Dana-Farber is extremely slow with their billing... and also not terribly specific all the time. My latest explanation of benefits ("EOB") statements show that I'm responsible for a cool 20K in "medical services." There is only one breakout for "IV Therapy" but the rest is lumped together for a service date on which I had no appointments. I can only figure they are lumping all the chemo charges together. The primary EOB declares "benefits are not available for routine services" and the supplemental insurance says something similar. I know it's an error of some kind, as I know my primary insurance covers 80% of the costs of chemotherapy and radiation, and the supplemental plan should pick up the other 20%. I've already written to Dana-Farber's billing department to see what the lump sum is actually related to; it can only be chemo, I'm sure.
It is a reminder of how fortunate I am to have great health insurance. I feel for anybody who doesn't. It shouldn't matter who you work for - single-payer all the way, I say.
So here's an update - these are costs through maybe November chemo. I'm not sure since the last billing was so vague. But here is the current per statements received through 12/18/15:
Chemotherapy 26,912.15
Clinic/Consultation 1,076.00
Emergency Room 1,949.00
Inpatient 6,687.34
Labs/Scans 22,257.00
Medical Supplies 591.03 (these are specific to my ostomy)
Surgery 16,516.50
TOTAL 75,989.02
For a grand total of
Basically the existing categories had no change and the chemotherapy category is added. Out of pocket is currently just over $1,000, still mostly spent on parking, followed by food (from when I was in the hospital or when we're at Dana-Farber all day). Here is that breakdown:
Clothing/supplies 95.13 (again specific to ostomy)
Copays- appts 75.00
Copays- scrips 35.45
Food 315.01
Parking 484.00
TOTAL OOP 1,004.59
Only the copays are part of the first total, everything else is additional. I'm predicting we end up with $150K-$180K in the end, if I go forward with the next round of surgeries. That's... a lot of money. Insanity. But I'm alive, and according to my radiation oncologist whom I met the day of the allergic reaction (and thus have not absorbed much of what he told me), I'm essentially "cured" and all this treatment is insurance to make sure it's eradicated and doesn't come back.
Priceless, right?
Yes, it is priceless! Glad to hear that you are doing well!
ReplyDeleteAt least you get it about your bills! This might surprise you, but there are many people who would get that $20K bill and pay it because they don't understand that it is probably an error. Sad but true.