This must be a quick MNCC diary tonight. I’m in packing-for-NN mode, which means for me a fair amount of advance family prep as well.
I’d like to ask, first of all, for anyone who is planning to go to NN to please share that news here. I am trying to set up a KosAbility Caucus—to which anyone dealing with cancer would of course be invited. Having your contact information (which of course you may share with me via Kosmail, not in a thread) would be helpful in that regard. I’m aiming to set up something for Friday, but it’s not yet clear when would be best. I might be able to poll people now if I know you’ll be there.
Second, I’m looking for insurance stories. Good, bad, complicated, simple—whatever you’ve got. This includes NOT having insurance, or not having it for the treatment you chose, and how you have coped. I’m going to two trainings on setting the narrative, and I suspect we have more than enough raw material!
You may have noted that there are NO panels or presentations related to health care, or the lack thereof, during this NN. It’s not a hot issue, except for those of us who are forced into coping with it every day. We might be able to change that over time, but not if we don’t leverage all our great organizing skills and persuasive language. No better place, no better time to get that going.
Monday Night Cancer Club is a Daily Kos group focused on dealing with cancer, primarily for cancer survivors and caregivers, though clinicians, researchers, and others with a special interest are also welcome. Volunteer diarists post Monday evenings between 8-9 PM ET on topics related to living with cancer, which is very broadly defined to include physical, spiritual, emotional and cognitive aspects. Mindful of the controversies endemic to cancer prevention and treatment, we ask that both diarists and commenters keep an open mind regarding strategies for surviving cancer, whether based in traditional, Eastern, Western, allopathic or other medical practices. This is a club no one wants to join, in truth, and compassion will help us make it through the challenge together.
OK, here's my insurance story (so far). I was treated--inpatient surgery, 36-hour hospital stay--at a Comprehensive Cancer Center/teaching hospital. My hospital bill alone came to about $37,000, not counting any of the doctors' fees.
My insurance coverage then was great, and I had to pay almost nothing myself. But I also noticed along the way that the insurer received a 50% discount on the bill.
No transparency, no accountability for the billing and payment procedures mean higher and higher costs for us all.