I don’t know why it is a thing. But it is. Can give you a great example.
I was diagnosed in 2020. Went to a local oncologist who said (initially) I was stage 1. We caught it early. Then they do the colon resection and I wake up to the news that I’m stage 3c. I went through a 6 month treatment which knocked it back using the standard treatment (FOLFOX) and it was undetectable. Cut to 6 months later and it was back with a vengeance.
My oncologist ordered genetic testing right at the same time I decided to go to MD Anderson. The first thing that they wanted to do was the same genetic test. Great we say. My old oncologist ordered it.
My insurance BCBS declined to pay because my old oncologist ordered it and not the current one at MDACC. We / the hospital wrote 3 protest letters and they denied the claim meaning we had to pay 5k for the test. After dealing with insurance and the testing company we negotiated a lower price but be prepared to do so.
If you can’t afford it you are sometimes able to get payment plans. And there are endowments for situations where money is tight or no insurance. None of it is fun that’s for sure. Insurance companies are not your friend.
I was diagnosed in 2020. Went to a local oncologist who said (initially) I was stage 1. We caught it early. Then they do the colon resection and I wake up to the news that I’m stage 3c. I went through a 6 month treatment which knocked it back using the standard treatment (FOLFOX) and it was undetectable. Cut to 6 months later and it was back with a vengeance.
My oncologist ordered genetic testing right at the same time I decided to go to MD Anderson. The first thing that they wanted to do was the same genetic test. Great we say. My old oncologist ordered it.
My insurance BCBS declined to pay because my old oncologist ordered it and not the current one at MDACC. We / the hospital wrote 3 protest letters and they denied the claim meaning we had to pay 5k for the test. After dealing with insurance and the testing company we negotiated a lower price but be prepared to do so.
If you can’t afford it you are sometimes able to get payment plans. And there are endowments for situations where money is tight or no insurance. None of it is fun that’s for sure. Insurance companies are not your friend.