In most cases, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires consistent aggressive treatment for many years to control symptoms, manage pain, and stop disease progression. There are a number of different treatment options, which can all be combined to create a well-rounded treatment strategy.

Your local Riverside arthritis doctor can provide several different treatment options including:

• Medications

• Physical and occupational therapy

• Assistive devices, supportive products, and adjustments made to the home or work office

• Surgical procedures

Know your insurance

It’s important to know and understand what your insurance will cover so you can make informed decisions about treatment or prevention of increased symptoms. Some insurance plans only cover a portion of treatment and medications and patients may wind up paying large portions of their RA treatment out of pocket.

Prices for RA drugs have skyrocketed over the past 5 years. According to the GoodRx List Price Index, average list prices (the official prices set by the manufacturer) for RA drugs have increased by 92% since 2014, well surpassing the price increase for all brand and generic drugs. As prices for RA treatments continue to climb, some predict that treating RA will cost the U.S. $9.3 billion in 2020.

While health insurance may cover a portion of treatment, it becomes difficult to pay for these medications out of pocket. In some cases, patients who are covered by medical, for example, can still end up paying 30% or more of the total costs of certain medications. Even with insurance, a patient could pay up to $600 a month in copayments for a RA prescription.

Least expensive to most expensive

Below is a summary of the some of the more popular and conventional treatments for RA, and their approximate cost to patients.

NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) are medications that reduce inflammation without the use of steroids. For patients suffering from RA, reducing inflammation is an important part of managing symptoms and alleviating pain. NSAIDs are very popular in our society, and so their availability which makes them affordable.

DMARDs

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), help to reduce the swelling and pain that patients experience during flare-ups. Most patients can expect to pay between $1,500 and $2,000 annually for conventional DMARD medications.

Biologics

Biologics are the newest forms of RA treatments. Depending on the type of biologic medication being taken, the monthly costs can range from $1,300 to $3,000 per patient.

Surgery

Some patients develop side effects to medications or build up tolerances to where they are no longer effective. In other cases, the joints begin to deteriorate rapidly and doctors may recommend specific types of surgery, such as joint replacements or arthroscopic surgeries, to restore mobility and reduce pain.

The average cost of a total knee replacement surgery, for example, is about $31,124 (according to Blue Cross Blue Shield). This number can range from as low as $11,317 in Montgomery, Alabama to as much as $69,654 in New York, New York.

Prevention is the best medicine

Unfortunately, for many patients who aren’t fully or even partially covered by health insurance, the decision as to which treatments to pursue often becomes a tradeoff between the treatment’s effectiveness and the costs.

Fortunately, patients can also try other forms of relief found outside of conventional medicine. Since inflammation is the main cause of RA, reducing the intake of foods that cause inflammation such as sugar, may help to reduce the symptoms. Other less expensive treatments may include specific exercise that helps build back joint tissue, a warmer climate such as in Riverside, heat pads, and dietary supplements.

Be sure to ask a qualified rheumatoid arthritis doctor before taking any medications or supplements or pursuing an exercise program.