Yea if I turn out cancer free im going to change me eating habits and exercise more

Just Proton Therapy alone was $7,151 per day. Erbitux was like $18,000 per week, and so on. Mine is definitely over a million, probably several, but stopped counting a while ago. I have Medicare original, separate prescription, with a supplemental plan, which covers all co-pays, deductibles, hospital co-charges, and the 20% not covered by Medicare, so it payed off. My prescriptions alone are $4,500 per month, so the first month I'm out of the donut hole, in the catastrophic phase. If only they covered dental, but somehow that's seems to be gretting done.

Man you guys spend a fortune it sucks that you guy's had to waist what you earned working hard all your lives just to live but atleast your here talking and helping me learn about this horrible disease

my husband's treatment was covered quite well but there was a scare for the second surgery. They were not going to pay all of the first surgery (thankfully the hospital care took care of the extra 4,500 and we were able to make a change with our insurance so the next surgery was completely covered and everything after. Our biggest expense was gas driving 3 hours each way for all appointments, treatments, and now follow-up every 3 months. Thankfully we have always been able to stay at the Hope Lodge through the American Cancer Society since all visits usually require an overnight stay.

Now, with life after cancer we are actually saving money on groceries and eating out. We eat lots of fruit and vegetables, it surprising how much you can get into a veggie and fruit smoothie. We eat less meat, mostly chicken and turkey and seldom pork and beef (except for burgers on the grill that we buy the meat from a local friend who raises cows). I can often discourage picking up food or eating out when not at home because it is not a "healthy choice". No more pop on hand and I can get by with putting the salty snacks back before checking out at the grocery store when my husband isn't looking. (He actually thanked me recently for doing it.)

To sum it up, life is great!!! I often say it was one of the hardest years of our life but one of the best since we were able to spend so much quality time together other than the 7-8 weeks when things were rough. Can't wait for retirement, hopefully soon!!!

Terrible your a good woman u stood by your husband during hard times when I get older I hope I get a wife like you if its not to personal can I know how old you and you husband are, at what age you guys got together and how many years do you guys have of marriage

Terrib I mean sorry my phone sometimes changes my words

Jhonny Lion, thank you for the compliment. Don't mind saying we both celebrated our birthdays and our anniversary this month. Everything within 9 days. 36 years married, he just turned 60 and I am 56. We met in college, he was a senior and I the new freshman. We were married after my sophomore year.

Trust all goes well with you and it is just something minor that can be dealt with easily. Avoid the internet, it can be quite scary and cause a lot of unneeded worry and stress.

Jhonny Lion,

You need to go ahead and start the diet and exercise part how why wait?

I wouldn't consider money spent to save our life as "a waist". How much is a life worth? Keep in mind, a lot of it was paid by insurance in most cases.

A lot of big numbers get thrown out there as the hospital bills are full "retail". By the time the hospital actually gets paid by insurance companies the true costs are much lower.

I spent a fair amount of time researching this and if you check the treatment codes against the published CMI rate book, something that is originally billed at $100 is paid at $10.

CMI is the official rates used by USA Medicare for reimbursements to medical services providers. It is a reasonable guide to what true payments are for services. You can use these rates as the low end of the scale.

One other side note. All radiation therapies use very expensive equipment. I came across but did not fully investigate the relationship between the medical equipment manufacturers, the medical facilities, and the government. It seemed like there are programs that basically influence the pricing of this equipment. Not some form of price fixing but more like supplemental forms of subsidies, grants, tax credits or breaks, to enable the financial equations to work out. If others have come across this sure would like to better understand just out of curiosity.

Don, my numbers are net amounts paid, right from the EOB. My pharmacy amount paid in one month that had chemo, amifostine, neupogen and Kytril IV plus IV Vancomycin was just over $240,000.