Need to make a decsion

I would pay it for peace of mind. Would you really want to go threw this all over again if it seeded and spread to the lungs etc. Just go on a payment plan.

Is that per occurrence of cancer or every five years or what?

My husband had no scans after the first three years.  He has both Medicare and private insurance.  His oncologist released him after 4 years but his ENT has not yet and scopes him every few months.

My ENT prefers doing the CT and only then if something is a little out of order will request an MRI. It is a hard call to make sometimes but the way I look at it is what ever you decided will be the right choice for you. I believe my last MRI was a little over $4,000 insurance paid half and the PPO discount was about $1,800 so my out of pocket was only 200 bucks. Sometimes you can talk them down to being treated like if you are in network, but you need to do it before you take the MRI.

Tim

my insurance about a year or maybe a tad more deemed PET scans medically unnecessay, and will only approve CTs that I get every 6 months a few days prior to seeing my oncologist and ENT...my oncologist also has me get a chest X-ray , all have been clear..So who knows...I will be 4 yrs out of treatment in December.

linda 

John,

Your 4yr post is my 4yr beginning, how time flys.

I have read your diagnosis and if you are not HPV positive, I might require a PET scan for peace of mind.  The only reason I say that is because HPV likes certain cell types and it does not travel so readily. That’s not to say HPV does not spread the cancer.

I’ve had two PET scans and three CT scan over the last 3 ½ years  I’ve only had the oral exam for the last year and I hope it is enough.  If I felt at all strange I would request one and I am almost sure my radiation oncologists or my ENT would sign off (read between the lines).

Since joining the cancer world we each know how unpredictable it is.  There is a lot to be said about catching it early. No matter how good I feel it’s never completely out of mind

Maybe, 10 of us could go in together and get a discount?

Good luck, 

Matt.

jtl said:

Thanks for all of the input

Matt, yes time does fly, glad you are doing well.  I am HPV+

Bill, the cost of a CT/PET combo through Medicare is pretty reasonable.  When I sign the papers at the place that does the scans there is a section that says if Medicare does not pay I will be responsible for a payment of $1600.

Noellesmom, the 3 scan limit is what Medicare allows for diagnostic scans of the original cancer.  A recurrence would restart the allowance.

Hwt, i think a CT scan alone would usually be sufficient but in my case the primary was such that it took a PET scan to locate it so I am a little reluctant to rely on a CT alone.

Tim, I have never had an MRI, just CT/PET.

John, just the opposite for me.  The ENT says do it and the rad onco says nay.  I too am concerned about excess radiation.  God only knows we have all had plenty.  I read about your pancreas issue, what an ordeal. I believe you said that it was not related to the scchn, is that correct?

Ladylacy, the 3 scan rule is fairly new and only pertains to the traditional Medicare, not the Advantage plans which are HMO's and can chose to make there own decisions.  Sometimes they are better and sometimes not so.  I chose to stick with traditional Medicare with a supplemental policy to cover deductibles and copays so I have zero out of pocket.  I was concerned that my choice of doctors would not be available in an Advantage plan but it would have been less expensive.  At least with Medicare I can go anywhere in the country for treatment providing they accept Medicare.  Not many people on this forum are on Medicare from what I know.  

As an aside.  I am amazed at how many people that I know personally have been diagnosed with scchn.  My best friend in FL was diagnosed a year after me and had a jaw resection followed by radiation and Erbitux and is currently doing well,  my neighbor a few houses down my street also had a jaw resection and chemo and is 5 years post NED, a seasonal neighbor across the street had a jaw resection, grafts to his tongue after a recurrence and is now on a permanent trach and feeding tube.  Now my one of my best friends in Minnesota starts rads and chemo tomorrow at the Mayo clinic for scchn.  

 

Good luck to everyone.

John

I have only had CT scans when they first found my tumor.  Two surgeries, a feeding tube and 30 rads later...with NO insurance!  I did payment plans, got help from Medicaid and talked down all I could. I'm still making payments, but am alive to do so and I try not to complain.  I'm two years out and all I get now are neck/chest xrays.  I'd love them to do a scan or at least xray of my HEAD...where the cancer actually was, but they don't feel it's needed.  They feel all is well with the exam they do every 2-3 months. 

jtl said:

Thanks for all of the input

Matt, yes time does fly, glad you are doing well.  I am HPV+

Bill, the cost of a CT/PET combo through Medicare is pretty reasonable.  When I sign the papers at the place that does the scans there is a section that says if Medicare does not pay I will be responsible for a payment of $1600.

Noellesmom, the 3 scan limit is what Medicare allows for diagnostic scans of the original cancer.  A recurrence would restart the allowance.

Hwt, i think a CT scan alone would usually be sufficient but in my case the primary was such that it took a PET scan to locate it so I am a little reluctant to rely on a CT alone.

Tim, I have never had an MRI, just CT/PET.

John, just the opposite for me.  The ENT says do it and the rad onco says nay.  I too am concerned about excess radiation.  God only knows we have all had plenty.  I read about your pancreas issue, what an ordeal. I believe you said that it was not related to the scchn, is that correct?

Ladylacy, the 3 scan rule is fairly new and only pertains to the traditional Medicare, not the Advantage plans which are HMO's and can chose to make there own decisions.  Sometimes they are better and sometimes not so.  I chose to stick with traditional Medicare with a supplemental policy to cover deductibles and copays so I have zero out of pocket.  I was concerned that my choice of doctors would not be available in an Advantage plan but it would have been less expensive.  At least with Medicare I can go anywhere in the country for treatment providing they accept Medicare.  Not many people on this forum are on Medicare from what I know.  

As an aside.  I am amazed at how many people that I know personally have been diagnosed with scchn.  My best friend in FL was diagnosed a year after me and had a jaw resection followed by radiation and Erbitux and is currently doing well,  my neighbor a few houses down my street also had a jaw resection and chemo and is 5 years post NED, a seasonal neighbor across the street had a jaw resection, grafts to his tongue after a recurrence and is now on a permanent trach and feeding tube.  Now my one of my best friends in Minnesota starts rads and chemo tomorrow at the Mayo clinic for scchn.  

 

Good luck to everyone.

John

Hey John..,

Right the pancreas issue was just picked up actuslly on some of those scans I mentioned above. It had been there for awhile, and it didn't really seem to increase or become active until they started poking and probing around on it.

Then it started to increase in size and become an issue they wanted to get rif of before it turned into something worse..

Sometimes bad luck seems to be all we have...

But all is well finally and I'm good to go, and maybe a little better than before.

Best,

John