SEARCH FOR THE CAUSE NOT JUST THE CURE
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Contact Us
  • STRIKE OUT MERCURY
    • Strike Out Mercury Information and Registration Form
    • Facts About Mercury
    • Symptoms of Mercury Toxicity
    • Diseases Associated with Mercury
    • Health Agency Positions

Cancer:  Is the Focus on You or your Wallet?

6/26/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
How would you feel if you thought your cancer specialist was  profiting, not only as your oncologist, but as the provider of the drugs used in your chemotherapy?  Would it seem reasonable that your doctor who is making your life and death decisions and qualifying the need for chemotherapy was taking a great, big portion of the profits and making close to the same money as the pharmaceutical company who delivered them?


That is exactly what is happening, but your average cancer patient, stricken with panic and grief has no idea.  The system allows for the oncologist to purchase drugs wholesale from a pharmaceutical provider.  The drug prices are then inflated and billed to insurance or Medicare.  The excess, not covered by insurance, is then billed to the patient, the sick and dying patient.  The cost is at the discretion of  the salesman, your doctor.


We are not talking about a few bucks, we’re talking about a multi-million dollar industry.  How much is the mark up?  I’ve read a number of astonishing reports, but the amount of mark up is the decision of the doctor.  In one example given, the cost of the product was $4,000 from the provider.  The doctor marked it up to $12,000 and the insurance company paid $8,000, leaving the patient a $4,000 bill for each day of treatment, over the course of weeks and months.


If all of this feels less than reasonable, it should.  How unbiased can a doctor be who stands to make hundreds of thousands of dollars for suggesting treatment?  How willing is that doctor going to be when I suggest we try natural cures and put off the harshness of chemotherapy in favor herbs or marijuana?  From personal experience with two oncologists, I can tell you the willingness in both cases was not to be found.


Doctors who profit from what is being called “chemotherapy concessions” claim there is a justified reason for the up-charge   The rational is that the cost of doing chemotherapy in a non-hospital setting is done at a high cost to the oncology office.  They claim they are just trying to break even.  To that I say, Boo Hoo.  


People are dying from chemotherapy daily and the elusive “search for the cure” is disregarded in favor of profit.  The practice is so out of hand, that the US congress and insurance companies are finally fighting back and in favor of the public.  They are looking for change, as should patients, but it will likely be gradual and a compromise that will be less than adequate.  


Chemotherapy, like all suggested medical treatments, is a choice.  There are options that should not be overlooked.  The unfortunate circumstance of the chemotherapy concessions system, is that only a rare few can hope to get an impartial opinion about the absolute need for treatment without prejudice from a doctor who has this kind of abundant wealth at stake. 

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Susan Trump

    Archives

    December 2022
    June 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Cancer
    Covid
    Fibromyalgia/Chronic Pain
    Home Remedies
    Lead Mercury Heavy Metals
    Marijuana
    Memes
    Rants...
    Recipes
    Searching For The Cause
    Videos

Proudly powered by Weebly