| | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) |  Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | So far my insurance has been billed over $2,000,000 for my treatments at Moffitt alone. I'm sure that's not why they have agreed to pay but the amount is staggering. Each radiation Tx was $43,000 and I had 35. I want one of those machines!!
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 | Don - Prognosis of what? Are there improved survivals under 10 years, yes, if that is what you are referring to.
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.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 | David are you sure you have that number right? If that is correct you are the most expensive treatment case on record.
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.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 55 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 55 | Wow - that is a phenomenally high figure - and your signature line indicates that you didn't have surgery!
I have just recently tabulated my bills for my treatment that included 35 radiation treatments, 2 doses of Cisplatin, a hemiglossectomy with neck dissection, months of home health nursing care for IV fluids and IV anti-emetics, a surgery to place the PEG tube, OT, ST, and PT - and the grand total was under $100,000. I'm a patient of MD Anderson in Orlando - I can't imagine that they are that much less expensive than Moffit!
Lisa
36 years old at diagnosis
SCC of the tongue T2N2bM0 Stage IV
post hemi glossectomy and neck dissection (3/28/07), finished 6 weeks of radiation and Cisplatin x2 6/19/07. Biopsy taken from right side of tongue 7/17/08 - results showed infected abscess and no return of SCC!
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 666 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 666 | My total IMRT bill (only) was around 45-50K.
Dealing with different health care providers. It is interesting that a part glossectomy is cheaper!! than getting a port. To me this seems just wrong.
Of course there is always the discrepancy what you are charged and what is actually paid.
M
Partial glossectomy (25%) anterior tongue. 4/6/07/. IMRT start @5/24/07 (3x) Erbitux start/end@ 5/24/07. IMRT wider field (30x) start 6/5/07. Weekly cisplatin (2x30mg/m2), then weekly carbo- (5x180mg/m2). End of Tx 19 July 07.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | This info comes from my wife and I NEVER DOUBT WHAT SHE TELLS ME. She kept (keeps) all the the bills re my cancer out of my sight since she is convinced it would upset me and lead to more cancer. I did see one bill for a Cat scan and it was billed out as $4600 which I thought was very high but in line with what my wife was telling me about the radiation Txs. Maybe I got the premium grade radiation stuff. LOL
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 | Wow is right! I just got the bill for my first day of treatment at Dana-Farber and the IMRT was $1693.00.
Stage IV SCC lt lateral tongue, surgery 5/19/08 (partial gloss/upper neck dissection left side/radial free flap reconstruction) IMRT w/weekly Cisplatin & Erbitux 6/30/08, PEG 1 6/12/08 - out 7/14 (in abdominal wall, not stomach), PEG 2 7/23/08 - out 11/20/08, Tx done 8/18/08
Second SCC tumor, Stage 1, rt mobile tongue, removed 10/18/2016, right neck dissection 12/9/2016
Third SCC tumor, diagnosed, 4/19/2108, rt submandibular mass, HPV-, IMRT w/ weekly Cisplatin, 5/9 - 6/25/2018, PEG 3 5/31/2018
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 | Something is wrong in your billing situation, and it's worthy of exploration. A PET scan in LA, which is not a cheap market is about $1400.00 and that is much more expensive than a conventional CT. H&N MRI's are about 1200. What the others have posted related to radiation costs seems normal for the country at large.
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.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | OK somethings not right. My IMRT couldn't be $43,000 each and everyone else's much much much less. Guess I'm going to have to ask her to see my bills. I remember about 20 years ago she volunteered to take over paying the household bills and a couple of months went by and I opened a Macy's bill and I see we have a credit balance of like $1600. Asking my wife I was told that when she gets a bill she writes out a check, so if she gets another statement that didn't reflect the previous payment she still writes out another a check. I took back the job of paying the bills.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 666 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 666 | Does your wife by any chance have a new car (or two?)
just kidding (spanish inquisition?)
M
Partial glossectomy (25%) anterior tongue. 4/6/07/. IMRT start @5/24/07 (3x) Erbitux start/end@ 5/24/07. IMRT wider field (30x) start 6/5/07. Weekly cisplatin (2x30mg/m2), then weekly carbo- (5x180mg/m2). End of Tx 19 July 07.
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