Topic: really? one stereostatic biopsy and the amount of $$$?

Jun 3, 2012 02:30 PM peggy_j wrote:

Sorry you're going through this. Are you sure you're reading your policy correctly? Some people have policies that are only major medical. i.e. they aren't so great at covering a lot of more routine visits and may have a large deductible, but they definitely provide some coverage for larger events.

Jun 11, 2012 03:19 PM omg333 wrote:

Hi! Mine came out negative, yet, i do have some savings, i'm a stay at home care taker at this time....my mum and my hubby (is pretty sick)....I just don't want to get one thing that would wipe all our money out! Any organization will look into our account if something catastrophic would happen to me, they go after our money first.

Just a thought...I was reading that the amount it would cost someone with breast cancer stage 2, or 3...is $500,000! That is for treatment only! Whoa!

It is becoming a fact to have an excellent health insurance plan.....if you can afford it!

Take care!! 

Jun 11, 2012 03:30 PM proudtospin wrote:

I felt the same way as you when first diagnosed but some how I got through it all with bills paid

pull poverty, don't spend a dime you do not have to until all is resolved

and do not be afraid to ask folks, at one point in the beginning I barfed at a big bill, I called the hospital and asked for an extended payment plan.  They said yes, asked me what I could pay and we agreed on a plan.  In the end, I was able to pay but having that hospital say I had some room....meant a great deal to me

Jun 21, 2012 10:35 AM financegirl wrote:

I hear ya.  Last year going into treatment, I hit the catastrophic level of $5,000 out of pocket relatively quickly.  And I consider that I have pretty good insurance.  The $5000 is per calendar year and once I hit that, health care is free the rest of that calendar year.  I was dx in April 2011; as soon as I began chemo, it didn't take long to reach that limit.   My copay for each Neulasta shot after all 8 chemo infusions was $785 after insurance paid the majority of that.  Neulasta billed $3500 per shot, insurance paid about 1/3 of that and I owed the balance of $785 per shot.   A lot of my 2011 treatment was free because I hit the $5000 catastrophic but treatment crossed over into 2012 and I am soon to hit the catastrophic level for this year also and mind you, treatment itself was over in February.   Just the twelve radiation treatments that stretched into 2012 were $1425 (my share) but the other 24 were free in 2011 b/c I'd met catastrophic.  All the testing afterwards cost a lot too.

I had saved a lot over the years but like you, I wanted to keep a cushion for other things and not pay it all out at once.  I will say that I did find that every doctor/hospital I encountered during this journey, all allowed me to pay what I felt comfortable affording each month and as long as I continue paying it down, no one bothers me.  I've checked my credit history and again, as long as I am paying off these bills, it has not affected that either.

Jun 22, 2012 09:34 PM omg333 wrote:

Thank you both for replying to the endless questions of questions! Finance girl and sunflower..

Why and who controls the money game when going into a procedure? Who code's what is what??? As i had a small, yet troublesome stereo...who is sitting at the computer with each and every lil move the doc did..the other nurses????  I am so glad to have an intelligent response...finally! Can we ever figure out what our insurance (they usually are in the business of winning!)  I just can see thru all the bullsh#t....no wonder you have to have the perfect liason with a good (?) insurance plan or a meager one...

amen to a few responses...i now know what page i should have posted on , I will from now on 

either out of the pocket, if you can, or insane amounts of money billed to our health ins. companies....It doesn't pay to get sick..........and that is sick! 

Jul 5, 2012 02:18 PM omg333 wrote:

Hi betts:

Thanks for sharing the info. on getting a handle of what cost what!  That 20% of the cost is frightening! Could end up to be a lot of money, knowing how much it costs to have procedures and surgery...I'm glad your looking into to this for your own good.  No one realized thru the turmoil of having something, and then the bills that come in afterward. It's like pouring salt in an open wound!  Keep us informed, K?

thanks,

omg 

Jul 6, 2012 10:26 PM, edited Oct 13, 2012 08:48 PM by Charitylake