Options Are Good, Right?

Today I had an appointment at a non-traditional medical center to see if there is anything else to try before knee surgery becomes the only option.

I started having pretty severe knee pain as summer ended last year.  I thought that it had to do with my water zumba class that really strained the knees moving sideways and at angles as part of the resistance in the water.  After a check with my regular doctor, I was told that it is just tendonitis and 800 mg of ibuprofen before and after walking, along with icing the knees each day after I walk will help them. 

Well, now I am almost seven months from that diagnosis and the pain is still there up and down the stairs, if I try getting out of the little cars, or if I stand up without any armrests to help support myself.  I feel like an old person.  It stinks.

Today's appointment was just a consultation, and sounds like it is an option that should work.  There are some injectable viscous gel that replaces the joint fluid that is missing between the bones in the knees over the course of a few weeks.  The injections allow this stuff to stay in the knee, where it is needed.  As ibuprofen is systemic, it has to go through the blood stream to get where I need it--and with the dosages I have been taking I was getting worried about my liver.

But, here is the catch.  There is always catch, right? 

This clinic is "out of network" per my insurance.  Because of that fact, my deductible is something like $1500 before they will pay any percentage, and that is sure to be small.  I'm glad we have insurance, but it seems pretty dumb to me that this is a not surgical option and will be less expensive than the surgery could be.  But the insurance won't pay for this option, apparently.

My plan is to hash this out with Genius Golfer and see what we can afford, and in the meantime check with my regular family practitioner and ask if this same viscous gel is something they can shoot me up with in their office.  Maybe then the insurance will cover some more of it procedure.

It is just frustrating that medical procedures are dictated by what insurance will cover and what it won't.  I sure wish my doctor and I had that option, instead of the insurance companies.