Yes Ross, my insurance co. has been great also; but they are not a HMO, big
difference. Are you in favor of getting a health nbr.? The gov't. wants to give
everyone a health nbr. to track our health throughout our lives, ofcourse the
insurance co. love the idea. My live is boring; but I have had one hell of life
with cancer, really interesting....Love your friend, Lillian
Ross Ylitalo wrote:
> Someday I'm gonna write a note about how good my insurance company has
> been. We all have plenty of time to talk about how lousy insurance companies
> are, but mine has been so good I'm gonna write them a letter sometime. They
> have been unbelievably easy to deal with! Wish I could remember what
> company it was--LOL, we take so much for granted when it works!
>
> Love,
>
> Ross
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lillian jennings [SMTP:firefly@islc.net]
> Sent: Monday, July 20, 1998 5:03 PM
> To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
> Subject: Re: [MOL] Insurance Companies
>
> Gosh Cathy, I thought clinical trials were free and then I read someplace where
> different hospitals provide more for the patients than other hospitals. Have
> you talked to NCI @ 1-800-4-cancer, I believe they can give you the most
> information. I am attatching my welcome letter as it has information on
> insurance; etc. they may be of help to you. I feel the more HMO's we have the
> more we are going to see these types of problems. Your friend, Lillian
>
> WELCOME TO YOUR MOL CANCER FORUM
>
> Here you will meet a wonderful caring group of individuals who are
> cancering or who are loved ones and friends being advocates for those
> cancering. Individuals in this group are not in the medical professional
> field. Therefore,we do not endorse a treatment, drug or product. Our
> people combined do have many year's of accumulated knowledge and
> expierence, who come from all walks in life and are able to lend tremendous
> assistance to help you walk through this journey.
>
> There are a few matters of importance to address.
> It is the general assumption of the group that one can use alternative
> treatments (with your doctors permission) in conjunction with traditional
> therapy.
> We feel that an individual who has had testing and is returning to the
> doctor should take someone with them as an extra set of ears.
> It must be remembered that this is a most stressful time for you. We also
> agree that a second or even a third opinion is healthy. One needs to shop
> for the right doctor for them; as each of us are so different not only in
> personality; but our bodies react differently.
> You should be seeking nothing but the best doctors and hospital, remember
> this is your life and you want to be in control. The best way to be in
> control is to acquire all the information needed for your particular
> cancer; so that you and your doctor can descide the best treatment for you.
>
> We find stress is our worse enemy, it is so important to remove yourself
> from stressful situations and non positive thinkers.
> There are so many new drugs and treatments our there for most cancers that
> lend hope to all.
> Be prepared for you doctors visits with questions. Should the doctor
> interrupt you while you are questioning explain that you have more
> questions. Make sure the doctor speaks to you in lay terms and that he is
> positive also.
> Too often the doctor will give a gloomy statistical report, thus taking
> hope away from the patient and we find so many people who far out live the
> guess of any doctor. Last; but never least make sure that you eat healthy
> and that you keep your immune system built up.
> Again, we are here for you, we are a place of compassionate comfort, a
> place you can rant and rave knowing that we too have done that. A place of
> shelter; whereas all of us know what you are going through. Your friends
> of the MOL CANCER FORUM
>
> TRADITIONAL SITES
>
> National Cancer Institute http://rex.nci.nih.gov
> Univ of Penn http://cancer.med.upenn.edu
> Cancer Notes on the Net http://www.cancernews.com
> Medicine On Line http://www.meds.com
> MD Anderson http://www.mdanderson.org
> Mem. Sloan-Kettering http://www.mskcc.org
>
> Alternative Medicine
>
> www.canceranswers.com
> 85% CancerAnswers - Alternative Treatments
> 84% Cancer Information -Alternative Treatments
>
> www.chiro.org
> 84% CANCER TREATMENTS/ ALTERNATIVE
> 84% Alternative Remedies for Cancer and other diseases.
>
> www.meds.com
> 84% Re: Alternative cancer treatments [00299]
> 83% 5. Internet Resources on Cancer
>
> MEDICAL DICTIONARIES
>
> BOOKS "50 Esential Things to Do When the
> Doctor
> Says it is Cancer", Greg
> Anderson
>
> HOME HEALTH CARE
>
> National Association for Home Care
> c/o Consumer Guide
> P.O. Box 14241
> Washington, DC 20003
> (202)547-7424
> (202)547-3540 FAX
> Web site: http://www.nahc.org/
> Trade association providing referrals to home or hospice care.
>
> The Oley Foundation
> 214 Hun Memorial, A-23
> Albany Medical Center
> Albany, NY 12208-3478
> (518)262-5079
> (800)776-OLEY
> E-mail: mailto:taylor@ccgateway.amc.edu
> Web site: http://www.wizvax.net/oleyfdn
> Support for home enteral and/or parental nutrition therapy.
>
> Olsten HealthCare
> 175 Broadhollow Road
> Melville, NY 11747
> (516)844-7800
> (800)66-NURSE
> Web site: http://www.olsten.com/
> Provides home health care services including chemotherapy, nutrition and
> hydration therapies, pain management, physical therapy, and general nursing
> services.
>
> Visiting Nurse Association of America National Office
> 3801 East Florida Avenue, Suite 900
> Denver, CO 80210
> (888)866-8773
> (303)753-0218
> Provides skilled nursing and assisted living services.
>
> Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
> 919 Lafond Avenue
> St. Paul, MN 55104
> (612)642-4000
> (612)642-4068 FAX
> Web site: http://www.wilder.org/
> Provides assisted living and nursing home care services for the elderly in
> the Minneapolis area.
>
> Childrens' Hospice
> 2202 Mt. Vernon Ave., Suite 3C
> Alexandria, VA 22301
> (703)684-0330
> (703)684-0226 FAX
> E-mail: mailto:chiorg@aol.com
> Web site: http://www.chionline.org/
> Provides information and referral services,counseling, support groups,
> education, and research aimed at improving hospice care for children.
>
> Choice in Dying
> 1035 30th Street NW
> Washington, DC 20007
> (202)338-9790
> (202)338-0242 FAX
> Web site:http://www.choices.org/
> Advocacy organization for end-of-life rights;provides legal counseling and
> information on end-of-life decisions.
>
> National Association for Home Care
> c/o Consumer Guide
> P.O. Box 14241
> Washington, DC 20003
> (202)547-7424
> (202)547-3540 FAX
> Web site: http://www.nahc.org/
> Trade association that provides referrals to local hospice organizations.
>
> Hospice Education Institute/Hospicelink
> 190 Westbrook Road
> Essex, CT 06426
> (860)767-1620
> (800)331-1620
> (860)767-2746 FAX
> E-mail: mailto:hospiceall@aol.com
> Provides information and referral services,education, advice and assistance
> regarding hospice and palliative care.
>
> National Hospice Organization
> 1901 N. Moore Street, Suite 901
> Arlington, VA 22209
> (703)243-5900
> (800)658-8898
> (703)525-5762 FAX
> E-mail: mailto:drsno@cais.com
> Web site: http://www.nho.org/
> Provides information and referrals to local hospitals, patient advocacy and
> professional education.
>
> National Institute for Jewish Hospice
> 8723 Alden Drive, Suite 219
> Los Angeles, CA 90048
> (310)854-3036
> (213)HOSPICE
> (800)446-4448
> Provides free telephone counseling and referrals; trains professionals in
> the art of helping the Jewish terminally ill.
> RESOURCES/ LEGAL
>
> Americans with Disabilities Act
> U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
> Office of Legal Council
> 1801 L Street NW
> Washington, DC 20507
> (202)663-4503
> Provides information and legal assistance regarding discrimination due to
> illness or disability
>
> Family Medical leave Act
> U.S. Department of Labor
> Wage & Hour Division
> 200 Constitution Avenue NW
> Washington, DC 20210
> (202)219-8412
> Provides information on employment rights during medical leave due to
> illness
>
> Support Services: Finance & Insurance
>
> American Association of Health Plans
> Membership Department
> 129 20th Street NW, Suite 600
> Washington, DC 20036
> (202)778-3200
> Web site: http://www.aahp.org/
> Insurance industry trade association that will provide information on insurance
> and health care issues.
>
> Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
> 675 North St. Claire Street
> Chicago, IL 60601
> (312)440-6000
>
> Department of Health and Human Services
> Inspector General Hotline
> Office of the Inspector General
> P.O. Box 23489
> Washington, DC 20026
> (800)368-5779
> U.S. government hotline for complaints regarding Medicare or Medicaid; provides
> assistance with issues of entitlements, benefits, insurance, and community
> resources.
>
> Disabled American Veterans
> 807 Main Avenue SW
> Washington, DC 20024
> (202)554-3501
> (202)554-3581 FAX
> Web site: http://www.dav.org/
> Provides assistance with health benefits for U.S. veterans.
>
> Hill-Burton Free Hospital Care
> 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-47
> Rockville, MD 20857
> (800)683-0742 Hotline
> (301)594-5999 FAX
> Web site: http://www.hrsa.dhhs.gov/bhrd/dfcr/dfcrmain.htm
> U.S. government program that can arrange for cost-assisted care for
> disadvantaged individuals at certain medical facilities or hospitals.
>
> National Insurance Consumer Hotline
> 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
> Washington, DC 20004
> (800)942-4242
> Provides assistance in finding insurance coverage, information on insurance
> issues and a consumer complaint service.
>
> SUPPORT SERVICE TRAVEL
>
> Support Services: Hair Loss
>
> Look Good, Feel Better
> The American Cancer Society
> (800)395-LOOK
> Teaches women who have undergone cancer treatment how to improve appearance
> through cosmetics, wigs, scarfs, etc.
>
> Y-ME WIG
> 212 West Van Buren Street, 4th Floor
> Chicago, IL 60607
> (800)221-2141
> (312)294-8598 FAX
> Web site: http://www.y-me.org/
> Provides donated wigs free of charge.
>
> Telesco,Cathy wrote:
>
> > Nanc:
> > I, too, thought that clinical trials were supposed to be free. However, the
> > Dr at Memorial Sloan Kettering said that my Dad's insurance won't pay for
> > it. The meds are ok because they will be administered to him here at our
> > local hospital and not in NYC. Could it be because it is an HMO? I will
> > have to do some more investigating. Even my Dad's primary care physician
> > called my Mom on the day before his appointment to let them know that only
> > the 2nd opinion consultation is covered but that any care he gets at
> > Memorial will not be...Does this sound wierd? The other thing that I
> > questioned was that here we were, at a state of the art cancer center, and
> > when I asked the doctor about alternative treaments to be used in conjuction
> > with conventional treatment, he dismissed it as "hogwash". I would think
> > Memorial would be a little more open-minded - I was somewhat dissapointed.
> > Sorry to ramble...
> > Cathy
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: NLPOST@aol.com [SMTP:NLPOST@aol.com]
> > > Sent: Monday, July 20, 1998 3:28 PM
> > > To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
> > > Subject: Re: [MOL] Insurance Companies
> > >
> > > Hi Cathy,
> > > What won't your Insurance company pay for? If it is a clinical, I thought
> > > they were supposed to be free, and if the Meds the Dr. wants to give him
> > > first
> > > is FDA approved, your insurance has to pay for them. Maybe the Insurance
> > > company misunderstood just what you wanted covered. Let me know what you
> > > find
> > > out about all of it.
> > > Love and prayers to you and yours,
> > > Nanc
> > >
> > >
> > > In a message dated 7/20/98 3:20:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > > cathy.telesco@gartner.com writes:
> > >
> > > << Can any molers out there comment on how they dealt (or are dealing)
> > > with
> > > their insurance company's refusal to pay for treatment at another
> > > hospital? I took my Dad to Memorial Sloan Kettering on Friday morning.
> > > There is a clinical trial that he can participate in - but the doctor
> > > wants to try 5FU with Mitomicin first (for two months). Failing that,
> > > my father is eligible to participate in a clinical trial that is being
> > > conducted at Memorial. However, his HMO, Kaiser Permanente, says they
> > > will not cover this! What do you do? Do you just rack up medical
> > > charges and incur an unbelivable amount of debt? There just has to be a
> > > better way. Any advice would be greatly appreciated...Cathy >>
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> --
> MZ?
> << File: ATT00000.html >>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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