HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Quarter of breast cancer survivors are worse off financially due to treatment

Becky · 03-28-2014, 03:25 PM

They have such groups. My sister, who does not have insurance (but did do Obamacare now), was uninsured and diagnosed with DCIS after her yearly free mammogram. A group stepped in and she is insured for BC. Had to go to one particular group/hospital but she had lumpectomy and then radiation. She has her every 6 month oncology check up. Her onc is right on. She was on Tamoxifen and got blood clots in her leg and he was right on with that and the group covered that too. We were lucky.

Finances are stressful and they were for me because just as my treatment began, my husband got laid off so trying to come up with everything was a stretch. Because I got late Herceptin (alone), my onc didn't think my insurance would pay for it but I was going to take a loan on my house to pay for it (insurance paid). Its just another thing that complicates an already confusing time.

03-28-2014, 03:25 PM	#4
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: Quarter of breast cancer survivors are worse off financially due to treatment They have such groups. My sister, who does not have insurance (but did do Obamacare now), was uninsured and diagnosed with DCIS after her yearly free mammogram. A group stepped in and she is insured for BC. Had to go to one particular group/hospital but she had lumpectomy and then radiation. She has her every 6 month oncology check up. Her onc is right on. She was on Tamoxifen and got blood clots in her leg and he was right on with that and the group covered that too. We were lucky. Finances are stressful and they were for me because just as my treatment began, my husband got laid off so trying to come up with everything was a stretch. Because I got late Herceptin (alone), my onc didn't think my insurance would pay for it but I was going to take a loan on my house to pay for it (insurance paid). Its just another thing that complicates an already confusing time. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"