really? one stereostatic biopsy and the amount of $$$?

omg333

Hi everyone, i have yet not read anyone's concerns on this topic...yet i will, because this is my big concern for everyone...my story, is, I simply cannot afford cancer, it would take my life savings, then my house, begging the system to listen to my plight (after the pickin's), I simply was pushed to get a stereostatic biopsy due to unusual micro's on the L. breast.

The detailed statement was completely greek to me......seems like every single thing someone did, cost money....i wish i could even start of what i received in the mail....lucky, i guess, i have to pay $50 of what the bill was $3,402......yet, i have a very low end policy.....not allowed more than 4 doc. visits per year, after that ...self pay...no presription coverage at all,

i cannot afford cancer....or anything, or give up my dream of helping my son get a good job, helping me keep a car....i guess i'm straight out mad, mad and then some.

this was not my first wake-up call......this is going to be an ongoing prayer, what a shame, eh???   My message is.......I am not allowed to get sick! Not ever!

life picks and chose's...........those with great insurance and those without!

Venting........sorry, me..........tx for listening...... 

peggy_j

Sorry you're going through this. Are you sure you're reading your policy correctly? Some people have policies that are only major medical. i.e. they aren't so great at covering a lot of more routine visits and may have a large deductible, but they definitely provide some coverage for larger events.

SheChirple

Have you received your results yet? Hopefully, all will be well.

However, if diagnosed, I strongly recommend you register with the American Cancer Society.  There are plenty of resources available. 

I truly hate that some women have to choose not to treat for pure financial reasons.

I feel blessed to have awesome insurance, but am acutely aware that not all do.

omg333

Hi! Mine came out negative, yet, i do have some savings, i'm a stay at home care taker at this time....my mum and my hubby (is pretty sick)....I just don't want to get one thing that would wipe all our money out! Any organization will look into our account if something catastrophic would happen to me, they go after our money first.

Just a thought...I was reading that the amount it would cost someone with breast cancer stage 2, or 3...is $500,000! That is for treatment only! Whoa!

It is becoming a fact to have an excellent health insurance plan.....if you can afford it!

Take care!! 

omg333

Peg: My insurance is self-pay, i'm only 52 yrs. old....It's a low end insurance funded by the state of PA. We only pay $200 a month for it, My husband is a vet, he's covered (thank goodness) for everything! 

proudtospin

I felt the same way as you when first diagnosed but some how I got through it all with bills paid

pull poverty, don't spend a dime you do not have to until all is resolved

and do not be afraid to ask folks, at one point in the beginning I barfed at a big bill, I called the hospital and asked for an extended payment plan.  They said yes, asked me what I could pay and we agreed on a plan.  In the end, I was able to pay but having that hospital say I had some room....meant a great deal to me

omg333

Hi everyone! I'm just a bit curious, and that is all, it has been over 2 months since my stereo biopsie's, and i'm still black and blue in certain places, and whoa, my boobie is very sensitive...anyone out there, do you think my doc.(who has done these for 20 years) is a quack, and should i just make a complaint to her nurse who called me the next day to see how i was, i said fine.....now i'm a bit pissed off.....I know for sure, that this does not happen to many women...just kinda venting over this issue...it's been way too long!  Agree?

Thank you! 

financegirl

I hear ya.  Last year going into treatment, I hit the catastrophic level of $5,000 out of pocket relatively quickly.  And I consider that I have pretty good insurance.  The $5000 is per calendar year and once I hit that, health care is free the rest of that calendar year.  I was dx in April 2011; as soon as I began chemo, it didn't take long to reach that limit.   My copay for each Neulasta shot after all 8 chemo infusions was $785 after insurance paid the majority of that.  Neulasta billed $3500 per shot, insurance paid about 1/3 of that and I owed the balance of $785 per shot.   A lot of my 2011 treatment was free because I hit the $5000 catastrophic but treatment crossed over into 2012 and I am soon to hit the catastrophic level for this year also and mind you, treatment itself was over in February.   Just the twelve radiation treatments that stretched into 2012 were $1425 (my share) but the other 24 were free in 2011 b/c I'd met catastrophic.  All the testing afterwards cost a lot too.

I had saved a lot over the years but like you, I wanted to keep a cushion for other things and not pay it all out at once.  I will say that I did find that every doctor/hospital I encountered during this journey, all allowed me to pay what I felt comfortable affording each month and as long as I continue paying it down, no one bothers me.  I've checked my credit history and again, as long as I am paying off these bills, it has not affected that either.

Anonymous

http://www.truecostofhealthcare.org/summary

tells all the reasons for these insane costs.  My sterostatic  biopsy was $10,000. in 2006, in MA.

omg333

Thank you both for replying to the endless questions of questions! Finance girl and sunflower..

Why and who controls the money game when going into a procedure? Who code's what is what??? As i had a small, yet troublesome stereo...who is sitting at the computer with each and every lil move the doc did..the other nurses????  I am so glad to have an intelligent response...finally! Can we ever figure out what our insurance (they usually are in the business of winning!)  I just can see thru all the bullsh#t....no wonder you have to have the perfect liason with a good (?) insurance plan or a meager one...

amen to a few responses...i now know what page i should have posted on , I will from now on 

either out of the pocket, if you can, or insane amounts of money billed to our health ins. companies....It doesn't pay to get sick..........and that is sick! 

betts4

I was glad to find this thread. Heck, I am glad to find this whole forum. I don't want to hijack this thread, but my question is similiar. I am having a Lumpectomy on July 20th. I didn't think of costs until I got the charge from Insurance on just the biopesy. $535. Now I have a $350 deductible and then I pay 20% of cost. I don't know why I didn't check that out before. 

I did find some info online about how to find some info and get an estimate. 

 Check out  Www.healthcarebluebook it helped me to ask the right questions and gave some great advice on handling insurance and doctors.

I called the doctor and the hospital. I really lucked out at the hospital and got someone that gave me her personal line number and a very broad estimate for at least the operating room. The price is waaaay more than I thought according to the estimates from the website I just listed, but at least I have a starting point.

omg333

Hi betts:

Thanks for sharing the info. on getting a handle of what cost what!  That 20% of the cost is frightening! Could end up to be a lot of money, knowing how much it costs to have procedures and surgery...I'm glad your looking into to this for your own good.  No one realized thru the turmoil of having something, and then the bills that come in afterward. It's like pouring salt in an open wound!  Keep us informed, K?

thanks,

omg 

scuttlers

First year of treatment was over $480,000. Second year was just under $350,000. Third year somewhat over $295,000. Have not added this year in yet.



Luckily my insurance has out of pocket maximum and by second month picks up 100%. I also have a secondary which covers almost all of what the primary does not.



Our COBRA premiums are OVER $1300.00 per month! But well worth it.



If we had to pay just 20% of what my bills have been - $225,000.00! Those COBRA premiums really HURT, but the alternative is downright the makings of a horror movie!



I guess I am a million dollar woman. Come on Medicare eligibility date!!!!!

Charitylake

Hi Betts4,

All I can suggest is that you not miss paying (at least) something, and paying that something before it is due.  At least that will show you are trying in good faith on the doctor, hospital, etc. bills. The good news is that some providers are willing to work with you on an in-house payment plan.   Maybe, that will be the full bill, or $10 or $25, whatever.   The bad news is that other providers may forward to outside collections at some point (usually anywhere from 90-120 days from the original service date).

Something else to consider is paying what you can or paying a little, and then see if a payment plan can be agreed on after say 2-3 months. Hospitals may be willing to negotiate the bill downward sometimes.  I guess we will both know more later on about what the costs actually are.  Opening the mail is ceasing to be fun these days. Best of Luck, things will have to get better sometime.

All My Best,

Charitylake