Need Cancer Treatment? Pay Cash First!

[Cook57]

"We hear about the miracles.

We hear about the life-saving research, the testimonials from grateful patients, the lauds from sources such as U.S. News & World Report, which ranks it the best cancer hospital in the country.

But we rarely hear about the ugly side of The University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: the pressure on uninsured or underinsured patients to pay the bill before they get the care.

An article last week in The Wall Street Journal, headlined "Cash Before Chemo: Hospitals Get Tough," told the story of Lisa Kelly, a 52-year-old Lake Jackson woman who went to M.D. Anderson after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2006.

According to the Journal report, M.D. Anderson refused to accept Kelly's "limited-benefit" insurance and asked for a certified check for $45,000, then an additional $60,000 before it would admit her."

ClickHere Cancer Care (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/falkenberg/5756461.html)

[momoftwo]

Oh sure, let me just get my checkbook. :rolleyes1:

[Cook57]

Oh sure, let me just get my checkbook. :rolleyes1:

Think they would "trade-out" treatment for some of that Whole Wheat Lasagna?:D


Seriously though, one reason I posted this article is because I have heard from "real people" who actually did have to come up with Big Deposits to get treatment started. This reality is Sooooooo different from their TV ads!

[baby duck]

I can't tell you how many times I went round and round with the billing department when my husband was receiving treatment there. We were there for three years before we started 6 mos checkups. It was a full time job to keep track of their bills. We changed insurance companies at least once while he was there, and they changed the way they did their billing at least twice. It took quite a bit of manipulation to get a detailed bill summary, and I fought with them for 5 years to get them to identify one doctor (everything is coded). I wanted to know who the doctor was, because there was literally a charge from him that couldn't be explained for some service three days before my husband was a patient. One lady in billing tried to tell me that it was a charge to make the appointments for DH. Ummmm, no. Try again.

The medical care is outstanding; the billing department is demonic. That being said, I've had issues with other hospitals billing departments, too.

[Cook57]

babyduck:

Thanks for sharing your experiences; you may be interested in reading the Comments at end of the article....others have similar/worse "tales to tell". :)

[momoftwo]

Not that this has anything to do with the issue, but cook I will make you lasgna!! I mean that! No one should have to deal with money,when their life is on the line. Period. I know bad grammar, but I am tired.

[cgwoolf]

I read that article in the Hou Chron Sunday and I was mortified! It never dawned on me that they would refuse service unless you paid a lot up front. That is just awful. I assume this is not an issue if you have good insurance. But honestly, I don't think it should be an issue at all. As long as they treat indigents completely for free, then it should be the same way with someone who has a job but no insurance to cover cancer. This hits home as to why Wilson and others want govt healthcare I know. And I understand. But the truth is, I don't think the govt is any good at managing health care (read Medicare/Medicaid).

[Cook57]

Not that this has anything to do with the issue, but cook I will make you lasgna!! I mean that! No one should have to deal with money,when their life is on the line. Period. I know bad grammar, but I am tired.

You may be tired...but you are a good, good woman; and I mean that!! Just kidding about the lasagna...unless of course maybe I did one of your least favorite jobs..cleaning your vehicle. :D:D

[Cook57]

MD Anderson does see very regularly/often patients that other hospitals seldom see. They are the super rich celebs/world leaders who arrive with "wheelbarrows filled with cash". So IMO they are "spoiled" by this and are too harsh on other patients who could pay small amounts over time.

My feelings are that with ALL the special advertising they do; they should make payment arrangements for patients who do not have complete insurance coverage and/or "buckets of cash".

babyduck had experience that they would not identify for 5 years a doctor for whom her husband had charge from three days BEFORE he entered MD Anderson. That is inexcusable.

When you are "the only game in town"; it is morally unacceptable to take advantage of that fact.

[schnauzermom]

I don't think MD Anderson sees or treats "indigents". That is what county hospitals are for. Also not that I'm defending them, I think it is a terrible policy but they do have something like 50 million in unpaid bills every year. Clearly there is a problem here. The solution is not simply government mandated health care but an entire over haul of our system starting with insurance companies. MD Anderson is a business after all isn't it? They have to make money and pay their bills just like everyone else. When private hospitals start going under we will see a much greater push to government health care whether we want it or not.

[Wilson]

We're having to enroll in new insurance plans through dh's employer... I was reading the paperwork last night and we have the option for supplemental "Cancer Insurance" plus riders for "Wellness" (cancer screening coverage - Bone Marrow Testing through Pap Smears and Biopsies) but they only pay once per person per calendar year; and another rider for "Cancer Initial Diagnosis" for a one-time benefit of $2,4,or5K, depending on the level you wish to pay, when you are diagnosed for the first time of having cancer.

For a "Family", the plans range from $32-71/month.

[TXrose]

I don't think your going to see a fix of the problems with gov't healthcare. There has to be a complete overhaul of the medical system, ranging from costs etc.

If they can't give the over 65 a good enough insurance plan what's to say they are going to give the general population any better? I guarentee you that with Medicaid the over 65 bunch pays more out of their pocket than Medicaid pays for. I sure wouldn't want the gov't deciding what treatments I could have or how much they pay, but something needs to be done.

Between perscription costs and medical costs they have risen sky high, but there is really no control over what a hospital charges for a procedure. Now if they belong to a network healthcare then there is control over what the insurance pays, if they can do that for an insurance company then I don't see why they need to charge the outrageous prices for procedures that they do.

I did look at our benefits for Cancer treatment etc, and we have pretty good coverage, although I know the costs can be extensive it may not cover it all but it looks like ours is a $250 ded/year and they pay 80%, our insurance though is self insured.