Which really is the lesser of the two evils?

It’s that time again- open enrollment for benefits- and we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, we can keep the policy we have which means that every month we will have $280 of co-pays for Speech and Occupational therapy alone. On the other, we can go with a different policy that will require us to pay a $300 deductible and then be done with it. Sounds like the logic solution, right?

It gets tricky when you start looking at anything else besides Little Bug’s therapy. Anyone who knows me knows I like to be prepared. I also am a worrier. Having Little Bug in my life has done a lot to assuage my worry- I am more in the moment. At the same time, it has also made me a better long term planner as we have to continuously look to the future and make decisions today for where we hope to be.

Sometimes, looking to the future can include planning for an unforeseen incident. With the second insurance option, we will have to pay 10% of any hospitalization, lab work, X rays, ambulance rides, prescription, rehab, surgery, etc. Given Little Bug’s medical track record- 4 CT scans, 3 MRI, 2 sets of x rays, 1 day surgery, 1 face lift that involved 3 surgeons, 2 anesthesiologists, 5 nurses, and a neurosurgeon, 16 trips to the emergency room, 7 trips to Urgent care, and so many doctor’s appointments we can’t count, it seems like a bad bet.

While both choices are expensive, at least one is certain- finite amounts for any situation- where as one is 10% of any number of unforeseen expenses. All it would take is a couple of ER trips, to make us financially doomed. For now, we will have to go with the lesser of two evils.

What neither of these policies cover is the additional therapy and supports that Little Bug needs- a behaviorist. Again, for this we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Our first choice is paying someone roughly $100.00 an hour to come in 4 times a month to work with us and Little Bug on things that affect his home life. The second option is a much bigger immediate investment- parent training. Now both sides have their costs- the first is sheer financial to the tune of $4800 a year. The second is limitation. We cannot afford to pay for training in more than one type of therapy- ABA, Floortime, Rapid Prompt (pick one). Secondly, it is limited in that it would only be our input in the therapy. Nick and I are not experts in much besides Little Bug. There comes a time when you have to have outside influence and perspective in order to see the whole situation and make good choices.

We also have one other option that we are contemplating- working with what we have. Simply doing the best we can with the knowledge we have and using a behaviorist only as a last resort. For me, this causes feelings of guilt and worry. Am I considering this because of finances only? If we skip either of the other options, will Little Bug be missing resources? Can we do it ourselves? I know that Nick and I have read volumes of books when it comes to ASD and home therapy solutions. We have resources in the online community that have been amazing to us.

I think for now, we will have to take a leap of faith and trust that we can do this.