Cancer Centers of America

Fees just to talk doesn't
Fees just to talk doesn't sound so good. Hmmmm. They have such inspiring commercials. Hope someone has some more imput for you so the rest of us can file it away if we need it in the future.

cathyK said:

cancer centers of america
heard that people that can AFFORD the care get care and like it, you have to have just the right insurance, they eat the insurance up fast and they also decide if they can care for you , some think that is just cherry picking the people that they CAN get better. sorry to put a bummer on CCA , yes costs to ask questions, costs for everything , they are a for profit hospital , many friends here have called them for advise or any ANY information in the early days of diagnosis of cancer and get the answer, "what insurance do you have?" " oh we dont take that insurance , it would cost $$$$$$$$$$ SORRY" and they hang up, they did that to me and others. they do have great commercials, that they produce. lots of money in those commercials.

Cancfer centers of america
As the saying goes -- YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!! And...this is what this organization is all about...if you have the type of insurance they require, you can have it all -- masseuse, yoga, facials, nutritionist, etc, etc. Very nice, but think it's more about the foof and fluff then anything, at least to get people to sign on the dotted line.

I have a good friend whose wife works in their Arizona location in an executive management position. They offer her steak for lunch, limo if needs to be driven around town....all FREE, and they pay their staff very, very well.

From what she has told me, their medical staff is very qualified. I just worry about a person who has insurance and runs out...what do they do, throw the patient OUT?

Just proceed with caution as I'm not totally convinced the care is really worth the xtra cost.

Good luck~
Jan

tblakemore said:

Cancer Centers of America

Thanks for the responses.  I ended up not going to the location here in Illinois even though I am lucky enough to have excellent insurance that they will accept.  The way things developed left me feeling like I had no time to make choices or switch doctors.

I was originally diagnosed with MMMT 1A in June 2011 - Surgery/radion/chemo - 6 months of treatment and then 7 months NED. 

When it did return it returned with a vengence in June  2012.  Initially I had a huge inoperable tumor in my back muscles that had invaded my spine and a couple small spots in my lungs.   They did radiation and the tumor shrank and I was able to recover some feeling in my leg and I  am able to walk with a cane now - which is great improvement from June. Fetynal for pain control.  However,  by September it recurred again -the cancer moved very quickly to my liver and again in the lungs and then bone cancer up my spine and in my hip. 

I tried to get to CCCA in September hoping for better options, however, they have a three day exam process regardless of whatever scans and tests you can bring them - they want to do their own. Which would have caused more delays than I felt I could afford.  

The cancer was so aggressive at that point that days were making a difference - my doctor was able to see that one tumor was present in a scan and when starting radiation almost 2 weeks later - the pre radiation scan showed my lungs were "peppered with tumors".  The radiologist canceled the treatment in the middle of the treatment and told me my only hope was more chemo - so we did 3 rounds of MAID - which was really intense.  In December I asked to stop treatment so I could be well enough to attend my daughter's wedding in December 2012.  Being around for her wedding was my treatment goal as I was told I had less than a year back in June.  We were prepared for the worst for January's scan since I stopped chemo before the doctor's plan - but we prayed that God would just freeze everything as it was and give me a little time.  Amazingly,  my January scan shows some shrinkage in the tumors and no progression on the bone cancer.  I am taking January and February as a 'quality of life' break since my lungs do show some damage from the MAID treatments.  Don't know what comes next - but I am very greatful for the break.  Who knows - maybe it will be a really long break : )

 

What can I say

Ian so sorry this monster has been so very aggressive for you.  I think we all believe that even if we don't get a cure, our treatments wibuy get us some lengthy remissions and your first one was only a few months.  I am happy for you that you were with your daughter at her wedding and hope you felt well enough to thoroughly enjoy it.

 

 

Tblakemore

I am glad the scammer bumped this up.  How are you doing?