Cancer (Hope: health insurance, homes, bankrupt)

[gobrien]

I'm glad to hear you are better, but sorry you've had such unpleasant side effects. Early detection is key and that's why I am so much for more affordable or accessable health care. Perhaps the current plan isn't as much as I would like. What rankles me is how callous insurance agencies are, even to those who have paid into it for years. It's not like the good old days when maybe you could pay your doctor with a few chickens if that was all you had, and they made house calls. My town's clinic will see you and sell you discounted medicine but they are not the most skilled, they can't treat or test for cancer, they have made a multitude of serious mistakes with patients. One nurse in training almost killed my daughter in front of me and they prescribed the wrong insulin for years. You really have to be careful, I've heard plenty of similiar stories.

[girthy85]

When I was a young lad I worked in a big hospital as birth certificate clerk. I made 6000 babies, I am very tired. (Pause for laugher) Part of the required information was the parents occupations, yes all the info was for a VERY good reason. One young father, 21 years old, told me he was a "health care gatekeeper". I never heard of that before so I asked him what that was.

He told me he worked in the insurance field and he was was the person who approved who got what procedures. I was amazed at 21 he had the skills and experience necessary to make such decisions so I asked him about it. Doctor? No. Nurse? No. Military Medic? No. Med school? No. When I asked his what gave him his knowledge necesary to make such decisions, he told me a 2 week class his insurance company put on.

I left in disgust at how it is being rationed by a know-nothing.

Why do I tell you this? I am happy you were able to receive what you needed to fight your fight and that you were not denied care due to some idoit that sat in a class for 2 weeks.

Keep fighting the good fight and enjoy your summer.

[Dakster]

girthy85 - I can answer that question. They make decision based on what they can find a reason to deny payment for. And then when you actually start to use the coverage you paid for, they drop you...

[wildchild_to]

Mark,

Great news!! You are a strong willed person and have kept your spirits up all along. I wish you the best an may the good Lord continue to keep you and your family blessed. I am sorry to hear about your doctor. You are doing great stay strong.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by girthy85

When I was a young lad I worked in a big hospital as birth certificate clerk. I made 6000 babies, I am very tired. (Pause for laugher) Part of the required information was the parents occupations, yes all the info was for a VERY good reason. One young father, 21 years old, told me he was a "health care gatekeeper". I never heard of that before so I asked him what that was.

He told me he worked in the insurance field and he was was the person who approved who got what procedures. I was amazed at 21 he had the skills and experience necessary to make such decisions so I asked him about it. Doctor? No. Nurse? No. Military Medic? No. Med school? No. When I asked his what gave him his knowledge necesary to make such decisions, he told me a 2 week class his insurance company put on.

I left in disgust at how it is being rationed by a know-nothing.

Why do I tell you this? I am happy you were able to receive what you needed to fight your fight and that you were not denied care due to some idoit that sat in a class for 2 weeks.

Keep fighting the good fight and enjoy your summer.

The "New Health Care Bill" will be the end to what was quality that we had. Palin talked about "Death Panels" and she was hammered in the press for it, and now that is coming to pass. Not only is this going to be the largest tax hike on the American people, it will affect the people under that $250,000.00 income level that Obama claimed wont be having taxes raised.

I'm glad I was treated when I was, but I can see people being "Delayed" until it's too late because of your age and how many tax paying years you have ahead of you left.

My heart goes out to people that will be caught up in this new era of government.

There is nothing for free, you pay with your soul!

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by wildchild_to

Mark,

Great news!! You are a strong willed person and have kept your spirits up all along. I wish you the best an may the good Lord continue to keep you and your family blessed. I am sorry to hear about your doctor. You are doing great stay strong.

Thanks,

There were a lot of people that were taken off guard by Dr. Carrol's passing. They did however renamed the Cancer wing of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital after him though. He did a lot of good in his lifetime for thousands of people!

He will be missed by a very large crowd!

[AADAD]

With respect Starlight the health care laws will impact the country and Alaska in the following ways.

Many more people who do not have insurance will be able to get it. That will increase demand on services.

These people must have routine treatment so their catastrophic admissions for problems they refused to manage will decrease. While the numbers of people go up, their cost of care will go down.

All persons will have a primary doctor or have one assigned to them.

Insurance costs will over time go down especially after each state starts insurance exchanges. The insurance companies want more customers but competition will force prices down.

Seeing specialists will be less expensive and consumers cannot be excluded from coverage for ANY pre existing condition.

There will be no lifetime maximum on payments. Patients cannot be dropped off insurance plans if costs increase.

Children to age 26 can be covered on the parents policy.

Reimbursement and access for seniors will increase.

The law while not perfect assists many people in many ways. The key is to be informed, ask questions and form a relationship with a primary doctor or specialists.

[tvdxer]

Just curious, where is cancer treated in Alaska? Where do Alaskans go for rarer cancer treatments?

I have an oligodendroglioma (rare malignant brain tumor) and am currently on chemotherapy for it. I drive to Minneapolis every two months (while on chemotherapy) or every three - four months (off chemotherapy) to have an MRI done and meet with my neuro-oncologist. I grimace at imagining the same fate befalling me if I lived in, say, McGrath or Kotzebue, Alaska.

[freezengirl]

I need to look into the medical oncology services in available in Alaska too. I am staying in Minneapolis getting treatment (this stage) but want to go home to Alaska as soon as possible.

As always Starlight9 you give excellent advice! I am so glad to hear that you are getting good news now.

[AADAD]

Providence Medical Center is the place where cancers are treated most often.