Payment up front for chemo?

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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, 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.

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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?