#4162 10-25-2004 05:44 AM | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 50 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 50 | I might be going depending on cost like Dan. Tuesday at 7:00AM is my appointment. Thanks to Dan's post, I checked on cost and Dan was right. $5,000 deposit before you see the doctor if not covered by insurance, with more to come. I was advised it could run in the $100,000 range, but that would include some but not all of treatment. I am checking to see if I am covered, MDACC is a preferred provider in my insurance, so I am lucky in that fashion. We will see how they feel on the individual charges, I may be in the same boat as Dan, we'll see. | | |
#4163 10-25-2004 07:06 AM | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 382 Likes: 3 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 382 Likes: 3 | John-
Good luck to you down there. Wish one of us could win the lottery or strike oil....we could start up a MDACC fund for OCF survivors!! Kick the beast! - Kris
SCC Stage IV left tonsil neck disection 3/02 radiation finished 6/02 chemo finished 9/02
Stage 2A left breast cancer 3/09, chemo and radiation, finished treatment 2/7/10 -Stage 2 right beast cancer 10/14 chemo and radiation
Every day is still a gift :-)
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#4164 10-25-2004 07:33 AM | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 546 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 546 | Kris,
What a lovely idea. I have thought the same thing myself. If I ever win a lottery, you all certainly will know about it. After my family, OCF and members will be the first beneficiaries. In the meantime, I look forward to the day when OCF has grown to the point where they have some funds to help in this area. And with Brian and Ingrid at the helm, I am positive that day will come.
John,
At least with MDACC being a preferred provider in your plan, you are already one step ahead. Hope it all works out for you.
Rosie
Was primary caregiver to my daughter Heather who had stage IV base of tongue SCC w/ primary recurrence. Original diagnosis August 21st, 2002. Primary recurrence March 18th, 2003. Died October 6th, 2003.
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#4165 10-25-2004 08:43 AM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 | Please be advised that the HUGE numbers that they throw out cover the most extreme cases involving one or two surgeries, radiation, chemo therapy and surgical and prosthetic reconstruction. As someone who went out of his service area with Blue Cross to MDACC, I did have to pay a larger portion of my deductible (significantly larger) but I believe that had I not gone to the number one place in the world (tied with MSKCC) I would not be here today typing this reply as a stage four oral cancer patient. They routinely have to tell you the financial worst case scenario, as a matter of informed consent. There are other issues related to payment that I would not care to put in writing, but needless to say they revolve around surviving this disease first, and paying as a secondary concern.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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#4166 10-25-2004 12:16 PM | Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 11 Member | | Member
Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 11 | My brother in law is currently being treated at MDACC. He is in a study that starts with three rounds of chemotherapy and than surgery. His surgery is tomorrow. The team of dr's working on his case were amazed at how much the tumor had shrunk and the two lymphnodes that were positive were gone on his last cat scan. Needless to say we are all so happy that he is being treated there. His SCC is a stage 3/4, and they don't think they'll need to do radiation.
I wish everyone had the means to be treated there or Sloan Kettering. I will pray that you end up at the right place for your treatment.
Neil
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#4167 10-26-2004 05:18 AM | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | John,
I am hoping your visit today went well and the best possible treatment plan is developed by the team at MDACC.
Ed
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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