People with cancer have to gear up for the emotional and mental workout of dealing with insurance. Here are some tips for coping.
BY Kelly Irvin
PUBLISHED November 13, 2017
Kelly Irvin is a multi-published novelist and former newspaper reporter who worked in public relations for more than 20 years. She retired from her day job in 2016 after being diagnosed with primary lateral sclerosis, a degenerative motor neuron disease, and stage 4 ovarian cancer. She spends her days writing and loving her family.
Insurance is a topic that strikes terror into the hearts of most people with cancer or any other life-threatening or chronic illness. Everyone has their story. People either want to bury their fears or vent to anyone who’ll listen. I’m sharing my story — my most recent story — now, not to vent, but as a springboard to how we can handle this anxiety-inducing, frustrating fixture in our lives. I’m not talking about creating folders, compiling spreadsheets and making lists of the pertinent telephone numbers. I’m referring to the emotional and mental workout it takes to enter the insurance maze and come out on the other side a sane person (or as sane as you went in).
I was in the infusion room waiting for treatment when the nurse came to tell me prior approval for one of my drugs had expired. They were on the phone talking to the insurance company about getting it extended. Finally, the nurse returned to say the review process would take 12 to 14 days. We proceeded without the drug, knowing the next week was my week off from treatment anyway.
I was in the infusion room waiting for treatment when the nurse came to tell me prior approval for one of my drugs had expired. They were on the phone talking to the insurance company about getting it extended. Finally, the nurse returned to say the review process would take 12 to 14 days. We proceeded without the drug, knowing the next week was my week off from treatment anyway.
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