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Posted 4/3/2012 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
I have an appointment for a consultation at the ProCure Proton Center in Warrenville, IL tomorrow morning. This is the first time that I will be meeting with them. Yesterday evening I received a call from ProCure confirming my CT Scan for tomorrow afternoon. I was caught off guard because I didn't set up an appointment for a CT Scan, and when I mentioned that the only appointment I was aware of was the consultation in the morning the lady on the phone said "I guess they'll talk to you about the CT at the consultation".

I find this a bit strange. Someone set up a CT Scan for me without even checking to see if i was available? Plus, I'm assuming that they will be charging me for the scan, and while my heath if my first concern I'm really not interested in paying for a scan that may not be necessary if I choose treatment elsewhere. Procure is out of network for my insurance so my portion of this scan could be as high at $4,000 (I have no idea how much a CT Scan costs).

Am I out of line here?
Posted 4/3/2012 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
No - you're not. I'd be a little concerned about that if I were in your place.

Clearly something you should mention in the consultation.

but it is just likely to be part of their standard consultation protocol that they forgot to mention when you made the appointment.
Posted 4/3/2012 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks...

I talked to the nurse who setup the consultations a couple of minutes ago and got some clarity. Because of my size (girth) they want to do a quick scan, not a full CT to make sure that the proton beam will be able to reach my prostate. Apparently I am borderline on paper. The scan is optional so if I'm not happy with the consultation I can pass on it. She also mentioned that they would not be billing for the scan.

I'm still not thrilled that no one called to see if I was available, but she looked at their schedule and the slot that they have men penciled into is the earliest available after the consultation.
Posted 4/3/2012 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Very brave of you to go out-of-network. I considered it, but when I looked at the real costs, I discovered that it was simply not possible.

I made a point at each step to ask. It came up in very unexpected places. For instance my bone scan - hospital equipment, in network; tech, one was, one wasn't, so had to schedule the test to use the right tech. For the evaluation, I actually had to wait longer on the results to get an in-network doctor.

It made each test an exercise in "I wonder what they might be able to charge me for", and checking each and every one.

On the other hand, CT scans get prescribed a lot - you would need to discuss that with the doctor

Posted 4/3/2012 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
I guess it will be brave if I choose to go there for treatment :).

I don't want to discount a treatment possibility just because of that, but it is a consideration in my decision.
Posted 4/3/2012 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
I would not say that I discounted any treatment because of cost. I would say that there were some treatments (valid) that I had to remove from consideration because my insurance did not cover them, and I was not in a position to pay the costs directly.
Posted 4/4/2012 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
They should have told you this part up front, in my opinion. If you are like me, I don't like surprises. With that type of treatment, it might be considered the "norm". Never went that route, so I don't know.

If you are going to continue to persue this treatment type, sounds like you need to bite the bullet and have the scan. Plus, since you mentioned "girth", you need to make sure that it would be the most effective treatment choice for you, regardless of whom is paying for it.

david in sc
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