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Allergy immunotherapy. It sounds like a great idea, right? After all, who doesn’t want to kick their allergy symptoms to the curb and live more comfortably without having to constantly take allergy medications? For most people, that’s a no-brainer.
Allergy immunotherapy can help do exactly that by alleviating your allergic system by slowly changing your immune system. It’s a fascinating treatment that has helped many people find relief from both chronic and seasonal allergies. While results take time to appear, the effort is well worth the result.
But wait. How much does allergy immunotherapy cost? It usually costs several thousand dollars, but that can vary based on multiple factors. Here’s what you need to know.
What is Allergy Immunotherapy?
Allergy immunotherapy (AIT) is a powerful treatment designed to desensitize the body to a particular allergen. It works by exposing the body to the allergen via allergy shots, drops, or tablets. Each dose of the drops, tablets, and shots contains a small, incrementally increasing dose of the allergen.
Over time, this repeated exposure can help your body’s immune system build an allergen-specific tolerance. This translates to relieved symptoms, potentially even allowing you to be around the allergen with little to no discomfort.
Of course, everybody is different, so the results may vary. You might find that your symptoms dramatically decrease, allowing you to enjoy places and experiences you previously couldn’t. Or, in some cases, you might even experience little to no symptoms! It all depends on how your body responds to treatment.
This transformation doesn’t happen overnight, though. Instead, it takes months to years to see noticeable changes. You might notice slight improvements within the first year, but in general, it takes between two and three years for the best results to appear.
Types of Allergy Immunotherapy
Allergy immunotherapy has two subcategories: sublingual immunotherapy and subcutaneous immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is administered under the tongue in the form of tablets or drops. It’s often used for children and needle-shy adults.
Subcutaneous immunotherapy is administered under the skin using an injectable form of the allergen. This type of immunotherapy is more direct and presents a slightly higher risk of an adverse reaction (although these reactions are rare), so you’ll need to visit your doctor or allergist for each dose.
How Much Does Allergy Immunotherapy Cost?
On average, people pay between $1,000 and $4,000 for allergy immunotherapy per person per year. This cost is typically associated with subcutaneous immunotherapy and often drops after health insurance. On the other hand, sublingual immunotherapy or allergy drops can cost as little as $50 per month, totaling around $600 per year plus copays.
Factors Affecting Cost
Multiple factors play a role in the number on your allergy immunotherapy bills, including health insurance coverage, specific treatment plans, location, and provider.
Your health insurance coverage, if it applies, can substantially reduce related costs. If your treatment plan qualifies, you might pay as little as your copay plus your deductible.
The specifics of your treatment plan also determine the cost. Each plan is tailored to the person, so every treatment plan might look a bit different from the next. You might need higher or more frequent doses than someone else, so your costs may be higher than theirs.
Your location and chosen healthcare provider also impact the cost. Some areas have higher healthcare costs, which is often the case in rural areas. Additionally, some providers charge more than others, which can further drive the number on your final bill.
Strategies to Minimize AIT Costs
The cost of allergy immunotherapy is steep, especially if you have multiple family members who need treatment. Thankfully, there are a couple of ways to minimize costs, including taking advantage of health insurance coverage and choosing a more affordable program.
Health Insurance Coverage
First and foremost, check with your health insurance provider. Generally, health insurance providers cover subcutaneous immunotherapy, as it’s FDA-approved and considered medically necessary. While sublingual immunotherapy is also considered medically necessary, many doses are still awaiting FDA approval and are currently used off-label (common in the pharmaceutical industry).
If you’re planning to get allergy shots, there’s a good chance your health insurance policy will cover it. Coverage varies based on the policy and provider for allergy drops, but it still doesn’t hurt to check!
Affordable Programs
While health insurance can help with the costs of allergy immunotherapy, it’s not always available for all types of immunotherapy. If the cost of subcutaneous immunotherapy is too steep, consider a more affordable program featuring allergy drops.
There are multiple telehealth providers out there that offer allergy drop treatment programs for a wide variety of allergies. Some of these programs are more affordable than others. For example, some allergy drop costs are as little as $50 per month! Compared to the out-of-pocket costs associated with allergy shots, this price is much more manageable.
Closing Thoughts
Allergy immunotherapy can be a powerful tool in relieving allergy symptoms, although it does take time to take effect. Unfortunately, it can be quite expensive, especially if you don’t have health insurance coverage and choose allergy shots. Thankfully, there are ways to minimize costs, such as by choosing allergy drops or taking advantage of your health insurance coverage.
If you’re considering allergy immunotherapy, remember to discuss it with your healthcare provider first. They can help you determine the best type of immunotherapy for your needs based on your medical history and may even be able to help you find an affordable program.
