What does it cost......$$$$$$$

kjrpcb said:

$$$$$$
I have paid nothing for my treatment. My insurance covers the cost for everything. I do get a statement of what the cost is and chemo was 15000.00 per month. Surgery was $25,000.00. Radiation was 10,000. 00 per week. Alll labs, imaging , MD follow ups are covered. I'm so grateful that I have insurance.
I do have to pay for my wigs as it's considered cosmetic.

Hi Annie
The healthcare system in the US is very complicated. The flip side of having cutting edge technology, research, medications and state of the art facilities and procedures is that all of this is very expensive to both develop and implement.

Many of us (and I am one of them) are very lucky. My husband has a corporate job which provides healthcare insurance to us. We contribute a small amount monthly and we also have co-pays and deductibles--which I am more than happy to pay. When I had my first go-round with cancer back in '09/'10, my husband's company insurance paid out over one-half million dollars for my surgeries, chemo, radiation, therapy, medications and incidentals like wigs, etc. I think our out-of-pocket expenses for that period were about $2,000--a pittance.

Some are not so lucky--either self-employed, unemployed or do not have adequate healthcare insurance from their jobs to cover the high expenses that come with catastrophic illnesses. Also, some people are covered by their state/federal plans.

This is a huge issue for the upcoming election. Everyone seems to think they have THE answer to solve this problem, but alas, it continues and is getting worst.

Back in the 80's I was married to an Air Force pilot and all our care/medications, etc. was free. This is as close as I've come to socialized medicine and I have to say--I was not a fan.

Hope this helps explain somewhat our complicated situation here.

Hugs, Renee

disneyfan2008 said:

I am sure hard to calculate
I am sure hard to calculate since each person so different from surgeies, medicine, treatments etc..thankfully I have not paid at all...I have great medical coverage and neer see a bill..

Denise

Medical bills
My husband has insurance, but to add me and 4 kids onto the plan costs $800 a month..$400 deducted from each paycheck....I have a 5,000 deductible to meet before the ins starts paying. After deductible is met, insurance pays 80%..we pay 20%.. $30 copay...I have been without insurance in my early 20's and am sooooo grateful to have the ins now.....
I was working fulltime then dropped down to 4-8 hrs a week (my employer didn't offer ins). I know at one point we owed around 25,000.....My husband has been absolutely amazing through all this!! He pays everything on time, no late payments, but still owe a lot $..In hindsight, I should have went on state disability, I would have received more $ than working only 4-8 hrs weekly......Does anyone know If I can apply now for partial disability? I'm working more but still averaging 18-22 hrs a week.. I live in Washington state..
Joyce

HI Annie Therese
This is hard to calculate. Now with my long term disability I pay 128. month for insurance, to go up with the new contract (I worked at a Union Job). I pay a 300. decuctable, plus I have to pay 10% until I reach a limit. I pay a 30. copay for all doctor visits, this continues even when I hit the maximum. I pay co-pays for each prescription the co-pays now run $120. month plus extra for any adl scripts. I pay 150. co-pays for tests such as MRI, CT, or PET or Bone scans. It adds up very quickly. Last year we figured it to be close to 7000. out of pocket.

This is low compared to the monthly charges which run about $50-60,000, depending on neulesta shots. My insurance ends March 31, 2013. Then I will have to be on Medicaid. I also lose my supplemental disability and life insurance as it is all through my employer.

It does not take long to lose everything. I now live in a cozy apartment! I have been fortunate that I worked for the company as long as I did. Now I will have to figure out what to do in June when my lease is up and I no longer have my work disability!

$$$$$
Annie I have medical insurance which has covered everything but co pays. I had a double mastectomy with expanders put in. So 2 surgeons, breast & plastic & 2 nights in the hospital. I got the itemized cost for everything & it was over $170,000.00!That doesn't count my other 5 surgeries, dr visits, medications etc. I do believe the hospital jacks up the price when you have insurance.

Costs
I've read the other posts. I'm curious as to are they reporting what the hospital or whatever charged versus what the insurance actually paid. I know my chemo was charged at about 17,000 per round, but insurance only paid around 5,000. I'm not responsible for the difference but if I did not have insurance I could be liable for the whole amount. Here it is very difficult to figure out what is paid or how it is calculated. My mind swims when dealing with insurance.

Janie

AMomNETN said:

Costs
I've read the other posts. I'm curious as to are they reporting what the hospital or whatever charged versus what the insurance actually paid. I know my chemo was charged at about 17,000 per round, but insurance only paid around 5,000. I'm not responsible for the difference but if I did not have insurance I could be liable for the whole amount. Here it is very difficult to figure out what is paid or how it is calculated. My mind swims when dealing with insurance.

Janie

Political issue
We all will have opportunity in Novenber to make a choice.
We are here to support each other

Big buck!!!
When all was said and done for placement/removal of port, 18 rounds of chemo, and a double mastectomy I was just shy of 200k. I developed neuropathy and lymphedemia so the cost go on and I am sure by now I am over 200k

AnnieTherese said:

Amazing......
All I can say ladies is.... A M A Z I N G ....what you have to pay, just unbelievable !!

The surgeon who did my mastectomy was the director of breast surgery at the large hospital I went to...and it cost me... NOTHING !!! It just doesn't seem fair...my country is so small compared to yours, our total populations is about 21 million, yet we have first class hospitals and facilities and surgeons in every field, and it can be free if we are pensioners.....I wish it were the same for all of you.

I wish our medical was free
I wish our medical was free too. You're very lucky to have that in your country. I am not sure about Canada, but, isn't their medical free too?