Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Good luck to your friend. Can't speak to HHC facilities specifically, but when my dad was diagnosed at Monte (Bronx), he refused to go for second opinions at MSK and NYP. We went through some horrific experiences at Monte and as a result, I'd never ever ever go there for my own treatment. I had a small stroke in December and waited for someone to come give me a ride to NYU rather than calling an ambulance. NYU is where I have all of my docs and have had multiple surgeries there. Highly recommend. So the Bellevue tip is great.
No, as the state of medical care there is light years behind the US. Just to give an example, one of his relatives was diagnosed with throat cancer in that country. The doctors, many of whom were trained in the US, prescribed surgery, radiation and chemo and even then, no comfort that his relative would live for long. In the US where the relative eventually got treatment, all the hospital did was a minimally invasive procedure with some medication and he was fine. It's been 9 years since.
Problem with that country is not technology or physician competence. Rather, it's not common there for doctors to share information and case studies with a wider community, or even experts in other disciplines like the physical sciences. It's also not a common practice for treatments to be reviewed by the hospital committee as is done in the US so not a lot of transparency and accountability.
Furthermore in the US, you have doctors who specialize in very specific types of cancers and even specific cancerous situations (ie, cancers that have spread, cancers near certain glands, etc. etc.) for which they have done procedures hundreds of times over. That cumulative knowledge is hard to match elsewhere.
Patient is a new immigrant who got his green card last year but missed the Obamacare open enrollment period (uncertain if can get an exception for special enrollment). He got diagnosed with cancer last week. A lawyer advised that Medicaid was not a good option either since patient has assets in the native country. I heard about HHC sliding scale benefits which I think patient would find as an interesting alternative.
However, I am not sure about the quality of HHC hospitals esp. with life-and-death diseases, however he just heard that his cancer is localized (not spread) which is good. Would anyone know how well HHC deals with cancer (surgery, radiation, etc.) and which hospitals can be trusted the most? Elmhurst, Bellevue, etc.?
I think there is a wide range range of quality at HHC hospitals. Personally I would have no problem with Bellevue or Jacobi because of their affiliation with top notch medical schools. Not so sure about places like Elmhurst or Woodhull.
I remember this article as being really good in terms of explaining what Elmhurst Hospital is all about, but beyond thinking it was a good article, I can't remember much about the content. However, it might be worth taking a look. Every Disease on Earth - The New Yorker
First of all, thank you for that article, it's useful to help raise awareness, especially for those with an income above $47,080 who won't qualify for subsidies that it's possible to buy coverage outside the exchange. But there is a problem with using this strategy for this gentleman.
The article you posted was published in 2013, and at that time, if you had the money, they would sell you a policy at any point throughout the year. But the following spring, at the close of 2014 Open Enrollment in March, that changed. Now, if someone wants to purchase coverage outside the Open Enrollment periods (which ended this year 1/31/16), the insurance companies won't sell you a policy unless you can prove that you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
That being said it is obvious New York City residents go to many of the local hospitals from Mount Sinai to Woodhull for cancer treatment.
You and your "friend" are going about this backwards.
Cancer treatment begins with finding a physician who will in turn be affiliated with a hospital and accepts which ever insurance or Medicare/Medicaid.
If your *friend* has no insurance and thus is resulting upon charity care/Medicaid then the options are going to be narrowed. He or she will have to find a physician, clinic, hospital that can or will take him or her on.
Every hospital in the city accepts Medicaid.
It should also be noted that if your friend has no income or a very low income, he is eligible for Medicaid.
It doesn't matter what his assets are
There is no longer an assets criteria for Medicaid in NY (as long as the person is not disabled or elderly)
It should also be noted that if your friend has no income or a very low income, he is eligible for Medicaid.
It doesn't matter what his assets are
There is no longer an assets criteria for Medicaid in NY (as long as the person is not disabled or elderly)
No one said anything about MSK or other private NYC hospitals accepting Medicaid; I and others already knew that they did.
What one did say is finding a private physician (in this case a cancer specialist) affiliated with MSK *AND* who accepts Medicaid for his services.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
