Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Hi All,   I've had a heck of a time finding someone in the Phoenix area who does DIEP reconstruction.  There are two med centers who do it.  Two docs are at Mayo which my insurance covers only as out of network and I would pay 40% of what Mayo charges out of network people (higher) with no maximum cap on out of pocket expenses.  So it could be as high as $80,000!!  Maybe $20,000 minimum.  Ugh. Plus the plastic surgeon I consulted there would not do bilateral on the uninvolved breast. (In other words, I would be forced to NOT have propholactic mastectomy on that side.)

The other agency has one doc who does them, used to be at Mayo and has gone out on his own.  The doc who works with him has done a total of 25 of these highly complex, technical microsurgical procedures.  A newbie.  But this is the only agency my insurance would cover.  Nothing out of state is covered.  PRMA in San Antonio was really nice until they found out my insurance wouldn't cover them.  Dropped me like a hot potato.

I talked to Cancer Treatment Centers of America because there is one here in Phoenix.  They do not have a doc who does DIEP, however, the location in Chicago does.  Long story short: for a max of $1200 (the amount remaining on my out of pocket maximum) they will not only evaluate me, treat me (surgeries), reconstruct me, but also transport me and hubby to and from Chicago and put us up at a hotel.  They have gotten records from my various doctors over the years, made the flight arrangements, and will hassle with my insurance for whatever they can collect.  But they will only charge me up to the remaining $1200!  I have talked to them twice and to my insurance once and it's all true.

The people are quick to return phone calls, they make sure you have contact phone numbers for nurses or other helpers.  I'll meet with the team when I get there.  They will have reviewed my records by that time.  Decisions will be made and plans for treatment set into motion.  You know all that waiting we hate?  Shortest times I've ever experienced here.  And 6 weeks ago I contacted M D Anderson here in AZ and they were just as slow as my individual doctors I dealt with 6 years ago.  I never saw or spoke to or met the "team" of doctors at M D Anderson who reviewed my case.  The nurse liasons seemed to be there to protect the doctors' time, not help me reach them or get me answers.

I had entered CTCA in the search topic bar and didn't really see anything so I hope my post helps others who are thinking of using CTCA. 

~~Connie~~