[quote]All that said, the bulk of people in the US do not have the luxury of getting to choose what their HMO, insurance region and carrier, or personal finance dictates. That is the reality. So, IF, IF, someone has the ability to go to an institution with a higher clinical outcome rating, and the assets to make that possible, OCF will always recommend that patients go to one.[/quote]The reason I wanted to express my satisfaction with the non-CCC options is exactly your point. There are many insured under plans with limited options and CCC may not be an option. Many are under-insured and even uninsured - pushing for a CCC only adds stress and feeling inadequate and worse that will be under-treated or receive substandard car via other options.

This is NOT the case. Most, if not all, medical professionals and institutions in the USA follow standard of care guidelines. So, you will receive adequate care for all things "standard".

Even if you have access to a CCC via out-of-network options under your coverage, the financial costs can overly burden ones financial abilities. Some here are quite emphatic about going to a CCC, to the degree, one should be willing to go bankrupt to afford out of pocket CCC cost. I offer that one can get just as solid outcomes via non-CCC if you keep your eyes open and nose sharp.

In my case, having the run of the mill scc stg4 HPV+ with known BOT primary, it seemed fairly pedestrian for the typical ENT,MO,RO, etc. Even though my team was not under the same roof, it was a team and my case went through a tumor board just the same as a CCC. My request to attend was granted and it was very impressive to sit around a table of 15 professional, doctors and other med. pros, all fixated on my MO presenting my case and reviewing and discussing the finer points of the reports and diagnosis, etc.

My surgeon ENT did his fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute. My RO is individually recognized in the latest US News ratings. The facility where I received services is recognized by US News, just not a CCC and rated one notch lower mostly due to not being a teaching/research facility; vital if you have something unusual or where standard of care does not seem appropriate. My MO is the least experienced but very passionate about healing me and I know he did a lot of extra research just to ensure he was on solid footing. I am trilled with them all.

I'm just offering out to those that you can get great care and outcomes via non-CCC and as Brian states the reality in today's health insurance market puts CCC alternatives out of reach for many but that does not doom one to a death sentence. don