Are these fee the avarage?

I received this email today from a Sub/Bup Dr. in my area today, just wondering if this fee is the norm.  Any feedback is appreciated  


Hello. I hope you are doing alright today.I reviewed your application on ****.org and would like to speak with you about your treatment. Please call my office (423-***-8477) any day 10;00 AM - 7:00PM. We will take your information and return your phone call. Mention that you received this email through NAABT.org. . My fees are 600.00 1st visit and 150.00 for each month after the first visit which includes a comprehensive urine screen. We become your advocate for legal issues etc. I do not accept insurance.Good luck with any of your continued atempts to get off narcotics

[Flutterby111]

Well, I don't know about all this.....  I'm thrown for a loop when I read about these highway robbery rates.  I got the script from my psychiatrist, who happens to work at a rehab facility and is on of 2 drs in health partners that can prescribe Sub.  My insurance not only covered the visits, but the script.  I just got 90 2 mg pills which is a month supply for $51.00.  The retail value of the script was $350.00 which was noted on the bag.  So, please consider that.  Why don't they acept insurance.  I'd check around the medical field first before jumping on one of these expensive avenues.

[lifesaride]

my 1st visit was 200 and everyone after 100

[wait2long]

i got real lucky..i was my doctors first patient that was strictly on methadone to transition to suboxone ...no fees for the first 6 months...now i pay 50 bucks every 3 months that includes my UA...and she does home visits...but she is also the only sub doctor in my area...i am so grateful to her...i am very lucky!
that sounds like highway robbery to me...especially when they state we do not accept insurance...WHY???  because the insurance would NEVER pay their ridiculous fees for overcharging patients...i would write him a nasty letter...lol!

[mr.lucky66]

why are they charging so much? I think this is a trend and I wish these docs would keep these coruses of sub short instead of milking fees .

[mr.lucky66]

PS When a doctor  say's he doesn't take ins. , watch out. It's like the dope docs that charge cash for oxy scripts.

[SableZen]

From what I understand about not accepting insurance (and this applies to more than just drug rehab): Most insurance companies have established ridiculous and unrealistic (read 'least costly' to them) protocols on how the practice must handle detoxing treatments in order to qualify for reimbursement. Most doctors would probably make more money in the long-run if they could charge the insurance companies (reality is practices inflate prices to counter the cost and delay of handling paperwork and all the hassles of billing insurance). But in the case of drug rehab, the insurance companies that do bother to cover rehab have set such strict and unrealistic amounts, most doctors refuse to even work with them at all.

[Flutterby111]

My insurance covers no chemical dependency/rehab at all.  But it does cover this drug, isn't that odd?

[Sportsguy86]

you're 41??

[wait2long]

i will assume your talking to me?  yes i am...

[wait2long]

ooops...sorry i see tracee is 41 also...no, she doesnt look it!

[SableZen]

I wonder if your insurance company has a set protocol established on how long you can be on Suboxone?

It is interesting, but in the long run it's probably cheaper for them to have their clients take the relatively inexpensive route of at-home detox with Suboxone compared to in-patient detox, rehab, or office visits and costs of clients continuing with a prescription based addiction. At any rate, they'll probably not cover any more prescriptions for opiates now that they know... O_o

[SableZen]

Neither of you look it! lol

[wait2long]

you bring up some interesting facts sablezen...i would have never even thought about any of that...but i have no insurance...cash for everything...

[wait2long]

good one sablezen...thank you, i was hoping the macaw didnt take away from my gown......lol!

[SableZen]

Well I'm pretty sure it's the wings... they make you seem so... youthful and angelic. lol

[Flutterby111]

Interesting! ♪ ♫   I wonder!  I should call and ask if there is a deadline or limit on the Sub.  I would think they would've mentioned it though.  Kinda like my physical therapy or acupuncture....15visit limit per year.....I'll check into that.  But I called last week to make sure the Sub was covered.  YEah, you do bring up some interesting thoughts.  well, I shouldn't be needing any opiates anyways, so that's a good thing.  

[wait2long]

angelic? youthful?  now i know your looking at the wrong picture...lol!
but i'll take it...lol! thanks!

[faith_hope_love]

I don't know what is average but I do agree with Mr.Lucky that some of these drs. are disgusting with what they charge.  For example, we have 2 sub. drs. in my town.  The first one I called wanted $1,000 for the first visit!!  And to top that off his receptionist was pretty rude.

I called the next dr. and luckily he only charges $300 and his receptionist was not only nice but she took the time to talk to me for a while.  At least I will only have one visit and one prescription.

Has anyone ever heard of a sub dr. charging $1,000?  He is getting rich off of people's despair.

[TrayCee]

Thanks so much! I really didnt think that was right.  I seriously cant pay thoses fees and dont even "really" want to go on Sub/Bup anyway.  I just like to know all my options.
Thanks for the replies

[wait2long]

yes...i hear of it often...but remember...some of these doctors supply the meds and therapy/counseling...but you dont have to pay it..like you found there are other doctors....
how do you now you will only have 1 appointment? beware of that plan, some Dr's require you come back after 2 or 4 days for a recheck and only give enough meds for 2-4 days...you might want to ask to be sure...
SableZen had a good point about insurance and sub doctors...above.

[puranx]

on a side note, is that you in your profile? Holy smokes you look good, you look 18 lol. I think the Dr will lower his costs just cause your hot ...im just joking around.

But ya those prices are pretty norm, i have seen lower and higher believe it or not. Thats my gripe with sub dr's, they keep you on it WAY longer then you should and get you hooked on it so they can make the big money. Proof is right there.

[TrayCee]

haha, yes thats me, it was taken on The MayerCraft Carrier in Feb.  John Mayer Cruise.  HAD A BLAST btw :)
and Thank you.

[hopsing94]

My doctor does not accept insurance either. 350 for first visit. 100.00 for each visit after that and he is getting the meds through a pharmacy and dispensing them to me. So even though the meds are covered by my insurance I'm not able to use it. I don't like this and I'm gonna switch doctors as soon as possible.
  Now about the sub. I just completed 1 week and so far so good. It hasn't been the miracle drug so many say it is. Maybe its just me. Now today I feel great and I have felt pretty darn good the last week. I still grit my teeth at times and can tell I'm on something. This has bothered me because I really want to feel as though I'm on nothing. The cravings are gone completely. I have no desire for pills. I don't look for them and have even talked to my connection and was able to say no thanks like it was nothing. Today I left the house and forgot my sub at home. I turned around and went back to get it. I only took 2 mg yesterday. So in one week I went from 8 mg to 2 mg a day. If things keep going like this my plan of three weeks should be no problem. If after 3 weeks I finish the sub and start to have cravings I can simply take a tablet and get rid of my craving. This by far is the best thing. I can fight off cravings at any time. That will help with relapse so much. Flutter told me about a website for sub people and I checked it out. It didn't take long for me to disagree with some folks there but there really is alot of useful info there. This forum is where I belong,no doubt about that. Anyway don't give up on it. I think this is really going to work for me.

[wait2long]

nah, not true...you dont have to pay it...its a choice to pay that much or not, there are doctors who do care, staying on it long term is a choice, if your informed, you'll make the right decision for you...if you arent aware that sub can be addictive then you didnt do your homework or your expecting miracles...theres enough info out there... so if you get hooked whose fault is it???  

[hopsing94]

I agree with wait2long. If I wasn't in the situation I was in I could of waited for a different doctor. One good thing about this doctor they aren't trying to push it on me at all. The main reason he even does the sub is to help his patients get off their meds. He is a pain specialist so it goes along with his field. I have found a doctor who takes my insurance(huh takes insurance at all) but can't see me til June because of the amount of patients he has now. I couldn't wait til June so I chose to pay cash. I still think by taking cash they can see more patients than they are supposed too. Just my opinion. Who can blame them.

[Friend999]

I looked into treatment for a friend of mine.

There is a "noted" and "respected" doctor (phychiatrist) recommended by the local Substance Abuse Center in town.  I called, and talked to his head "secretary", "admin. asst.", on two occasiions and she was very helpful, informative, and caring.

This doctor charges $800 for the first month, which has the the first visit, counseling, tests, sample Suboxone (Subutex) given, follow up visit after I think one week, with more tests..  I don't know if he takes insurance.  Following monthly visit cost I don't remember. I also don't know if that includes the first month supply of Sub, but probably not.

He supposedly has a long experience with abuse treatment.  Whether he recommends long term (over a month) Sub use I don't know, but based on what I have heard (71% success rate with long term use) (can't remember where I heard that), I wouldn't be surprised.

In my experience, a good, caring, and experienced doctor is worth more, but $800 is overboard, but if compared to others, it might not be.

Best of luck,

Friend999

[avisg]

Wow some of these prices are truly awful !!!!! I know some  places in the US are a lot more expensive then others .

[mr.lucky66]

It may seem like a miracle drug but there aren't any for addiction. I used to think methadone was that for me until I stopped it. Sub seems to be an exellent detox drug but it's not been tested enough for longer term. These docs that overcharge and want to keep you on it longer are very suspect in their motives.

[wait2long]

doctors dont make you do anything you dont want to do...if your informed about sub and have made your decision before hand that you want short term treatment, then its up to the patient to say thats what they wish...believe it or not some people actually choose long term, i did...thats not up to the doctor to decide,..i had a choice as does everyone...maybe they recommend long term because they see better results with it. i am sure there are suspect doctors out there, but one bad apple shouldnt spoil the whole bunch.....

as for the fees...i cant argue with that one..i am a lucky girl.
there is a link on the naabt website that says "how do i know if i am paying too much?"  i have never checked it out as i have no reason to..maybe i should to say what it recommends...

[hopsing94]

I believe the success rate is better on long term. I could be wrong but I think I read that somewhere when researching it. Wait2long is right,it is the patients choice on how long you take it. You can quit taking it whenever you want. I have also found that alot of people quit taking it without the proper taper which of course will lead to a bad experience. Also it does not work for everyone.

[wait2long]

yes...success rate for long term is 78%  it gives you the time to do everything necessary to change your life, habits, friends, core issues...the list goes on...

short term was either 23 or 26% cant remember...this simply avoids withdrawals, which is all some need

2% for cold turkey, tapers  inpatient and outpatient rehab combined...they did note that because of the drop out rate of some of these programs, this 2% may not be accurate they could only ask the ones that stuck it out through the whole treatment...so it could be higher or lower...

but i am a firm believer in long term maintenance with sub...its done wonders for me, its the first time i have full control of my life and have been able to make the necesary changes for success, 10 days or 2 months wasnt going to help ME accomplish what i needed to do...FOR ME.

[hopsing94]

I hear that from alot of people who are doing long term. I might be one of those but I really want to see how it goes short term first. I have quit other drugs in the past without any help but there is something about opiates that is just different. We should just be glad there is something to help us at all,other than methadone.

[mr.lucky66]

I'm glad it's helping. I'm interested in long term follow up studies that will probably come. Right now I there isn't any study's on long term. I know that docs don't make you do anything but I'm still suspect of some of these docs who are raking it in on sub. Remember it's a business.

[wait2long]

oh, i do KNOW there are some bad docs out there...but there really are some good caring ones also..you really have to research it, and when you find a doctor, and they say cash only and dont accept insurance, i would hang up the phone, unless they are of course reasonable priced...but still i know they are out there...what sucks is that it is so easy and cheap to get addicted, but a complete rip off to get clean...and if your without insurance as i am...there really arent too many options for you...its a nightmare where i live to recieve help of any kind...no rehabs, 6 month waiting list for therapy, no methadone clinics (which IS a good thing IMO) and 1 sub doctor...LOL!  thats all we have. and opiate addiction is an epidemic in this town...
i dont know of any studies, but there has to be some available, my doctor said they do have studies now, sub has been available in the USA for 5-6 years now, right?
and opiates are a beyotch to get off at any rate...its never going to be an easy task, unless someday they find a cure...isnt that a great thought!!!

[mr.lucky66]

That's a good point that's is cheap to keep hooked on dope but expensive to get clean. I think sub is helping people but I think it's being overused. The main problem is that we are looking to science for a easy way out of drug addcition and I don't think that way of looking at things will serve well in the long run. Another way of looking at it is we are looking for drug solutions to our drug problems. Science can help but I think a more spirtitual approach is better.

[faith_hope_love]

Hey, I think you were asking me about my comment of 1 dr. visit and 1 prescription?  The answer is that I am planning to do a short term detox (kinda like John just a little bit less) so I was assuming (and you know what assuming does to ya...hahaha) I would only have one visit but I guess that probably won't be the case since from what you all say about the drs. needing to see you a few days after the first time.

I am going to call the dr. and find out the answers I need tomorrow.  I really haven't followed up yet because I am still waiting on the cash to get here.  (on a side note- I enter sweepstakes, have had alot of luck even won a trip to Hawaii last yr. and I just won a $1,000 so that is how I will pay for my visit.  I thought the check would be here by now but it is not so if it's not here in the next week I will be having to CT regardless.)

So, you see, I will $1,000 only to pay for the dr. and medicine so there is no way I could do a long term myself if I wanted to but for me I prefer the short term.

I really appreciate everyone posting on all the different ways we have to detox.  It is helping me to figure out what will work best in my situation.  

[mr.lucky66]

I hope you don't have to pay that much . I believe in short term and a lot of people don't like my lack of enthusiesm for sub. I know it works but it's not tested for long term and doesn't even make sense for most people's pain pill addiction. The idea is to function without cravings and taking narcotics then taper. It works great for a while but the bottom line is you still have the cravings later so why put it off to later. I think it should be used for detox only except in cases of long term dependence or methadone. We are always looking for drug solutions to our drug problems and we should look more to a higher power and use medicine
less. I'm sure that will make me popular