Payment up front for chemo?

Rose12

My deductible is met but the Chemo office wants me to pay the 20% coinsurance up front. I told them I didn't have that kind of money. All the people in the office were paying with their credit cards. They do not offer a payment plan. Now, I am going to the hospital to have my chemo. I will try to see if I can get help and see if they will make a payment plan for me. Has anyone else have to pay up front? I was treated awful by the office financial advisor. All she kept telling me was how much the drugs cost and my out of pocket is not met. She even said to me" You have stage IV cancer right?" I was shocked. I couldn't even answer her. I wanted to complain so bad on her. I said no I do not have stage IV cancer. It was like a carnival in there. Tons of people all paying with their credit cards. I am depressed.

kltb04

OMGosh that is awful...I don't have any advice for you unfortunately but that was my fear before TX as well...we have a high deductible HRA.  We have no credit cards as we are in the last year of repayment of 50K on a bankruptcy (11 months to go and ironic that we will now have huge medical debt) and no way to get that kind of money.  So far I have only had to pay for a couple of procedures up front so I think things will work out ok on my end.  I hope things work out for you.

bmaybee67

I am so sorry.  This is so wrong!  My cancer center set up a payment plan and then wrote off a big balance.  However, now that I only have medicare the story has changed and I was told I can not have my surgery untill I have insurance. 

Do you have any other cancer centers in you city?  I wish you the best.  It is such a shame to deal with the financial crap while going through treatment.  Just wrong!

riley702

Wow, that's so wrong I can hardly believe they would be so cold. I went out of network because I'd had a bad experience with my in-network oncology department treating my Dad like shit when he was dying of lung cancer back in 2003. My PCP referred me to a different hospital and I really liked my care there. I went to Billing immediately, explained that I wouldn't be able to pay as I went, but wanted to be treated there. It probably also helped that it was a Catholic-affiliated hospital, although I'm not Catholic myself and they never asked a word about my religious beliefs.

They set me up on monthly payments debited automatically each month. All bills are consolidated and no interest. When I get a new bill, I just call Billing to add it to my balance and they tell me how many more months that will add to my repayment.

I tell you this not to make you feel bad, but to stress you CAN receive more humane treatment by a facility. I echo the others who would urge you to look into being treated somewhere else, and be treated better to boot. One last thought - do your local TV stations do stories about how unfairly someone has been treated? I've noticed the harsh glare of public scrutiny either results in better treatment by the offender, or offers of help from other sources come forward. Locally, there was a recent story about a child in the foster care system who was having red tape preventing her from getting the cancer treatment she needed and she was afraid they would approve it too late for her. It hit the local news and the case was expedited and treatment approved the next day.

Good luck!

bayareamom

I'm so sorry! That just adds to the stress. A few years back we switched to kaiser and I couldn't be happier. Otherwise I would be paying 20 percent too and it would be so hard for us. This is an expensive diagnosis. I had no idea until my onc told me that each infusion costs thousands of dollars and some injections like neupogen are three thousand each. Unbelievable. My heart goes t to you and I hope there is a solution.

debbie6122

My husband was laid off right before i started chemo and still was not asked for payment up front, I also echo what others said, go to another facility even if you have to drive out of town. Have you talked to the social worker there at the hospital? Sometimes they will help you get the treatment you need and help with the payment plan. If i was asked what stage i was i would of said, why does it matter and will it make a difference to how im treated?  I would definately call and complain about her and the way you were treated she needs to know this is not acceptable. Sending big hugs

Debbie

Rose12

Thank you everyone for the great feedback. That is why I am going to the hospital. The place was like Disney World. People paying for their life. I will work with the social workers. Be prepared. Thank you all very much.

Rose12

Yes you are right it has nothing to do with anything. I am going to say something. I guess the higher the stage the bigger balance I will have. Its all about money.

leggo

I'm not familiar with the American health care system, but this is disgusting. The fact that you have to pay at all is abhorrent to me, but not being allowed the benefit of a payment plan, at the very least, is an abomination.

financegirl

I've never been to an office of any type doctor in this day and age that did not offer a payment plan.  Most feel that getting a little bit at a time is better than getting nothing.  Will you need a Neulasta shot also?  Just asking because the Neulasta shot 24 hrs after each chemo infusion is what catapulted me to catastrophic coverage.  It was almost $4000 per shot and even with pretty darn good insurance my copay of that was $785 and I had 8 total.  So make sure you know how much everything will cost so you are armed with information when seeing the social worker.

LuAnnH

I would check with the social worker associated with your oncs office or even your onc.  They maybe able to direct you to some resources to help with the copay or other ways to get the tx so it is billed as an office visit like someone else mentioned.

Also, contact the american cancer society & komen.  They both have been known to help in these situations.

I am sure the oncs office has dealt with this in other patients before and would be able to help out.

coraleliz

This is what I've come to expect. I was in a grey area for chemo & knew if I was going to do it(ultimately decided against it), I would have to pay 30%. I was going to ask for an estimated total price. I'd rather be told up front than shocked when I get the bill. It sucks & is very frustrating that we have to pay such high amounts for our care. I get hit up for my copay each time I walk thru the door. Another thing I find annoying is they solicit donations  from me both by mail & email, hard for me to consider them a charity when they are taking my money without a blink of the eye. Hopefully you can find a way to reduce your costs. I'd talk with a social worker.

Cynthia1962

I have a $3000 out-of-pocket each year and last year one of my first txs (not chemo) cost more than $1000 and my onc wanted it up front so I put it on credit.  Within a few months, I owed more than $1000 again and also put it on credit.  This year I met my entire oop by Feb, but they haven't asked for the whole amount yet and I've been making payments.  If I have to have a bone scan at the hospital and I haven't met my oop, they demand what I'll owe before they will even do the scan.  This year, even though I insisted that I had already met my oop, they still insisted that I pay something toward it and now they owe me money.  It's very difficult and we'll getting more and more in debt, but cancer tx is expensive so I guess this is my future.  And, this doesn't even include my dental costs since I don't have dental insurance and have needed two root canals within a few months (thank you chemo, you suck) and dentists who do root canals don't have payment plans.  It's never ending.  Hang in there and I hope you find some alternatives to having to pay up front. 

Rose12

Oh that is so sad. The hospital is a good one too. I asked to speak with a manager in the beginning because my deductible was not met and they wanted me to pay half the bill. I said well what I can pay $10.00 a month for the bill. She told me, "Oh we don't do that anymore.". She told me to come back when I get my finances in place. She told me to cancel and come back two times. I told her, Don't say that again, that is not what I want to here. She made me pay $300.00 and gave me a payment plan. That was at the hospital for my bone scan, blood work and X ray. Now I am going through the hospital for my Chemo, I told the girl there how the Dr. Office wanted me to pay up front if I choose to due Chemo in their office with no payment plan allowed. She couldn't believe it. She said she wouldn't go there either. I just had a Pet scan at the hospital and they didn't say one word to me or even asked about the bill because my deductible is met. No questions asked. Went to the cashiers office to see if I can get the bill discounted according to my income. Will see what happens. I guess this is a lifetime expense. The poor elderly were paying with their credit cards in the doctors office. I was sick to my stomach. They are paying for their life. I am also meeting with a Chemo financial worker too. Thank you everyone for all your input. I am single and only have one income. I guess I will go to Good Will to look at clothes. Ha!

Moderators

The main Breastcancer.org site has a section Paying for Your Care that's worth a look for almost everyone. Click the links down the left side of that page for info about:

• Lowering Costs: Start with Your Doctor
• Managing Your Health Insurance
• Tips to Lower Medicine Costs
• Help Paying for Living Expenses
• Help for People Without Health Insurance
• Tax Deductions for Treatment

Every suggestion may not be right for everyone, but there are resources out there - organizations, companies and others who can help.

The Mods

.

GR4C1E

Reach out to the American Cancer Society. You might qualify. Your MO should have that information. I also had Neulasta shots that wouldn't be covered by my insurance after the new year. Started chemo in November and finished in January 2012. Amgen has a program that pays the deductible for those meds. Wouldn't have known that if not for my MO.

ibcmets

Mods,

Why don't they add Paying for Care as a standard topic in the community forum?  Lots of people are seeking financial help.

Just a suggestion.

Terri

Moderators

ibcmets, thank you for the suggestion! We do have the Paying for Your Care section at the top of this Insurance and Other Financial Issues forum - covering the whole range of money matters around breast cancer.

.

Anonymous

Mods - on the list can  you add 'Paying for Alternatives' or 'How to get alternatives paid for byinsurance.'  I am almost all alts and it is breaking us in half.  Thank you.

Anonymous

Florida - I hope you go to another facility.  Our hospital, after my surgery when we could not pay (we were paying for my alternatives, not the copay on the surgery room), and they sent us a Care Card for us to pay on the co-pay, no interest, and we can add other treatments as needed.  Can you ask for programs like this?