Off Topic, but still cancer related

Pratoman said...
I went to a new Dermatologist two weeks ago, because 1. I was overdue for screening, and 2. I saw something on my arm that made me nervous (turned out it was nothing).
I found out something new, which amazed me. Medicare does NOT cover annual screening. I got a bill for $400. My old dermatologist, who had retired, always got me reimbursed. I called them to ask what diagnosis code they used, and I gave that to the new Derms billing department. They said they cant resubmit because I already called Medicare and questioned it.

I don't understand why colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc all get covered, but Skin cancer screening is not. Traditional Medicare Part B + Plan G supplement.

I demanded a discount, they gave me only 10%. I' debating whether to pay for it, or just let them start busting my balls and then telling them I want a bigger discount, their mistake.

Pratoman said...
br />I found out something new, which amazed me. Medicare does NOT cover annual screening.
.

81GyGuy said...
As a life-long (so far) Florida resident, developing skin cancer as a result of too much fun in the sun is a genuine concern of the citizenry here.

Not only are there a bunch of sunning opportunities here (beaches in every direction), but also abundant water parks and swimming pools everywhere.

As a kid, teen, and young man in Florida I practically lived in the water and sun in those days, usually with sun tan lotion applied, but not always.

So far so good on suspicious moles, etc., but I'm kind of holding my breath to see if anything finally shows up, resulting from my youthful wanton ways in the Florida sunshine.

Anyway, the article below lists what it maintains are the top offender states as far as rates of skin cancer go:

1. Florida: 7.1 percent (Surprise, surprise!)
2. Washington, D.C.: 5.8 percent
3. Connecticut: 5.6 percent
4. Maryland: 5.3 percent
5. Rhode Island: 5.3 percent
6. Vermont: 5.3 percent
7. North Carolina: 5.2 percent
8. New York: 5 percent
9. Massachusetts: 5 percent
10. Colorado: 5 percent
11. Arizona: 5 percent
12. Virginia: 5 percent
13. Delaware: 4.8 percent
14. Kentucky: 4.7 percent
15. Alabama: 4.7 percent
16. New Jersey: 4.7 percent
17. Georgia: 4.7 percent
18. West Virginia: 4.5 percent
19. Tennessee: 4.5 percent
20. South Carolina: 4.4 percent

The article also tells us

"People living in eastern states tend to be more prone to skin cancer, and diagnoses are more common among women."

"It may come as a surprise that sunny California doesn’t make the top 20, and Hawaii is the state with the lowest rate of skin cancer at 1.8 percent. Prevention magazine explains that this could be due to the large population of senior citizens in Florida and the fact that the risk of melanoma, a rare but deadly type of skin cancer, increases with age. People living in regions with higher altitudes also face a greater risk of skin cancer due to the thinner atmosphere and greater exposure to UV radiation, which explains why Colorado is in the top 10."

(NOTE: the above paragraph makes a good point. Since there is a large retiree population in Florida, any medical statistics for the state as a whole can be skewed toward the "senior" ailments, and not be reflective of the state population in general).

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/546861/20-states-highest-rates-skin-cancer#:~:text=here%20are%20the%2020%20states%20with%20the%20highest,8%208.%20new%20york%3a%205%20percent%20more%20items

Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 9/11/2023 8:46:33 AM (GMT-8)