So p*ssed!!!!!!!!!!!

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EveningStar2
EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
I got a call today from the hospital, my double mastectomy was scheduled for Monday. It was going to cost $28,000 and I could bring it along. Right. It's been a h*ll of a day and I have no plan at this point. It seems everyone leaves the office at noon on Friday and its been extremely frustrating. I have a couple possibilities but nothing will happen quickly. And my husbands surgery is rescheduled for 25 June. *sigh*

Maureen

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  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #2
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    Bring $28,000.00?
    They asked you to bring along $28,000.00? In cash? I never heard of going in for surgery and having to bring the payment along before I was wheeled in?

    Where do you live?

    Doris
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #3
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    Maureen
    is this because you don't have insurance? I should be surprised at this, but for some reason I am not. Hopefully you will be able to work things out. I don't know when they have you scheduled for surgery, but I would sure call them or show up and see what they have to say.

    Best of luck, keep us posted.

    Carol
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #4
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    camul said:

    Maureen
    is this because you don't have insurance? I should be surprised at this, but for some reason I am not. Hopefully you will be able to work things out. I don't know when they have you scheduled for surgery, but I would sure call them or show up and see what they have to say.

    Best of luck, keep us posted.

    Carol

    What are you going to do?
    To call someone on a Friday who is scheduled for Monday morning surgery and then all jump ship at noon on Friday so you can't communicate with anyone is really awful. I hope you can resolve this asap, but alas, it's now the weekend. My heart goes out to you - having breast cancer is such an emotional event on its own, adding financial insensitivity is just plain wrong.

    Hugs,
    Suzanne
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #5
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    camul said:

    Maureen
    is this because you don't have insurance? I should be surprised at this, but for some reason I am not. Hopefully you will be able to work things out. I don't know when they have you scheduled for surgery, but I would sure call them or show up and see what they have to say.

    Best of luck, keep us posted.

    Carol

    They expect...
    They expect you to show up with $28,000 ????? Something isn't right....every hospital and cancer center has a financial department to work out payment plans for those with and without insurance.... ....personally, I'd show up....I doubt seriously if they would cancel your surgery.....

    Keep us posted...
    Hugs, Nancy
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #6
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    MAJW said:

    They expect...
    They expect you to show up with $28,000 ????? Something isn't right....every hospital and cancer center has a financial department to work out payment plans for those with and without insurance.... ....personally, I'd show up....I doubt seriously if they would cancel your surgery.....

    Keep us posted...
    Hugs, Nancy

    Something very wrong
    Something is very wrong with this hospital, especially the way of treating patients before major surgery
    I hope you will be able to sort it out. They should work with you on finantial part prior in advance. Hopefully the mistake was made which could be fixed


    Hugs
  • ladyg
    ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
    #7
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    Are you kidding?
    There is no way they should expect you to show up with $28,000. If that is what was expected then why did they wait until the Friday before the surgery to tell you that? Something is terribly wrong with the whole picture.
    I hope you can get it worked out soon.

    Hugs,
    Georgia
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #8
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    ladyg said:

    Are you kidding?
    There is no way they should expect you to show up with $28,000. If that is what was expected then why did they wait until the Friday before the surgery to tell you that? Something is terribly wrong with the whole picture.
    I hope you can get it worked out soon.

    Hugs,
    Georgia

    Insurance
    I thought I had some but apparently I do not. This is not just about insurance--the amount is but not the procedure. I had surgery on my thyroid in NM (in CO now), they wanted $1500 and called the day before. I talked with the right people, got it worked out and went on with things. This time I *tried* to get information. I spent one very frustrating day trying to get information because I suspected that there would be a problem. I had no luck getting anyone to admit to a price of anything. And no one called back including the financial navigator. DH got in touch with the VP of finance on Friday and she agreed that this was not the way to do business. I let her have both barrels because this is a cancer center and should realize that they should treat the entire person. But the surgery is cancelled. I'm not sure I want to go back there even if it was free--and I'm not making payments on $28K.

    I have a couple other options to check out--thank God this is DCIS because I'm sure it will be a while before we get to this point again. And DH had postponed his surgery and rescheduled for 25 June and I want his done before we do this again!

    Is it ever easy?

    Maureen
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #9
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    EveningStar2 said:

    Insurance
    I thought I had some but apparently I do not. This is not just about insurance--the amount is but not the procedure. I had surgery on my thyroid in NM (in CO now), they wanted $1500 and called the day before. I talked with the right people, got it worked out and went on with things. This time I *tried* to get information. I spent one very frustrating day trying to get information because I suspected that there would be a problem. I had no luck getting anyone to admit to a price of anything. And no one called back including the financial navigator. DH got in touch with the VP of finance on Friday and she agreed that this was not the way to do business. I let her have both barrels because this is a cancer center and should realize that they should treat the entire person. But the surgery is cancelled. I'm not sure I want to go back there even if it was free--and I'm not making payments on $28K.

    I have a couple other options to check out--thank God this is DCIS because I'm sure it will be a while before we get to this point again. And DH had postponed his surgery and rescheduled for 25 June and I want his done before we do this again!

    Is it ever easy?

    Maureen

    Would...
    You consider a lumpectomy instead of a double mastectomy? Especially since you have DCIS? Is the double your choice?

    Wishing you the best...keep us posted, you know we care..
    Hugs, Nancy
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #10
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    MAJW said:

    Would...
    You consider a lumpectomy instead of a double mastectomy? Especially since you have DCIS? Is the double your choice?

    Wishing you the best...keep us posted, you know we care..
    Hugs, Nancy

    Since this
    is a recurrance, I would not be happy with a lumpectomy--did that 3 years ago and had rads. Since there are other nonsuspicious microcals, I think it would be a matter of time before we were doing this again. And the breast is already beat up. The double is my choice because I do NOT want to do this again.

    Maureen
  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #11
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    EveningStar2 said:

    Since this
    is a recurrance, I would not be happy with a lumpectomy--did that 3 years ago and had rads. Since there are other nonsuspicious microcals, I think it would be a matter of time before we were doing this again. And the breast is already beat up. The double is my choice because I do NOT want to do this again.

    Maureen

    I am sorry you are going
    I am sorry you are going through this. In my past experience with surgeries, I have been notified a day or so before the event about any money they may be expecting me to bring. I think that may be when the office people get the information to check on insurance etc. Are you eligible for any type of assistance etc?
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #12
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    missingtexas said:

    I am sorry you are going
    I am sorry you are going through this. In my past experience with surgeries, I have been notified a day or so before the event about any money they may be expecting me to bring. I think that may be when the office people get the information to check on insurance etc. Are you eligible for any type of assistance etc?

    So so sorry ... Insurance issues drive me INSANE ---
    Call American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, Breast Cancer.org corporate offices to check on institutes as well as physicians that will perform bilateral in your area that have perform surgery as "pro bono", or reduced, scale pricing depending on your annual
    income.

    Also, Deanna Favre -- wife of NFL Brett Favre has affiliations with several hospitals
    and provides help for women without insurance fighting breast cancer.


    ----- Several government and private organizations help people without medical insurance to pay for treatment:
    Begin by contacting the National Cancer Institutes Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). They have information about how to get free mammograms, Pap smears, and treatment.
    Call your local Social Services Department. You may be eligible for Medicaid or other programs for low-income women.
    Call your local Public Health Department to find out about local health care programs.
    Many hospitals run free clinics where they provide medical care at no or low cost.

    Hoping someone can help you, or refer you to a source or organization that will help.


    Vicki Sam
  • Blondiemomma
    Blondiemomma Member Posts: 41
    #13
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    Maybe it's a sign.....
    That you might want to go elsewhere! I know what it is like to like a doctor in one area but cannot stand the hospital he's affiliated with. I had good insurance coverge so I can't imagine what you are going through but I went to a teaching hospital (conincidentally the best in area for cancer). I don't pay for anything there where I was hit with constant bills before. I was charged with whatever insurance didn't cover. Can the hospital do that? You bet. They try to recoup from anyone they can get to cough up dough.
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #14
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    Blondiemomma said:

    Maybe it's a sign.....
    That you might want to go elsewhere! I know what it is like to like a doctor in one area but cannot stand the hospital he's affiliated with. I had good insurance coverge so I can't imagine what you are going through but I went to a teaching hospital (conincidentally the best in area for cancer). I don't pay for anything there where I was hit with constant bills before. I was charged with whatever insurance didn't cover. Can the hospital do that? You bet. They try to recoup from anyone they can get to cough up dough.

    You may be correct
    The place I went was University Hospital in Denver, a teaching hospital and a cancer center. Too bad they can't seem to get it together.

    However, I called Friday after this fiasco and the hospital in town that receives Koman dollars that I am eligible (the other takes Denver county residents only). They called me today and sounded *very* positive, I have an appointment Wednesday morning with the financial people to qualify for the Koman grant. They don't seem to think that there will be any problems--we'll see. I also talked with the nurse navigator who seemed to think that a bilateral would not be an issue (the other surgeon really didn't want to remove the breast without disease). Progress is being made.

    Maureen
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #15
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    VickiSam said:

    So so sorry ... Insurance issues drive me INSANE ---
    Call American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, Breast Cancer.org corporate offices to check on institutes as well as physicians that will perform bilateral in your area that have perform surgery as "pro bono", or reduced, scale pricing depending on your annual
    income.

    Also, Deanna Favre -- wife of NFL Brett Favre has affiliations with several hospitals
    and provides help for women without insurance fighting breast cancer.


    ----- Several government and private organizations help people without medical insurance to pay for treatment:
    Begin by contacting the National Cancer Institutes Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). They have information about how to get free mammograms, Pap smears, and treatment.
    Call your local Social Services Department. You may be eligible for Medicaid or other programs for low-income women.
    Call your local Public Health Department to find out about local health care programs.
    Many hospitals run free clinics where they provide medical care at no or low cost.

    Hoping someone can help you, or refer you to a source or organization that will help.


    Vicki Sam

    Thanks
    for the information. Just one point: most public programs like medicaid expect you to use every dime in your IRA/401K etc even if you are young enough that the federal IRS will crucify you.

    Maureen
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #16
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    so sorry...I would contact
    so sorry...I would contact any office, agency to see if funds for such help! I am sure there are funds somewhere (big donations etc) just have to dig to find! (like you need this on your mind I know...)

    so sorry for both you and your husband..

    I think they have to do payment plan if no coverage....I'll check back...bummer about offices closing early...

    Denise
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #17
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    disneyfan2008 said:

    so sorry...I would contact
    so sorry...I would contact any office, agency to see if funds for such help! I am sure there are funds somewhere (big donations etc) just have to dig to find! (like you need this on your mind I know...)

    so sorry for both you and your husband..

    I think they have to do payment plan if no coverage....I'll check back...bummer about offices closing early...

    Denise

    it would
    appear that I have found a hospital here that has a Koman grant and the surgery will cost me $5 for office visits and zero for *everything* else.

    I have an appointment with the surgeon on the 31st. Keep your fingers crossed.

    Maureen
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #18
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    EveningStar2 said:

    it would
    appear that I have found a hospital here that has a Koman grant and the surgery will cost me $5 for office visits and zero for *everything* else.

    I have an appointment with the surgeon on the 31st. Keep your fingers crossed.

    Maureen

    YAY ... Maureen ...
    Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you ...:-)


    Vicki Sam

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