Facing the Financial Reality of Cancer: CR Magazine

My husband and I have Humana insurance. In network we have a $2,700 deductible then it covers at 100%. Last year my insurance paid $325,000 for Tom’s three week stay in the hospital when he had his liver resection. My insurance has never questioned anything that he has had done. He has had multiple ERCP’s, Diagnostic Tests, including CTScans and PETscans. He’s had numerous ER visits and multiple types of surgeries. To date, everything has been paid, over $1.5 million dollars (probably closer to $2million). And I have an unlimited lifetime max. I don’t know that healthcare reform (public option or government run insurance) could top what I now have through my employer.

Hello Marion and all,

Have been Internet-less for a while, moved to my new house and been too busy to set it up but I have been missing my cc family so just checking in here.

This article is very interesting and highlights something I have been thinking about for some time now. Namely, that one of the problems I see with health insurance is that years ago there wasn’t a whole lot medicine could do for many illnesses so the payouts that insurance companies had to make were limited by what medicine could do. I am thinking of my mother’s dear friend who died of lung cancer in the early 80’s. She likely received some diagnostic tests and hospice care benefits. My mother’s surgery alone, on the other hand, cost almost $100,000.

With more treatment possibilities premiums have skyrocketed and are out of reach financially for many families. It is ironic that while more treatment is available, insurance has never been harder to get and keep. I know that people on the board have different opinions on the whole health care reform issue but I don’t think having to argue with insurance companies is good for a patient’s health. If my mother did not have Medicare, I honestly don’t think I could have stomached arguing with insurance companies on the phone, I was barely keeping it together.

Patty