Insurance issues/UPSC

Double Whammy

Not me.

Very good friend is a 5-year UPSC, Stage 2 survivor. She had both chemo and radiation. Now, at 5 years her insurance company says no more gyn oncologist, you can go back to regular gyn for exams and see the local general oncologist here on out. She has mixed feelings about this and will discuss it with her gyn next week. Both her gyn oncologist and medical oncologist (who only treats gyn cancers) just sort of shrugged their shoulders and offered that they knew the local oncologist and she is very good.

Any thoughts? Does this sound ok for UPSC patients? I expect (and look forward to) it for me.

Suzanne

carolenk

Well, I was told that I am
Well, I was told that I am not a candidate for another surgery so I don't need to see a gyn-onc anymore. What other differences are there between a med-onc & a gyn-onc?

daisy366

carolenk said:

Well, I was told that I am
Well, I was told that I am not a candidate for another surgery so I don't need to see a gyn-onc anymore. What other differences are there between a med-onc & a gyn-onc?

Big difference Carolen
Gyn-onc is a specialist in gynecological cancers. UPSC is so rare that there are med-onc that have never heard of it!! My doc's practice with 3 gyn-onc only sees about 12 people with upsc annually that's 4 per doctor in a large geographical area - hundreds of miles. I would not want any other type of doc treating me.

My gyn-onc does surgery and treatment including decided what chemo and how much. The only thing he does not do is radiation. I think we all need a gyn-oncologist.

And Suzanne, does your friend have a medicare advantage insurance policy? I was told that medicare will let people go to whoever they want without restriction. That is crazy that the insurance company is making those kind of decisions. Time for appeal if it was me.

All the best, Mary Ann