Billing Confusion

[YvonneS]

It is not enough that I am having all these chemo related problems, bad scans, now I am starting to receive bills that there is no way to understand.  Medicare and Tricare only pay partial, how in the world are we suppose to know what we owe.  I have been doing this over two years and recently my Ono was bought by a big infirmary system.  In those first years, I have NEVER received one bill from him.  Now after only 3 months there are bills.  I am sick.  Pain is increasing in the abdomen area, mouth is full of sores, can't eat  and CT isn't until next week.  It has been a really bad day and then the mail comes.  I am ready to just throw up my hands and say heck with all of this.  
You guys are so great.  You just keep encouraging and I know there must be lots of days when you feel this way too.  God bless you all.

[rmarie]

On a good day you could pick up the phone and call your congressman and tell him/her health care needs to be fixed.  It should be easier than it is.  

[alanpvegas]

i know medicare only pays roughly 80%, the other 20% is your cost....a medigap policy is essential especially with cancer (get the best one you can afford).  I'm sure tricare is considered the secondary insurance but I'm not sure how that works.  But if you had the medigap policy there would hopefully be less confusion.  Ask your onc. billing office, they are required ot explain.

[vegas2cr]

I am so sorry that besides going thru the horrors of our disese.. you have to deal with financial insurance costs... Just sending you hugs from Costa Rica... Ronni

[coogeegirl]

Unfortunately I firmly believe I believe the area of wormens health being fertility through to cancer treatment as one big money spinning exercise. I say to my husband at times we might as well leave our visa card over at the hospital and tell them to charge it automatically :)

I am sorry I can't help with any advice on the American medical system, but please know that there are people on the other side of the world that are thinking of you and wishing you all the very best with your treatment.

Take Care

Jenny

[SimplyStar]

Medicare and your other insurance have 800 numbers call them and discuss the charges with them, if more than you can afford, ask for a payment system.  there is a good mouth wash for the mouth sores also you might try using sea salt to wash mouth out with. suck ice chips, drink as much fluid {cold} as you can, Smoothies go down good, get the high calorie ones.  freeze Insure. this damn desease is the pits and so are most of the treatments, Your onocologist might have been taking assignment which means he only charged what medicare and your insurance paid. You probably should only be responsible for the recent charges  to the Infirmary, ask for an itemized statement from them. Look at the dates of the charges.  Ask them if they take assignment.   Good Luck  dear and hang in there.