Cost?

Here is an update on my cost so far with BC.

As I wrote before I was able to get on with the new Federal Medical Insurance Plan here in Oregon...it was part of the new health care law. It provides insurance for people that have a condition that normal insurance would not take you for, cancer is one of the conditions.
Any how the cost is $598 a month plus $2,000 out of pocket for preffered providers. 2nd group providers add another $3,500 a year to the bill.

I just switched doctors to get away from the out of network bill...so far this year I am up to $13,000 plus and next week I start my BCG treatments that will add another $5,500. By the time I am done with the BCG treatments I will be maxed out on my out of pocket for the year at $2,000.
As it stands I am holding on financially because of the FMIP, without it I don't know what I would do. BC is the most expencive cancer to fight, the cost keep coming every year you are alive with it. But as someone who got it without having insurance to start with I can say that there is help out there. I am spending a little under $1,000 a month on this and I know people that pay more than that for their insuance and they are healthy! I believe we have the best heath care in the world, if you can afford it. I just wish there was a way to lower the cost for every one and in away that satified everyone. Call me a dreamer, Warren.

Just want to thank Warren for starting this topic. My husband just had his first BCG treatment. He had 5 non invasive tumors removed last month. We live on Social Security and like Warren, have no insurance. He does have Medicare but I'm not sure how much that is going to pay for all this.

Thanks everyone for all the links and info regarding costs and insurances. I'm so glad I found this site. I gave my husband the link so hopefully he will also join too.

Thanks for the cost info, I go in next week for my TURBT here in Bend. The only problem I see with the insurance is my doctor and his office are not a preferred provider, instead he is on the B list. The FMIP is run by BlueCross BlueSheild here in Oregon and by using a non-preferred doctor it is going to add an extra $3,500 to my bill each year.

It doesn't matter much for this year because the billing will only be for December, but for next year I am trying to figure out if it would be worth it to travel over the hill and go to Eugene or to Portland and use a PP. I'm not sure what my treatment will be or how many visits I will have next year....I guess I am wondering if an extra $3,500 is worth not having a two hour drive after a visit?

I should add that for work I have to commute 600 miles to my boat, I am only here in Bend half the time and the other half down in Monterey Ca.
Thanks again for any opinions or advice.
Warren

Hi, Warren - Bend, huh? I was raised in Klamath Falls! Left there in '65, but my 94-yr-old dad is still there. I went to Oregon State in '62-'64. Welcome to the club!

I was just diagnosed with non-invasive papillary carcinoma (grade Ta) in September this year. I've already had TURBT and am on my 4th BCG treatment. I think it's absolutely wonderful you got on an insurance plan, as I know my care will be of significant cost over the long term. Fortunately, I'm now on Medicare (age 67) with excellent secondary insurance, so the financial part is the least of my worries.

About costs: My TURBT was over $7k (as outpatient in hospital), and each BCG treatment is around $400 (of course, Medicare doesn't pay near this much to the providers). Since the normal BCG treatment regimen is 6 initial weekly treatments, followed by maintenance treatments in groups of 3, plus additional cystosopies and possible TURBTs, this could get quite expensive over the years - and I am determined that this will be many, many years for me.

If you enter BCG treatments - I am keeping a running account how I react to them in a thread on this board ("Newbie - I'm checkin' in").

Cheers - Maryland Mike