Insurance and the financial maze

[Guest guest]

Dealing with your health insurance plan is complicated and will most likely be

overwhelming. But figuring out upfront whether your insurance will pay for your

treatment—or, if you are uninsured, learning about resources that may be

available to you—can ease some of the pressure and help prevent huge debt at the

end of your treatment. This is what you or whoever takes care of your medical

expenses needs to do right now.

In this section of the website, we describe insurance types and financial

programs you may qualify for and make you aware of dangerous loopholes. Once you

learn what the important questions are, you can get more specific information in

the sections of this site that are dedicated to various insurance types. Where

pertinent, we point out specific pages for you to go. Learning about payment and

reimbursement is not, by any means, the most entertaining subject in the world

(but it is a great cure for insomnia). Be assured that there are many sources of

help out there for you.

So, let’s get started. The most urgent things you need to know when you are

diagnosed with cancer are:

a.. What type of insurance you have or may qualify for

b.. What your policy’s limitations are

c.. When your insurance company will approve treatments, and when they won’t

d.. What you need to pay out of your own pocket.

These issues are key to your success at calculating what you can expect

financially during your cancer treatment.

What kind of medical insurance do you have?

Your medical insurance may come from a private source, such as an employer, a

union, a group (such as AARP), or an individual policy that you buy yourself. Or

it can be government-funded, such as Medicare, Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, and

some disability plans. But patient beware! All plans have caveats, so read the

Common Landmines and Pitfalls section below. If you don’t have medical

insurance, read the Government Programs section; you may qualify for some types

of government programs. And all cancer patients can benefit from reading the

Supplementary Financial Programs section.

Further information can be seen at this website:

http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/financial

Blessings and peace,

Lottie