chemo cost

SnapDragon2
SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Just opened todays mail.  Insurance was billed a little over $30,000 for 5FU for month of Oct.  They got a break of a little over $7,000 and paid $22,000+.  WOW!  I am shocked and SO BLESSED to have insurance.

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    Oxaliplating is even worse

    When I saw my first bill, and how much the Oxi was, I about fainted.  

    I was blessed at that point to have good insurance. Not the case now, so I had better stay NED. 

    Tru

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited December 2019 #3
    Insurance

    You are so fortunate to have good insurance as treatment is expensive.  In this day and age though we are fortunate that they are making strides everyday to colo/rectal cancer.  Tru is right, Oxy is very expensive, and not very fun to go through.  

    Kim

  • Twinzma
    Twinzma Member Posts: 236 Member
    #4
    Treatment is costly!

    It really is a disgrace what they charge! The strivarga pills my husband is on is $18,000 a month. In other countries it's only $6000 a month....Not right at all!!! His insurance is tied to his job so he has not taken off of work. No matter how he feels he goes in, out of fear if he looses his job our insurance will be gone. 

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    #5
    I am so very thankful for

    I am so very thankful for modern medicine and insurance, whew!  It just blew me away how much cancer treatment cost.  The oncologist bill for Sept (just 2 apts to decide treatment plan) was over $12,000.  Curious to see what his bill is for Oct when I actually started seeing him once a week.  I love my oncologist and asked him if he owned a beach house in the Bahamas or caribbean in general.  He said "no."  I suggested he buy one so I can have a retreat to heal after surgery.  He thought that was funny.  I was really being serious as I think he can afford one and I need one for a while, ha!

  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #6
    Cost of treatment

    My oncologist told me she has no idea where those billed amts come from - they are pulled out of a database and are always higher than what any ins co would charge.  The cost to look at (still huge) is the amount ins allows and that gets forgiven by the doc.

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    #7
    Yes, the cancer clinic billed

    Yes, the cancer clinic billed insurance for it and then accepted insurance pymt of about $6500 for oncology services.  We owe $50.00.  Goodness!

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #8
    SnapDragon2 said:

    I am so very thankful for

    I am so very thankful for modern medicine and insurance, whew!  It just blew me away how much cancer treatment cost.  The oncologist bill for Sept (just 2 apts to decide treatment plan) was over $12,000.  Curious to see what his bill is for Oct when I actually started seeing him once a week.  I love my oncologist and asked him if he owned a beach house in the Bahamas or caribbean in general.  He said "no."  I suggested he buy one so I can have a retreat to heal after surgery.  He thought that was funny.  I was really being serious as I think he can afford one and I need one for a while, ha!

    Funny

    Yeah, he should make that a benefit of paying his doctor bills to be able to go to a well deserved cottage after treatment.  Glad he has a sense of humor.

    Kim

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 76 Member
    #9
    Cost

    My hospital has charged insurance $100,00 every two weeks for Chemo and Neulasta.

    The Neulasta itself from the hospital pharmacy is $50,000 per injection!

    So... I had 26 chemo visits for the bargain price of $2.6 million so far.  
    This does not include the multiple CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, Ultrasounds etc. Nor does it include a complicated surgery and a week of hospitalization in a private room for a week. Oh and let's not forget it does not include the weeks of visits, procedures and tests while trying to be diagnosed. 
    It is mind boggling and I rarely look at the bills.


    Do I think it's worth it? Um kinda Sorta yeah considering I'm alive, currently NED and in a chemo break for now. (Insert nervous laughter here)

    I am grateful for the insurance and also for the fact that the Affordable Care Act eliminated lifetime coverage limits which I recall being capped at a million dollars on all of the insurances I had way back when. I thought at the time it was more than enough to cover anything that could happen to a human. I could not have been more wrong. 

    As much as I love my oncologist and hospital there is something very wrong with this picture. It is downright obscene!

    However, one can compare themselves to the 6 Million Dollar Man and there's nothing wrong with that to boost one's mood.

    :)

     

     

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    #10
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Funny

    Yeah, he should make that a benefit of paying his doctor bills to be able to go to a well deserved cottage after treatment.  Glad he has a sense of humor.

    Kim

    I need to take him phamplets

    I need to take him phamplets of beach houses for sale in the caribbean, lol

    He even said "You think I am more interesting than I really am."

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    #11
    Steelkiwi686 said:

    Cost

    My hospital has charged insurance $100,00 every two weeks for Chemo and Neulasta.

    The Neulasta itself from the hospital pharmacy is $50,000 per injection!

    So... I had 26 chemo visits for the bargain price of $2.6 million so far.  
    This does not include the multiple CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, Ultrasounds etc. Nor does it include a complicated surgery and a week of hospitalization in a private room for a week. Oh and let's not forget it does not include the weeks of visits, procedures and tests while trying to be diagnosed. 
    It is mind boggling and I rarely look at the bills.


    Do I think it's worth it? Um kinda Sorta yeah considering I'm alive, currently NED and in a chemo break for now. (Insert nervous laughter here)

    I am grateful for the insurance and also for the fact that the Affordable Care Act eliminated lifetime coverage limits which I recall being capped at a million dollars on all of the insurances I had way back when. I thought at the time it was more than enough to cover anything that could happen to a human. I could not have been more wrong. 

    As much as I love my oncologist and hospital there is something very wrong with this picture. It is downright obscene!

    However, one can compare themselves to the 6 Million Dollar Man and there's nothing wrong with that to boost one's mood.

    :)

     

     

    WOW!  And yes,  thank God for

    WOW!  And yes,  thank God for insurance, modern medicine and knowlege about fighting cancer!

    You are the 6 million dollar woman!  I am so happy that you are NED!!!!!

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    #12
    Cost

    My hospital billed out almost 50K per infusion session as well, for FOLFOX. I had 3 ports inserted, each billed out over 25K. Doctors who work for a hospital (as mine did) get a salary regardless of how many cases they do so the insurance companies/hospitals/phamraceutical companies are getting the big money.

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 76 Member
    #13
    Agree

    I absolutely agree. I have never assumed my doctor personally makes more or less money based on which treatments are prescribed.  Heck,based on the number of patients he sees, if he earned even a tiny percentage of what it costs yearly he'd be the richest man in the world! 

     

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #14
    SnapDragon2 said:

    I need to take him phamplets

    I need to take him phamplets of beach houses for sale in the caribbean, lol

    He even said "You think I am more interesting than I really am."

    Houses

    Actually, tell him the ones you are interested in and let him pick from your list.  You must have a friendly relationship with your doctor, because mine was a stick in the mud.  It's good to have a doctor that you can joke around with.  My doctor was too much by the book - uggg.  Hope you get the vacation spot of your dreams LOL.

    Kim

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    #15
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Houses

    Actually, tell him the ones you are interested in and let him pick from your list.  You must have a friendly relationship with your doctor, because mine was a stick in the mud.  It's good to have a doctor that you can joke around with.  My doctor was too much by the book - uggg.  Hope you get the vacation spot of your dreams LOL.

    Kim

    I know right!!! LOL  I call

    I know right!!! LOL  I call my oncologist Superman.  I think thats what broke the ice with him.

    Saw my radiologist today.  I call him my best friend.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #16
    SnapDragon2 said:

    I know right!!! LOL  I call

    I know right!!! LOL  I call my oncologist Superman.  I think thats what broke the ice with him.

    Saw my radiologist today.  I call him my best friend.

    Radiologist

    My radiologist was a wonderful guy as well.  After 5 year anniversay he wanted me to come see him again to let him know how everything was going.  He was surprised that I'd actually stopped by.  Glad you have such a great relationship with your doctors as it makes a good bit of difference in how they treat you.

    Kim

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #17
    SnapDragon2 said:

    I am so very thankful for

    I am so very thankful for modern medicine and insurance, whew!  It just blew me away how much cancer treatment cost.  The oncologist bill for Sept (just 2 apts to decide treatment plan) was over $12,000.  Curious to see what his bill is for Oct when I actually started seeing him once a week.  I love my oncologist and asked him if he owned a beach house in the Bahamas or caribbean in general.  He said "no."  I suggested he buy one so I can have a retreat to heal after surgery.  He thought that was funny.  I was really being serious as I think he can afford one and I need one for a while, ha!

     

    image

     

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    edited December 2019 #18
    Taboo Topics

    While I can understand the reasoning behind not discussing politics on here, sometimes it’s necesary. Frankly, healthcare is pretty lame in the US. Fortunately, my insurance (Medicare + UHC Supplemental Plan) have covered many of my expenses. I’ve been fortunate. Both parties own this mess that we have to pay for. 

    I found this article to be pretty unbiased in explaining some of the reasons why healthcare is in the shape it’s in. the high cost of healthcare.

    Add to that the lobbyists who in fact, write the legislation themselves for their clients benefit.* https://youtu.be/NXUPDAMc_6o 

    * This video was created in 2012

     

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    #19
    PhillieG said:

    Taboo Topics

    While I can understand the reasoning behind not discussing politics on here, sometimes it’s necesary. Frankly, healthcare is pretty lame in the US. Fortunately, my insurance (Medicare + UHC Supplemental Plan) have covered many of my expenses. I’ve been fortunate. Both parties own this mess that we have to pay for. 

    I found this article to be pretty unbiased in explaining some of the reasons why healthcare is in the shape it’s in. the high cost of healthcare.

    Add to that the lobbyists who in fact, write the legislation themselves for their clients benefit.* https://youtu.be/NXUPDAMc_6o 

    * This video was created in 2012

     

    Good youtube video!

    Good youtube video!

  • SoCal42
    SoCal42 Member Posts: 78
    #20
    Chemo cost

    i was shocked when I learned that my two anti-nausea drugs (Emend and Aloxi) cost even more than the actual chemo!

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