It was a Busy day today…
When I talked with Barbara T (the Financial Manager) at the Burzynski Clinic and told her that the charge of $1000 per infusion AND an Additional $1500/month to “handle” the (3 small vials of) Zometa was just more than I could afford, she told me “Well, we have to survive here”.
Excuse me? How About Me Surviving Here? If I can’t afford to stay at the Clinic, then I can’t pay for You to “survive” and if I’m dead, then I certainly am not paying for Your “survival”..
Then she looked me in the eye and Said “You are the one getting your medicine for free, right?”, like because I am getting financial assistance with my meds, that means I have the $2500/month extra to spend on other (unexpected) charges?
Nooooo… I’m getting the financial assistance because I don’t have health insurance and because I can’t afford the meds… I was Told $4500/month for my PB and my Case Management, I Signed a Paper Stating $4500/month, and That is what I have budgeted for.
If you can call applying for financial assistance, compiling info on organizing fundraisers and getting ready to sell on eBay “budgeting”… more on eBay (TeamDenise) later…
I guess they must have more patients than they can handle to not care if someone is unable to afford their services due to unexpected And Substantial increases in charges.
I want to live, I Believe in the Burzynsky treatment – I would NOT have stopped my chemo path and come to the Clinic if I did not believe. I Want To Live.
I swear, I’m starting to feel like this unconditional faith is similar to the years of faith I put in Clifford and look how That bit me in the big behind! Big.Time.
So… due to Those financial issues, I had to go by my (Totally Awesome) PCP’s (Primary Care Physician of the past 15yrs – Dr. Ronald Taylor) office and get him to write a prescription for Zometa for Novartis Oncology (the company that has granted me financial assistance with my monthly infusion of Zometa – the drug for the bone cancer).
I had to confirm that North Cypress Medical Hospital’s Infusion Center would accept physical receipt of my Zometa and would be able to give me my infusion and what the charges would be for receipt, compounding the drug into IV, infusion and storage (3 months per shipment). I was given a preliminary “ok” , but I have learned that “preliminary” is Not a confirmation, so I am not all excited… I was also given a cost range of $160 – $210, but – again – I have learned take numbers at face value where medical is concerned, so I will wait for a formal confirmation.
But it Seems like it will be doable…
We Shall See.
Tags: Cliff Grimes, Clifford F Grimes, Clifford Grimes, Mr. Sack, Zometa
[...] total infusion charges will now be $310.78 per month (a bit higher than originally suggested, but still Much lower than the $1000 at the Burzynski Clinic)… this will include receiving [...]
[...] he helped before with my prescription of Zometa, I was presuming, assuming, hoping that my Primary Care Physician (PCP) would be amicable to [...]