the Price of Oncology

When I received the unfortunate diagnosis of early stage invasive cervical cancer, I was lucky enough to be insured but unlucky enough for my insurer to be an HMO. It might have been a lucky twist of fate, because I had to use an out of network physician because the HMO didn't have an oncologist in the field of gynecology. So I ended up in the care of a good physician. The surgical procedure I ultimately had to remove the cancer was a radical hysterectomy and removal of the cancerous part of the cervix. It was a very tough experience and I was hospitalized for five days. The fee for the surgery was $13,900. I know that because they kept sending me the bill, which included the physician's fee and the hospitalization. Ultimately the HMO paid a fraction of this amount, about $6,000, with the discount they agreed to, but if I had been required to pay it would have been the full amount. This amount also covered the aftercare I received which consisted of several follow up visits, to remove a catheter, and run follow up pap tests.

I was very satisfied with the level of care I received from the physician, including the follow up visits. The nursing staff was mostly very considerate, with the exception of one "Nurse Ratchett" (remember the character from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") who was careless inserting the IV needle. My complaint lies with the billing department of the hospital, because they were not at all understanding about the HMO's reluctance to pay, and they made me scared that I would be refused service if I couldn't pay upfront. It took a lot of tearful persuasion on my part to convince them to let me have the operation and they could worry about collecting later.

The main tip I have is for women to take care of themselves, get the hpv vaccine if they can, because this disease can happen to any woman. And if you get a diagnosis, inform yourself with all the knowledge you can. I must have looked at every cancer website and library book. And if you have any questions, write them down before you see the doctor so you don't forget to ask. I actually tried to remove the catheter myself at home because I didn't know that I couldn't!