Radiation Bill

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Julie50
Julie50 Member Posts: 227
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

OMG-Just fell off the chair...My bill for 35 treatments was over 60,000 anyone else have this hight of  a bill????

Thanks much

Julie

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  • somanywomen
    somanywomen Member Posts: 872
    edited September 2010

    Same here, my Ins was charged about $2100. per ZAP (x30= $63,000)...The Ins negotiation was  about 1/3 of that, I had to fight to get a $30. per day office visit charge lowered, esp.,since that did not count against the yearly deductible....It's a Mad Mad BC World....I didn't do chemo, but can only imagine what kind of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ they are charging....It's Insane......

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  • BocaCiegaBabe
    BocaCiegaBabe Member Posts: 98
    edited September 2010

    Yikes.  I was wondering what all this was amounting to.  It just feels like it's going to be a lot, and I'm glad to have some advanced notice!  Even looking at that linear accelerator, I see dollar signs written all over it!  Thank heavens for insurance...I do believe I'm getting my money's worth now, after all those years of paying in!!

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  • Julie50
    Julie50 Member Posts: 227
    edited September 2010

    WOW I never thought about my co-pay which is 20.  I did not think they would charge that, I guess I will find out fast.  That would be 700.00 Iwould have to pay...OUCH...BC is getting very expensive.  How did you fight to get it lowered from your 30.00 if I can ask..

    Thanks much

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  • somanywomen
    somanywomen Member Posts: 872
    edited September 2010
    Julie, you may not have to pay it, I was charged office visit charge ($30. x 30 rads = $900.) because I chose the IMRT Rads and since it was not in a hospital but a Cancer Center, they called it an office visit, crazy HuH?..I told my Onc and Rad doc how unfair it was, they blamed my INS and my INS blamed the Cancer Center's billing methods...So I offered half as upon fairness and that I was never told of this charge until after-the-fact...They accepted, I still feel that this was an unfair charge, but it's amazing how many extra charges are added on to some of these bills, I surprised we don't have to pay a janitor fee for leaving our fingerprints....
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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited September 2010

    I had Mammosite radiation (5 days - 2 times a day) and my cancer center billed my insurance over $30,000!  I didn't have a copay for any of those visits or for the follow-up, only for the initial consultation.  Fortunately, my out of pocket max for the year is $1500 and the insurance company negotiates away the majority of these excessive charges.

    I had a second opinion consultation with an oncologist at KU Medical Center and they billed almost $8000 just to re-do the pathology and provide the report. 

    So far I've racked up a total of $110,000 for June through August, and I didn't even have chemo!  I don't know how people survive the financial impact of all this without insurance.

    Michelle

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  • changes
    changes Member Posts: 622
    edited September 2010

    Julie,

    I had been warned by a friend who is a physician to expect it to come to about 60K. Much of mine has not yet been billed. The bills have all been submitted for the times I saw the doctor, but I don't have to pay any of that. Only one week of the actual radiation has been billed and that was for less than $700 (which worries me that it is for something OTHER than the radiation proper). I tried to get them to tell me upfront what it was going to cost and they wouldn't - just offered to let me talk to a social worker if I needed financial assistance!

    Boca - you are so right - dollar signs all over that pricey machine!

    Karen

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  • Julie50
    Julie50 Member Posts: 227
    edited September 2010

    This really makes me sick to see how much all these bills are.  And there are children in this world starving to death....

    So far I just added up all my bills since May 5, 2010.  Over 149,000.00 and my BC did not include chemo and I'm not even done yet...Still have to start the "PILL" next month etc.  Today I had a CT of the heart, I might have to sell my dog to pay for that one....(Kidding)

    Wonder if I will get a bill for laundry as I used a gown each day...LOL

    Thanks everyone

    Julie

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  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited September 2010

    What gets me is that you get a bill for tens of thousands of dollars and then if you push they reduce it.  Or the bill says X and then your insurance company says they only pay 50% of X and then you do your co-pay.

    Who exactly is actually paying the tens of thousands?  Is anyone?  People on medicare or whatever don't.  People without any insurance don't. I mean if everything gets negotiated downwards, is the tens of thousands just an artificial high so that the hospitals can get more in the end?  Not sure if I am making any sense but this has bugged me since I first started seeing the bills.

    Thats the part that feels scammy to me.  Its like the price on the new car--the bill is the amount that the car dealer gets in his, excuse me, wet dreams but it doesn't happen in real life.

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  • Julie50
    Julie50 Member Posts: 227
    edited September 2010

    OMG-I'm sick just sick over this.  I gues the Dr. was in-network but his center was not.  As of today Jim and I owe over $11,000 to them..I have no idea what we are going to do...I was told to write a heartship letter to them. Anyone else have this happen?????

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  • YramAL
    YramAL Member Posts: 1,651
    edited September 2010

    Hi Julie-

    I'm so sorry to hear about your insurance snafu. I would definitely write a letter. They can write some of that off. 

    I just totalled up my bills from my 33 rads treatments and rad doctor visits last Feb-May. The grand total was $128,855,which was negotiated down by my insurance company to $56,828.78. Still mind boggling. I paid $500 out of pocket-my husband has very good insurance coverage through his union.  Don't know how long that will last in this economy, but I was fortunate to have it at the time.

    Mary 

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  • Julie50
    Julie50 Member Posts: 227
    edited September 2010

    Hi:  Well after 3 hours of phone calls I think it will be ok.  I guess the Dr. is on the PPO but not the center which makes no sense to me whatsoever, like I said "What do radiation out in the parking lot"...LOL  So they are going to re-bill under the Dr's name.....

    My husband runs a 911 center for the last 21 years and has great insurance but I guess when I called to see if the Dr was on the plan I should have asked if the center was also.  I figured if the Dr was all was AOK....

    Julie

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  • ADK
    ADK Member Posts: 2,259
    edited September 2010

    Julie,

    I am glad you are getting it straightened out.  It's incredible how a miscoding can sent you into a panic.  That keeps happening to me, I keep getting eobs (explanation of benefits) from my insurance co saying they aren't paying for tests, appointments, etc.  I call them and they are apologetic and say sorry, that is miscoded.  I asked the last time, well, if I didn't call, would this had gotten cleared up? and the response was a resounding NO, you have to call us.  So, if they make a mistake, the onus is on us to make certain it gets corrected.  Honestly, if I worked like that, I would have been fired years ago.  

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  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited September 2010

    So glad that things worked out.  I have heard of this before.  And sometimes, the doctor has two offices --one is on the list and one isn't and then if they bill under one its covered and the other it isn't.  its soooooo STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • KittyDog
    KittyDog Member Posts: 1,079
    edited September 2010

    Yep

    Insurance was charged $65243.00 and paid $24695.00 and I owed $10.00.  I feel very blessed on this bill.  I don't understand it but I am not questioning it.  :) lol

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  • spendygirl
    spendygirl Member Posts: 231
    edited September 2010

    Wow - I have to pay $147 per day x 33 days......

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  • sdcheryl
    sdcheryl Member Posts: 2
    edited October 2010

    My treatments were $863 per/I finished first week in August and am just now getting the bills.  My insurance covers them, but what upset me was the $30.00 co pays I didn't know I was being charged.  Would have been a LOT easier to pay them as I went rather than get hit with all of them in one bill.  I honestly feel for anyone going through this without insurance.  It's stessfull enough when you have it.

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