Dealing with financial stress after moving with a chronic illness

Moving to Michigan from New York with a chronic illness has been incredibly stressful. While I’m excited to have a house and be able to move around more freely, there have been lots of complications. Unpacking is exhausting, and it’s hard to feel unsettled and start over with a new medical team. I’ve had to switch insurance companies, hospitals, and most of my providers.

I’m keeping my main Cushing’s disease doctor, who’s my endocrinologist, because we’ve always done virtual visits. However, I have to replace all of my other doctors, including my gynecologist, primary care provider, hematologist, and fertility specialist.

Shortly after I moved, I needed to get blood work done and follow up after my frozen embryo transfer. (I’ve been trying to get pregnant.) I worked to find a new lab, fertility clinic, primary doctor, and pharmacy.

But after my first few appointments, the hospital mistakenly billed my old insurance instead of my new one, and I was told I owed more than $6,000. I’ve had to make several phone calls over the past few weeks to resolve this, and several of the bills are still appearing on my portal. That’s been extremely stressful, as I don’t exactly have an extra $6,000 sitting around. The hospital finally has my new insurance information, and a few of the costs have gone down, but I’m still waiting to hear about five different bills.

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Stressed about finances

I wish people understood how financially stressful it is to live with Cushing’s disease. Not only do I owe copays, but I have to pay for medications, out-of-network specialists, supplements, MRIs, ultrasounds, and more. As I’m writing, I still owe my fertility clinic money, and I have to pay for several rounds of lab work, as I undergo frequent testing to ensure my Cushing’s disease is stable and my medication isn’t causing any problems.

It’s exhausting. I’m always worried about money and struggling to figure out how to pay bills. That’s why being told I owed $6,000 terrified me. Yes, this time it was solvable, but what if it weren’t? What if I actually owed that much money? It would take me months to pay off, if not years.

I’m glad we moved. I’m liking Michigan, and overall, my new providers have been wonderful and helpful. But the transition has left me feeling weary.

If you’re stressed about finances, please know you’re not alone.

You can also follow my journey on TikTok and YouTube.

Note: Cushing’s Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cushing’s Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Cushing’s.