no insurance & just found out she has bc

JKAlley
JKAlley Member Posts: 84
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am a bc survivor - will be 6 years in June since I finished all treatments. Had lumpectomy, chemo (AC and Taxol) and radiation. I was in the clinical trial for herceptin and had to go once a wk for 52 wks. I used to live on this site and in the chat rooms, and can I say to all of the newly diagnosed - you will move on, and life does return.
I know there is always a wealth of information from the wonderful ladies here and we need help. A lovely lady my sister works with was just diagnosed with bc, and has no insurance. "They" say she needs $50,000 up front for surgery. Does anyone know where we can go to get her some financial help? She is a care giver to elderly patients and now she needs the care. She's ready to just let the cancer run its course, and we're not going to let that happen. We'll do fund raising as well, but help would be nice. Big thanks to anyone that has any info. Judy BTW - we're in Denver.

Comments

  • sunny_girl
    sunny_girl Member Posts: 33
    #2
    BCCTP and other resources
    I'm very sorry to hear about your friend. Fortunately there are a lot of good programs out there. There is a Federally funded program called the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP) that will enroll low income women in Medicaid and pays 100% of all medical treatment (including retroactive payments for diagnostic care). Here is a link for Colorado:

    http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/cwcci/treatment.html

    or try this link for other services:

    http://www.komendenver.org/site/DocServer/2009_2010_list_of_grantees.pdf?docID=2101

    If she doesn't qualify for that, the following information is a list of resources that may be helpful to her. Good luck with everything.

    COLORADO
    Bosom Buddies, Southwestern Colorado

    Contact Jenny Sullivan at 970-728-4104 for more information.
    • Financial assistance to help women who can’t afford mammograms, diagnostic mammograms, biopsies and surgeries

    ************************************************** *
    The Mickaela Foundation

    P.O. Box 324, Arvada, CO 80001, 303-452-1898

    • Provides treatment funds for uninsured breast cancer patients, including monthly medical bill assistance grants up to $500
    e-mail: help@mickaela.org
    http://www.mickaela.org
    ************************************************** ***
    Orchard of Hope Foundation

    111 S Orchard Ave, Canon City, CO 81212, 719-275-008;, 1618 Bonforte Blvd., #c, Pueblo, CO 81001, 719-544-7171

    • Helps Fremont County and Pueblo cancer patients and their families

    • Transportation to and from medical appointments, prosthetics, wigs, and much more

    http://www.orchardofhope.org
    *************************************************
    Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Foundation

    1161 S. Vivian Street, Lakewood, CO 8022, 303-930-7822

    • Financial support for cancer related expenses not covered by insurance

    • Provides financial support to Colorado patients undergoing cancer treatments. This assistance will pay for daily necessities such as housing, food, utilities, transportation, medical insurance and supplies.

    http://www.coloradocancercenters.com
    (S) Sense of Security

    P.O. Box 6098, Broomfield, CO 80021, 303-669-3113 or 866-736-3113

    • Offers non-medical financial assistance to breast cancer patients while they are undergoing treatment

    • Assistance is provided in six categories: mortgage/rent, food/groceries, utilities, transportation, medical insurance premiums, and child care

    • Serves patients statewide

    • Web site has links to many financial resources and F.A.S.TTM Financial Assistance Screening Tool

    e-mail: info@senseofsecurity.org

    http://www.senseofsecurity.org
    Vail Breast Cancer Awareness Group

    P.O. Box 4043, Avon, CO 81620, 970-479-8595

    • Strives to ease the financial and emotional burdens faced by those women in Eagle County who are battling breast cancer
    Raymond Wentz Foundation

    2555 S. Downing St., Ste 240 Denver, CO 80210, 720-226-6709

    • Provides financial assistance to low-income cancer patients in treatment who cannot afford basic needs like utility payments, rent, groceries, transportation, or office visit copays.

    • All applicants must be referred by oncology social workers, doctors or nurses familiar with the patient’s financial situation, reside in Colorado and be actively receiving treatment for cancer.
    email: stephhearn@yahoo.com

    Friends of Man

    P.O. Box 937, Littleton, CO 80161-0937, 303-798-2342

    • Provides financial assistance with food, clothing, medical expenses, day care, dental expenses

    • Requires third party referral
    Hope Lives! Breast Cancer Support Center

    2629 Redwing Rd., Suite 260, Ft. Collins, CO 80526, 970-225-6200

    • Helps women undergoing breast cancer treatment in Larimer County and Windsor.

    • Provides payment for services such as massage therapy, acupuncture, Reiki, healing touch, individual and family counseling, and nutritional counseling

    • Women must be within six months of their most recent breast cancer treatment

    e-mail: staff@hopelives.org

    http://www.hopelives.org
    Journey of Hope Fund

    Durango area, serving La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, and San Juan Counties. Contact Erin Harris at Mercy Medical Center, 970-382-1228

    • Provides free mammograms to uninsured women who otherwise cannot afford them.
    Memorial Hospital Foundation

    525 North Foote Avenue, Suite 303, Colorado Springs, CO 80909, 719-365-GIVE (719-365-4483)

    • Provides financial resources to assist Memorial Hospital patients on an as-needed basis

    http://www.memorialhospital.com
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #3
    Sunny_girl did an amazing
    Sunny_girl did an amazing job of giving you leads. Also you could call the ACS number on this site and ask if they have any additional leads.
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    #4
    Marcia527 said:

    Sunny_girl did an amazing
    Sunny_girl did an amazing job of giving you leads. Also you could call the ACS number on this site and ask if they have any additional leads.

    My hat is off to
    My hat is off to sunny_girl.....such a good list of information. I congratulate you on your concern, and expertise in this field. I am sure help is there if you just know how to find it. Please keep us up to date on your friend, and how she finds treatment available to her. I am sure there are lots of b/c patients who need this same info. Hugs. Judy
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #5
    creampuff91344 said:

    My hat is off to
    My hat is off to sunny_girl.....such a good list of information. I congratulate you on your concern, and expertise in this field. I am sure help is there if you just know how to find it. Please keep us up to date on your friend, and how she finds treatment available to her. I am sure there are lots of b/c patients who need this same info. Hugs. Judy

    Wow Sunny Girl! That is some
    Wow Sunny Girl! That is some amazing list! I am going to save it for future reference in case someone I know needs help. Thanks!
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #6
    Colorado
    also has an indigent care program by the state--when she knows what hospital she will be in, have her talk to their financial folks. If she qualifies, the doctors and other practitioners *usually* will also discount their fees.

    Maureen
  • tally
    tally Member Posts: 48
    #7
    Best Chance
    I have very recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Please tell your friend to look into the Best Chance Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. It will pay for all her treatment. This is difficult enough to go through and having to worry about the financial part makes it harder. Please tell her that the most important thing right now is to get better and live. I don't have insurance either and have applied with this program. Bless you for caring about her.
  • EstherMSKCC
    EstherMSKCC Member Posts: 20
    #8
    no insurance
    Dear JKAlley,

    I'm sorry to hear about your sister's situation. I am an employee of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and we recognize that cancer can be quite an economic burden for patients, whether one has insurance or not.

    In addition to the resources already mentioned, you might find the National Cancer Institute information to be helpful: https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/factsheet/FactSheetSearch8_3.aspx.

    Here you can do a search for government-sponsored and other national organizations that offer financial assistance for cancer-related expenses, including treatment.

    I hope this is useful and wish your sister the best of luck as she begins her treatment process.

    -Esther
  • luner 7
    luner 7 Member Posts: 2
    #9
    well every one in co has a group
    But I would like to know about someone in Dallas tx. I am new to this site and I am having a lot of issues with my insurance. They are calling this a prexsisting condidtion and then I am also might not have any before my treatment is done. I can not belive the life that I have had in the past 3 weeks. I am trying to cope and it is really getting hard to do with every thing that seems to be coming at me as fast as it can. I am suppose to have test an another surgery but I am afraid to do this as I am already having big bills from seeing the dr and the first surgery for taking out the cancer. And now I am suppose to go thru another one to remove the breast. I am beside my self with all of it. I am not sleeping well I can not focuss on trying to move forward and or my job. I kind of feel like the lady I would just let it run it course.
  • aztec45
    aztec45 Member Posts: 757
    #10
    sunny_girl said:

    BCCTP and other resources
    I'm very sorry to hear about your friend. Fortunately there are a lot of good programs out there. There is a Federally funded program called the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP) that will enroll low income women in Medicaid and pays 100% of all medical treatment (including retroactive payments for diagnostic care). Here is a link for Colorado:

    http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/cwcci/treatment.html

    or try this link for other services:

    http://www.komendenver.org/site/DocServer/2009_2010_list_of_grantees.pdf?docID=2101

    If she doesn't qualify for that, the following information is a list of resources that may be helpful to her. Good luck with everything.

    COLORADO
    Bosom Buddies, Southwestern Colorado

    Contact Jenny Sullivan at 970-728-4104 for more information.
    • Financial assistance to help women who can’t afford mammograms, diagnostic mammograms, biopsies and surgeries

    ************************************************** *
    The Mickaela Foundation

    P.O. Box 324, Arvada, CO 80001, 303-452-1898

    • Provides treatment funds for uninsured breast cancer patients, including monthly medical bill assistance grants up to $500
    e-mail: help@mickaela.org
    http://www.mickaela.org
    ************************************************** ***
    Orchard of Hope Foundation

    111 S Orchard Ave, Canon City, CO 81212, 719-275-008;, 1618 Bonforte Blvd., #c, Pueblo, CO 81001, 719-544-7171

    • Helps Fremont County and Pueblo cancer patients and their families

    • Transportation to and from medical appointments, prosthetics, wigs, and much more

    http://www.orchardofhope.org
    *************************************************
    Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Foundation

    1161 S. Vivian Street, Lakewood, CO 8022, 303-930-7822

    • Financial support for cancer related expenses not covered by insurance

    • Provides financial support to Colorado patients undergoing cancer treatments. This assistance will pay for daily necessities such as housing, food, utilities, transportation, medical insurance and supplies.

    http://www.coloradocancercenters.com
    (S) Sense of Security

    P.O. Box 6098, Broomfield, CO 80021, 303-669-3113 or 866-736-3113

    • Offers non-medical financial assistance to breast cancer patients while they are undergoing treatment

    • Assistance is provided in six categories: mortgage/rent, food/groceries, utilities, transportation, medical insurance premiums, and child care

    • Serves patients statewide

    • Web site has links to many financial resources and F.A.S.TTM Financial Assistance Screening Tool

    e-mail: info@senseofsecurity.org

    http://www.senseofsecurity.org
    Vail Breast Cancer Awareness Group

    P.O. Box 4043, Avon, CO 81620, 970-479-8595

    • Strives to ease the financial and emotional burdens faced by those women in Eagle County who are battling breast cancer
    Raymond Wentz Foundation

    2555 S. Downing St., Ste 240 Denver, CO 80210, 720-226-6709

    • Provides financial assistance to low-income cancer patients in treatment who cannot afford basic needs like utility payments, rent, groceries, transportation, or office visit copays.

    • All applicants must be referred by oncology social workers, doctors or nurses familiar with the patient’s financial situation, reside in Colorado and be actively receiving treatment for cancer.
    email: stephhearn@yahoo.com

    Friends of Man

    P.O. Box 937, Littleton, CO 80161-0937, 303-798-2342

    • Provides financial assistance with food, clothing, medical expenses, day care, dental expenses

    • Requires third party referral
    Hope Lives! Breast Cancer Support Center

    2629 Redwing Rd., Suite 260, Ft. Collins, CO 80526, 970-225-6200

    • Helps women undergoing breast cancer treatment in Larimer County and Windsor.

    • Provides payment for services such as massage therapy, acupuncture, Reiki, healing touch, individual and family counseling, and nutritional counseling

    • Women must be within six months of their most recent breast cancer treatment

    e-mail: staff@hopelives.org

    http://www.hopelives.org
    Journey of Hope Fund

    Durango area, serving La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, and San Juan Counties. Contact Erin Harris at Mercy Medical Center, 970-382-1228

    • Provides free mammograms to uninsured women who otherwise cannot afford them.
    Memorial Hospital Foundation

    525 North Foote Avenue, Suite 303, Colorado Springs, CO 80909, 719-365-GIVE (719-365-4483)

    • Provides financial resources to assist Memorial Hospital patients on an as-needed basis

    http://www.memorialhospital.com

    SunnyGirl
    SunnyGirl,

    YOU ROCK!!! That is so awesome that you did that. Thank you for doing this.

    P
  • pscheer
    pscheer Member Posts: 56 Member
    #11
    luner 7 said:

    well every one in co has a group
    But I would like to know about someone in Dallas tx. I am new to this site and I am having a lot of issues with my insurance. They are calling this a prexsisting condidtion and then I am also might not have any before my treatment is done. I can not belive the life that I have had in the past 3 weeks. I am trying to cope and it is really getting hard to do with every thing that seems to be coming at me as fast as it can. I am suppose to have test an another surgery but I am afraid to do this as I am already having big bills from seeing the dr and the first surgery for taking out the cancer. And now I am suppose to go thru another one to remove the breast. I am beside my self with all of it. I am not sleeping well I can not focuss on trying to move forward and or my job. I kind of feel like the lady I would just let it run it course.

    help with insurance denials and assist with paying
    If your insurance is denying you or you just can't pay, go to Lance Armstrong's Livestrong web page and click on Survivor Care. They help fight the insurance company and they help pay for your treatment, even if you have insurance. Co-pays, prescriptions, deductibles. Survivor Care partnered with Livestrong. They can also tell you about a lot of other places that can help. They told me about BCCTP which each state has. Just google BCCTP and you'll find it.

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