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 |  | With Health Insurance: 10%-50% Coinsurance plus Copays |  | Medication, Without Insurance: $500-$12,000+ a Year |  | Related Surgeries, Without Insurance: $20,000-$800,000+ |
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Scleroderma is a connective tissue disorder that can be mild or serious and can affect the skin, joints and internal organs. It can cause a hardening of the skin. Scleroderma can be treated with medication.
Typical costs: | - For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs for scleroderma treatment typically consist of doctor visit, lab and prescription drug copays of 10%-50%. Scleroderma treatment typically is covered by health insurance, although individual drugs or treatments might not be covered by some plans.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, scleroderma treatment can cost from less than $500 per year for treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or prednisone. It can cost up to $1,000 a month, or $12,000 a year for treatment with immunosuppressant drugs. And it can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year for medication and monitoring if there is serious organ involvement and up to $800,000 if a lung transplant is required.
- Prednisone typically costs less than $20 for a one-month supply. A one-month supply of the drug nifedipine, used to increase blood flow, can cost less than $100 per month, depending on dose. The brand-name immunosuppressant drug CellCept can cost $500 to $1,000 or more per month, depending on dose.
- Patients on a scleroderma forum[1] report total costs of $12,000 or more for a round of treatments with the chemotherapy agent Cytoxan, which can improve lung function in patients with scleroderma.
- Amputation can cost from $20,000 to $60,000 It might be required if a patient who has Raynaud's disease, which most scleroderma patients do, gets finger ulcers that develop gangrene.
- A lung transplant, which might be required if the lungs are affected by scleroderma, resulting in high blood pressure of the lung arteries, can cost $500,000-$800,000.
Related articles: Blood Tests, CT Scan, Pulmonary Function Test, Echocardiogram, Physical Therapy, Lung Transplant
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What should be included: | - Doctors commonly prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or corticosteroids such as prednisone to treat pain and inflammation caused by scleroderma.
- A doctor might prescribe an immunosuppressive medication such as mycophenolate mofetil[2] (brand name CellCept) or cyclophosphamide[3] . However, immunosuppressive drugs have not been thoroughly studied as treatment for scleroderma.
- Medication also is used to address vascular problems that occur in scleroderma. The medication nifedipine[4] is used to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow. Specific drugs prescribed depend on which organs, if any, are affected by scleroderma.
- The Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center offers an overview of scleroderma medications[5] .
- Most patients with scleroderma also have Raynaud's disease[6] , which can cause finger ulcers. If these ulcers become gangrenous, amputation might be required, according to information on scleroderma [7] from the Mayo Clinic. If a patient develops high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, a lung transplant might be required, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Additional costs: | - Physical therapy, which is sometimes prescribed to improve strength and flexibility, can cost $50 to $350 per session.
Discounts: | - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a low-cost clinic locator[8] by zip code. Some clinics offer care from specialists.
- Sclero.org offers a list of clinical trials on scleroderma[9] .
Shopping for scleroderma treatment cost: | - Patients with scleroderma should be treated by a rheumatologist[10] , a doctor who treats rheumatic diseases, which are complex conditions that can affect the joints, bones and organs. The American College of Rheumatology[11] offers a rheumatologist locator. A rheumatologist is an internal medicine doctor with additional training, and should be board-certified in rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine[12] .
- If organs have been affected, the patient might need treatment from other specialists. A rheumatologist can provide a referral. Or, the American Medical Association offers a doctor finder[13] with the option to search by specialty.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
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External Resources: | - www.inspire.com/groups/scleroderma-foundation/discussion/treatment-costs/
- www.rxlist.com/cellcept-drug.htm
- www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682080.html
- www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a684028.html
- www.hopkinsscleroderma.org/patients/scleroderma-treatment-options/
- www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/raynaudsdisease.html
- www.mayoclinic.com/health/scleroderma/DS00362/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
- findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx
- www.sclero.org/medical/treatments/clinical-trials/current/a-to-z.html
- www.rheumatology.org/Practice/Clinical/Patients/What_is_a_Rheumatologist_/
- www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
- www.abim.org/about/default.aspx
- extapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/disclaimer.do
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