| | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) |  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 | @Gary
I think you were fortunate that Kaiser outsourced their RT to the UCSF CCC. UCSF is top notch, but apparently quite pricey!
I know here Kaiser outsources their RT to Radiation Medical Group (RMG). RMG is a large outfit, seems to be pretty good and probably a lot cheaper.
I understand RMG is somewhat involved with Scripps at our new Proton Center (Under Construction).
Don
TXN2bM0 Stage IVa SCC-Occult Primary
FNA 6/6/08-SCC in node<2cm
PET/CT 6/19/08-SCC in 2nd node<1cm
HiRes CT 6/21/08
Exploratory,Tonsillectomy(benign),Right SND 6/23/08
PEG 7/3/08-11/6/08
35 TomoTherapy 7/16/08-9/04/08 No Chemo
Clear PET/CT 11/15/08, 5/15/09, 5/28/10, 7/8/11
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 4 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 4 | Thanks guys for all answers. There is no way we can support treatment in US just looking at numbers:(
We got a surgery date for next Tuesday. Looks like they will cut half of his tongue and remove cancer cells from his throat.
God knows it has been so difficult to go through this, and I am in US my gf is in Turkey. I just feel useless.
Thank you all again
I hope surgery will come out good.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | I wouldn't give up until you have had a meeting with the hospital social worker. Some states have aid for patients with life threatening diseases.
Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
________________________________________________________
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | It does help to check ALL available resources as Gary suggests. When my son was in Rad Tx and the med bills were piling up, a very nice hospital worker in one of the departments approached us and said she found out he would be available for having the drugs forgiven by the drug company involved. Apparently this particular drug company had a "forgiveness policy" for deserving/qualified patients. Often you don't find out about these options until you ask. You may not get all positive answers, but it sure doesn't hurt to ask. Nomadic - your gf is fortunate to have you to help her. I know it is so hard to watch someone you love going through this but I'm sure she feels your strength and appreciates all you do in helping her to survive.
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Here is a link to an article noting the problems of paying for cancer TX with some resources in Table 1. Help in paying Cancer TX Best wishes Charm
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 72 | Tim�s surgery was about $250,000. There were two teams of surgeons for the over 11 hour operation. This was followed by six nights in the hospital, four of those in ICU. Our co-pay was $250. I have no idea about the cost of chemo and radiation, because we never saw the bill � all we paid were the doctor visit co-pays of $20. It�s good that there are no longer lifetime caps on insurance coverage, because I�m sure Tim is getting close now.
At least the chemo for oral cancer must be done in the office so it�s covered as a procedure rather than a drug. I know someone with breast cancer and she takes her chemo orally at home. Her co-pay is over $500 per month just for the drugs!
Susan, CG to husband, diagnosed April 2010, age 56, non-smoker, no HPV
Mandibulectomy on left side May 2010 followed by 30 radiation, 3 cisplatin treatments.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 2 Member | | Member
Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 2 | Gary,
we live in the Bay Area and are with Kaiser too. We were referred out to Stanford for Ry's surgery but did the rest of treatments thru Kaiser. We are not 100% sure about staying with Kaiser (although we really appreciate our docs) since one of the doctors has expressed his own disappointment with their facilities. How was UCSF? We have been trying to get a referral for a third opinion/get in on clinical trials.
Nis CG to Ry (37) Dx Aug 2010 p16(+)T4aN1 postlateral tongue-retromolar trigone-tonsillar fossa well differentiated SCC, reconstructed with free flap and post operative chemoradiation (cisplatin 3x). Recurrence Dx Feb 2011 tx Taxotere and Erbitux.
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,265 Posts197,179 Members13,363 | | Most Online1,788
Jan 23rd, 2025 | | |
|
