Do you go to work when on home IV treatment?

[kevinc]

Hi all
I'm going through my first "tune-up" (no CF AFAIK, but I have bronchiectasis, etc.) Anyway, I'm at home on various IV treatments, with the occassional visiting home health nurse.
I feel fine to go into work for a few hours a day. However, I'm concerned that my insurance company will say that if I'm well enough to go into work, I don't need home health care and should get outpatient therapy.
Is this a problem I should worry about?
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Printer]

Call the Insurance Company and ask them if the policy places any limits on your activity while you are doing home IVs

Bill

 

[cf4life]

In general, I would say as long as you are not going against a no work order from your doctor you should be fine. Since this is your first time I would just call your doctor and ask him/her if it was ok to work a few hours a day. I don't think the nurses visits have anything to do with it. It is based on your doctors orders.

 

[kevinc]

Thanks for your answers -- I called my insurance as Bill suggested, and cf4life is correct: as long as the doctor's ok with it, the insurance company is ok with it.

 

[sunshine39656]

This never came up when I did mine. I went to work every day, 8-5.

 

[coltsfan715]

I have CF and have had a transplant. I never worked when I was on IVs before my transplant because I didn't have the energy too. Now Post Transplant I have been on IVs 2-3 times and yes I have worked each time. I ask my doctor any time I have a hospital stay if I need to be out of work. They always give me the yah or nah on whether or not I am able to work.

Good Luck
Lindsey

 

[lilmac1177]

<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I've specifically been told by home health nurses that Medicare requires you to be at home during IV therapy because just as you stated they figure if you're well enough to work or be out and about, then you don't need home health services. The paperwork I sign thru my home health care company says I will comply. Of course, I still go out here and there <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0">

 

[Gorf]

I used to when I was younger and the meds prescribed let me. with todays insurances, who knows.

 

[erock77]

I've done both. My insurance now actually doesn't give me a home care nurse, I have to go to the hospital for labs b/c they say if I'm not home bound then I can drive to get labs.
If I don't like my job and it doesn't affect my vacation time badly then I wouldn't work. But in the last decade I usually work at least part time. At my old job I would hookup in the bathroom stall and then carry around my pump hooked up for the 20-30 minutes of that treatment. Now I just work from home, since it's all on the computer and email for me anyway. I'm an engineer btw. If I feel really crappy I take the day off.

 

[CrisDopher]

I absolutely go to work on IVs. I also run and bike, too, sometimes while actually infusing. (Of course, that will probably be after I've stopped feeling like crap from the IVs themselves.)

 

[stephen]

It may depend on your particular insurance policy.

While I was working full time until this past October, my insurance was provided by my employer. There was never an issue with me working while receiving home IV.

Now that I am no longer employed, my insurance is provided by Medicare and a supplemental enhanced Medicare D type drug plan. Currently I am on home IV and am paying a daily $37 home IV "maintenance fee" plus 5% of the drug cost. (I am through the donut hole.) No mention was made about me having to be home bound to receive the coverage

Stephen
70 years old with CF

 

[RytheStunner]

I've worked while on home IVs on three occasions without any problems. In reference to what lilmac1177 said, that usually only applies for orders of a home healthcare nurse to come to your home. If you can take care of your own infusions, and stop at the clinic twice a week to get your levels drawn, then you don't require a home healthcare nurse to come by and there shouldn't be any restrictions from Medicare.