How much does cancer cost?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am always curious what my medical bills will be like.  Well today must have been the day of doom because I got the super bill for both my radiation and my ER visit in the mail.  The 17 radiation treatments, for 3.5 weeks, not including the visits with Dr. C, came in at a whopping $18,000!!!!  When I see Dr. C, it is close to $300.  This doesn't include my visits with Dr. L, scans, Xrays or blood tests.

I also received the bill for my long evening stint in the ER.  $3600 for that sweet little visit.  That did include a chest Xray and the aspirin (luckily that was only $.04), gastric cocktail, and nitro glycerin.  I'm glad I didn't take an ambulance there!  That is one expensive non-heart attack!  While I don't think it was gas, if it was, that is a way expensive fart!

Can you imagine if I was on Medicare or some 80/20 coverage insurance plan?  That would be $3600 out of pocket for the radiation and $720 for that chest pain.  And they don't have any problems asking for that right up front.  If you don't have it, you either get sent home, sent somewhere else, or if you are lucky enough, you can set up an aggressive payment plan.  When I start feeling picked upon by my job....getting a lower raise or feel like my insurance premiums are just too much, I think about what I save when I have a medical situation because of my good insurance plan offered through my job. 

So you might ask, what did that cost me?  Well let's just say I am a freak about my health insurance and I panic every year when my work has open enrollment.  I am on a Utah coverage plan that happens to be an HMO plan.  Those are so old fashion and I am not sure many companies offer them anymore.  Every year, we all get pushed to go on the "High Deductible" plan.  It is a $5000 a year deductible before you get coverage.  But they have continued to offer the HMO plan which is what I stay on.  I am limited in my doctors but it works on a copay system instead of percent.  I pay $300 a month for my insurance coverage.  Seems outrageous.  Until I see these bills.  So what did radiation cost me?  $0 and some eyebrow hairs and eyelashes.  What did the ER cost?  Well I thought it was steep but it was a $150 copay...and because I was an "Emergency patient" they made sure I wasn't in serious peril and then they came right in and didn't hesitate to ask for my payment right there.  I'm positive I would not have received the care I got without paying them my copay and having good insurance.

I am so glad I have good insurance.  I can't imagine trying to tackle health issues without it.  And I can't tell you how important it is to have a good plan that will cover you in the event you get that terrible news that no one wants to hear.....the C word.