based upon a "significant psychological impairment" (and that is a direct quote), and he awarded me disability benefits. I am not receiving disability benefits for LD. Technically, I am receiving disability benefits for a disability that I don't even have. I don't have a "significant psychological impairment". I have LD.

Augie

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[Augie]

Hi folks,

I got into 4 fights in that courtroom that day. I got into 2 fights with Dr. Plotz, and I got into 2 fights with Judge Levin. I made quite a scene. I don't like it when ignorant people insult me numerous times.

My lawyer was Gary Johnson. Coincidentally, he is also an alumnus of Msgr. Farrell HS (like myself). Gary had been a lawyer for more than 20 years at that time. He told me that in all his years of being a lawyer, he never saw anyone behave like that in a courtroom before. What can I say? I guess he never met "Augie" before. I guess he never had a cLD patient for a client before.

What I did in that courtroom that day was mild compared to what Rich Lynch would have done. If they had done that to him, he would have cursed and dropped a few "F-bombs". I was 24 years old back then. I am now 38. My anger level now is about 10 times what it was back then. If that would have happened today, I would have cursed and dropped a few "F-bombs".

You gotta see the letter that Judge Levin sent to my house. It was a very, very long letter - about 10 pages long. In it, he wrote that he wanted me to go for psychiatric testing and/or treatment. Of course, I totally disregarded his suggestions. People who don't understand LD shouldn't make those ignorant statements.

Dr. Plotz (mostly) and Judge Levin (a little bit) just wouldn't stop hurling insults at me. I'm not going to just sit there and tolerate that nonsense.

Augie

[Augie]

Hi folks,

In this post, I want to discuss HMOs. I know that many people bitch and complain about HMOs. To be perfectly honest with you, I have no complaints. I don't see what all the fuss is about.

My father is a retired NYC worker (firefighter). So, I was born into an HMO (HIP). I have belonged to an HMO for my entire life (39 years). It is the only type of health insurance I have ever known. I have never had private health insurance.

I received the same level of care and treatments as if I had had private health insurance. If I had private health insurance (Blue Cross, Blue Shield, GHI, etc.), I wouldn't have received any better care or treatments.

I would recommend my HMO (HIP) to anyone.


If you want to have a positive experience with your HMO, you must do 2 things:

1) You must wisely choose your PCP. He is your "gate-keeper'. You must choose one who will advocate for you. He can't be afraid to go against his superiors if it means doing what is in your best interests.

2) You must be "pro-active". You must take an active role in your health. You can't take "no" for an answer. You can't just sit back and let your doctor dictate to you. You must be prepared to get into a few fights with him.

Augie