@silvermic22 So glad Kathy was able to see and respond to you. Thanks Kathy.

Many of us here on Mayo Connect are retired, of course some are not.
Original Medicare and my Supplement Insurance paid for all the medical, other than my "small deductible" with my visit to NJH.
If you have health insurance look into a couple of things to be sure you know if they will pay for the visit to National Jewish. Surely with your condtion they will approve your going.
You can call the financial department at National Jewish to see if they can help and advise you with regard to your insurance paying. I would call National Jewish first to be proactive. However, no matter the type of conversation you have at National Jewish, still call your insurance carrier to get approval if you feel you want to try to go to NJH. I take it your insurance company already knows of your health problem.

Many of the hotels, Marriot Residence Inn for example, give medical discounts. You just have to tell them that you are there for NJH.
Barbara

@silvermic22
I would definitely try and get to NJH. For me it took about 4 months to get in but I have heard that window is smaller now. Call NJH (303) 388-4461 and ask them if they take your insurance and if a referral is required. I didn't need a referral, but my doctor wrote one. As for local doctors, Personally, I would go to a Clinic that has been certified by NJH as one of their "Centers of Excellence" for BE/NTMs. I did not see Mayo on the list. Also, SET up the NJH appointment NOW, and if you decide not to go, you can cancel it.

Insurance should cover it but the NJH Insurance Dept can confirm your out of pocket. I stayed at a neighbor of a friend that has an Airbnb and gives great discounts if you contact her direct. Depending on length of stay, it could be as low as $100/ night. ALSO, you can walk to NJH as it's only a 10 minute walk (if that) from the rental home. NJH cafeteria lunches are super cheap and pretty good as well. So you can easily avoid restaurants, since home has a well equipped kitchen.
When I arrived at NJH, I was on Arikayce, Nuzyra, and LINezolid and within 2 days they reduced my daily Arikayce to 3/week and cut my Linezolid dose by 1/3. Some people can get Linezolid dose cut in half. Before I left for home, they took me off all my antibiotics and implemented watch and wait.

My Abscessus is resistant to Azithromycin and very difficult to treat BUT I absolutely do not believe that it will be my demise. It is also faster growing than MAC. I do nebulize 2/daily, take supplements for fatigue, eat healthy, and exercise. I am now increasing my exercise so that I sweat, which will allow me to reduce nebulizing to 1/daily but I'm still doing 2/daily.

Azithromycin is the BEST antibiotic for NTMs and if your MAC is not resistant, you should consider yourself very fortunate. Some people can't tolerate very well but MOST can. So, I hope that helps your outlook. It's very important to keep your stress level down. Maybe start with 10 minute daily calming meditations. Stress lowers immunity. I try and meditate or do qigong daily.

Stay positive!

Kathy