Medical Debt

I have a Blue Cross/Shield (Carefirst) PPO and they gave me a case manager pretty early on. I could call her whenever I had a question and she checked in with me periodically as well. I never had any issues with something not being covered (after satisfying the deductible), but that may have something to do with the fact that my hubby's employer (large university) manages their own insurance under the BC/BS umbrella. I think there are some laws stipulating that all facets of breast cancer treatment (including reconstructive surgery) must be covered by medical insurance companies. I don't know if that varies from state to state. If I were you I'd call the insurance first and ask for a case manager, then I'd call the state insurance regulator and ask some questions there. Another place you might go is the social worker at one of the larger hospitals in your area. At least they'd know where to get some answers. There are women on these boards who really know about insurance issues and I hope one (or more) of them chimes in here.

I am really sorry you have to deal with this. It's just not right.

Good luck, June.

Anna

Bonnie Jean, I just can't wrap my mind around this. It simply is not right. You should not have to worry about finances. You should be thinking only about getting the best treatment plan and getting strong. I am sorry you are having to deal with this.

My husband and I are seriously talking about going to live in France when we retire (we have resident visas there) because their system is more humane. It never occurred to me that I would consider leaving my own country for good. Nothing we talk about here has anything to do with the rest of the world. We seem to care only about ripping each other off, be it the food industry selling us suspicious additives, be it the pharmaceutical industry robbing us blind, everywhere we turn we are told of the "dangers" lurking to hurt us. When I buy my prescribed (U.S. manufactured) drugs while on vacation in France I pay not half, not one-third, not even one-fourth the price I pay here in the US; what I pay at my local French pharmacy is less than 15% of what the drug costs me at home. And what I am paying over there is the unsubsidized price; French citizens who have national healthcare pay only a fraction of that 15%. When I had to have an X-ray of my hip and paid the full cost it was $47! Can you imagine paying that for any kind of test here? I know how much my chemo treatments cost here, one day I will have to ask how much they would have cost there. Someone is making an awfully large profit here. Your typical French doctor makes roughly three times what a teacher makes. Hmmm. My US doctor makes more like ten times what I made as a teacher.

Ah, be quiet, Anna. This is not what you came here to talk about, Bonnie Jean and June. It just irks me terribly that there are people like you having to worry about paying medical bills while our "leaders" defend the right of those who want to continue to make lots and lots and lots of money off our need to receive good medical care.

None of what I have said has helped answer your questions. Know that I hear you and I agree with you that it's just not right. It makes me very sad.

Anna:  Vent away.  I agree 100% with everything you said.  I currently work for a doctor and many years ago I worked for a health insurance brokerage firm so I have seen what it is all about--making money.  The insurance companies will argue that the doctors charge too much and the doctors will argue that the insurance companies don't have the right to dictate what kind of care a doctor should provide. In the end it is the patient who gets caught in the middle and suffers because of all this nonsense.  Maybe moving to France is a good idea.

June: $45,000 worth of medical debt is disgraceful -- some people don't even earn that much money in a year.  I wish more people would come on this board to discuss this.  Perhaps someone might have something positive to tell us -- or maybe that's just wishful thinking.

I was on medical ins all my life.  Then my husband had to retire due to health reasons.  He is on Medicare.  I went on COBRA.  During the 18th month of COBRA I was diagnosed w/breast cancer.  I told all the medical people I wasn't going to have insurance.  They said don't worry about it.  Now they all want their money that I don't have.  My debt is now close to $200,000.  I'm overwhelmed & still on treatment.  I'm a year away from Medicare.  I'm overwhelmed.  Suggestions?

I honestly don't know how all you wonderful ladies cope with the added stress. It's enough to worry about BC!

I'm so glad that I live in the UK. Super treatment, no waiting, and absolutely no costs to find. It's not cost me one penny (OK hospital car parking which I object to). I don't know how I would have coped if I'd had to worry about money on top of everything else.

My heart really goes out to you all.

Mal x

Dear murl653,

I'm sorry to hear about the financial situation you are in as you continue treatment for breast cancer.  I am an employee of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and we recognize that cancer can be quite an economic burden for patients, whether one has insurance or not.

You might find the National Cancer Institute information to be helpful: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/102/topic/redir.aspx?C=f3ab09f05bea46a883c79ceaa83b8775&URL=https%3a%2f%2fcissecure.nci.nih.gov%2ffactsheet%2fFactSheetSearch8_3.a%2520

Here you can do a search for government-sponsored and other national organizations that offer financial assistance for cancer-related expenses, including treatment.

There is also a Federally funded program called the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP) that will enroll low income women in Medicaid and pays for treatment (including retroactive payments for diagnostic care). You can get more information about this program and eligibility requirements through your state's web site.  

I hope this information is useful to you and others on this thread and wish you the best of luck as you seek the assistance you need. -Esther

Dear Bonnie, I have nothing to offer you but support and OUTRAGE that you are having to deal with this bullcrap.  Hang in there sister. xo

cancersuks,

I presume you have Fed BCBS PPO standard option. I had that initially when I was married - after the divorce I went on the basic option - it made a tremendous difference in covered costs. They changed some of the benefits as January of this year, but it still is preferable to Standard. Last year, all the tests I've done- stereotactic biopsy, MRI's, blood tests, two surgeries (one with 2 hospital days one with one) and everything - and I only have a copy of about $800 for absolutely everything.

Try to get on the Basic option if possible. Go on fepblue.org to see the differences.

I work for www.globalpharmacycanada.com. Your stories are so typical of what we hear everyday from our customers.  We really do feel for you and are happy to help.

All I can tell you from our experience, is use the Costco or Walmart or CVS generic $4 drugs as often as you can and if you are on Medicare take advantage of the purchases before the doughnut hole. But once you get into that hole do consider using our company. We have thousands of customers who purchase all of their doughnut hole medications through us.

 We also have many people who buy who are too young for Medicare. They also use us.For example we sell "Brand Name" Arimidex for $150 for 90 pills and we sell Generic Femara (Letrozole) for $216 for 100 pills.

 And for those Canadians out there who also get stuck buying out of their pocket because they are self-employed or at a company with no prescription plan we recommend you actually do go down to the USA. Fact is generics in the USA are cheaper (e.g. Walmart and Costco $4 drugs) And if you get a friend or a post office box in the USA you can order generics or brand name drugs from overseas and have them shipped to the USA and then have them resent to you or pick them up if you live near the border, since you are allowed to bring home a 90 day personal supply of medicine when travelling.

Either way good luck with your costs and your health.