Will insurance still cover annual MRI's once we hit 5 year mark?

Last Nov 2009 I said to my BS (durning routine annual exam)"If I had it to do over, I'd go with dble mx rather than lumpectomy/radiation".          surprisingly, he answered "you are preaching to the choir. I am seeing too many recurrences"        wow, that stopped me in my tracks.   this is the same bs who said in 2003 that I was "overreacting" when I asked for a uni-mastectomy.

It's obviously not a decision to be made lightly-as you all well.    so in May 2010 I went for my annual extrememly painful mammo (pain is d/t trauma of radiaton from 7 yrs ago. I am apparently an unusual case, but that treated breast has been awful since radiation and lumpectomy which was really more of a half-mastectomy)           Mammo was normal; BS was refusing to order MRI even tho my 2003 was never picked up on mammo and breast density is still high.  so I switched to a different BS; this doctor has a PA who seems to spend most of her time getting insurance coverage for procedures.

so the final news was good but I had lost 3 wks of my life worried that I'd have to go thru chemo again.       In a way it was a blessing b/c it convinced me that I did want the bil mx done preventatively.    to me, the worst scenario was not losing my breasts. the worst scenario was finding another invasive cancer and having to go thru chemo again.   so, for my particular life, the decision was a "no brainer".

He was brutally honest; and I am so grateful.   I have had a lifetime of surgeries due to a congenital vein problem.  I just could not see myself going thru more surgery and risking poor blood supply to tissue taken from my back; while dealing with TE on the opposite breast.(my recovery from PS was not affected with my congenital problem)  It just gave me pause.

In a nutshell, it's all about disovering who you really are.  I am 55 and I really did not know but then it became clear to me.    Am I a person to go around flat w/o my beast prosthetics? No, that's fine for some women but not for me.          

Okay, enuf about me.       

there are newer 3T MRIs that cost more. Maybe that's why you were quoted a lower price. Even my insurance company's negotiated contract amt was not that low. But we have 3T.

Fearless one; I totally understand your point on the MRI and recon issues.      I hope I was clear that I am just happy that I found what was right for me.   It's that searching process that I was trying to describe.  the end results are all different and all to be respected.

False negative mammo is way worse than false positve MRI.   I've had both and I totally agree. 

 My only point was that I didn't sleep for many nites d/t the false positive on MRI.   And for me, that clinched my decision to do prev bi  mx.      

I wish you all the best in making the decisions that are best for you.      

I had the preventative bilateral mx two months ago. tough recovery; but I am so glad I did it.

I see you are planning BLM yourself; please feel free to PM me with any questions.  Like you, my cancer was not visible on mammo and bs could not find it on u/s till I directed him by holding the breast up.   freaked me out.       when I had the recent scare, NO ONE (in medical profession) was the least bit surprised that I would have an invasive bc again.   

I'm relieved and doing very well.   

No recon. I can see why my post on that was confusing, b/c I spoke about it in the hypothetical stance.  sometimes I think I need an editor!          

So No, I spoke to 3 PS and decided against PS.   I am such a maverick!!   Boy, did they try to push it on me.          Two of the PS were like used-car salesman; trying to sell me what was on the "lot" (i.e. the procedures they knew)    the third PS was like a BMW salesperson.  High class; trying to impress me with all the new advancements.

If he could have, I think he would have asked me to take "a new model" for a spin around the block!       Ha-ha!             

on some level; there is revulsion of a woman who chooses not to have her breasts replaced. I'm not kidding.        The nurse at my bs office chided me "to at least go for TE's. They are so much better than NOHING"                    But PS does not fit into my lifestyle.  and, no, it's not like I'm leaving this decision for a future date (I get a lot of that) b/c the "BMW" PS was quite clear that it was now or never.  I respected his feedback greatly.     I would recommend him in a heartbeat to any woman who wants breast recon and has big bucks.             But he layed out the truth; and the thought of being in ICU with my breast temperature being monitored was not what I wanted.

I have spent too many nites in ICU in my life dealing with my congenital vascular condition.  all I can say is I am very happy with the choices I made.   My husband and I strolled around Rockefeller Center yesterday and celebrated that I am recovered from my surgery.  Our marriage is in no way rocked; perhaps we are even stronger.         So that's my story. eileen 

There is really no 5 years mark, for B.C. I am 17 years from diagnosis and now my doctor orders an MRI once a year.

Before I would get the mammogram and ultrasound yearly.