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Archive for the ‘Patient Advocacy’ Category

Looking for a support group? Look no further!

Posted By on April 27th, 2010 at 11:00 am | 0 comments.

Have you recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and are looking for a support group?  Do you need to talk to others who have been where you are?  Is someone you love in this situation?  Are you at a loss for where to find groups in your area?  Well, the PBCC has the answer!

We have compiled a list of over 100 support groups across Pennsylvania, listing the group name, location, meeting days and times, and facilitators’ information if known.  Most of the groups are specifically for breast cancer support, but some are for anyone dealing with any type of cancer.  Some are geared toward a specific population such as African-American women, Latinas, young women, or those dealing with Stage IV or metastatic cancer.  Some groups focus on a specific facet of recovery such as exercise or spirituality.  Many are open to family members and loved ones.  Some meet in hospitals, some in women’s homes, and others in community centers or restaurants.  Many provide refreshments.  All are free of charge.  Check the notes for specifics on the particular group you are interested in.

We recommend you call the number on the listing to verify the group’s information.  Support groups sometimes change their meeting days or times without our knowledge so please call the facilitators before you decide to attend a meeting!

Finally, if you are a breast cancer (or general cancer) support group facilitator, or even just a regular attendee of one of these groups, we need your help!  Please visit our website and see if your group is listed.  If it is, do we have all the details correct?  If you see errors or if you know of a group not on our list, please email Kim at kim@pabreastcancer.org with the details and we’ll add them right away.

MRIs: Not Medically Necessary?

Posted By on March 31st, 2010 at 9:02 am | 0 comments.

Yet another patient called me today to say that her doctor wants to order an MRI, but her insurer will not cover the cost, calling MRIs experimental for the purpose of breast cancer detection.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) says “Breast MRI is not used for routine breast cancer screening, but clinical trials (research studies with people) are being performed to determine if MRI is valuable for screening certain women, such as young women at high risk for breast cancer. MRI cannot always accurately distinguish between cancer and benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions.”

I would welcome comments and advice from either side of this discussion.

Update: HAPPY ENDING to the Medicaid, Part D story

Posted By on March 30th, 2010 at 9:44 am | 0 comments.

In an attempt to keep those in a similar situation up to date, I have a happy ending to the patient who is on Medicaid, Part D who was in the application process for help from the pharmaceutical company’s Patient Assistance Program.

I’m happy to report that the breast cancer patient I wrote about earlier is now on a Patient Assistance Program (PAP) and has received her first free refill of Xeloda, an oral chemotherapy prescription drug. PAPs are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and provide free or discounted meds to patients.

If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, please contact the PBCC if there is anything we can do to help. This is why we’re here.

Update: Patient on Medicaid, Part D

Posted By on March 26th, 2010 at 1:32 pm | 2 comments.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a patient on Medicaid, Part D. The co-pay for her prescription is way beyond her monthly budget ($300 every 3 weeks).

Currently, she is in the application process for help from the pharmaceutical company’s Patient Assistance Program. We have recommended that she contact the Patient Advocate Foundation for help through their Co-Pay Relief program.

For now, her doctor was able to secure a one-time free prescription refill which we hope will see her through until a more long-term solution is found. This patient is one of so many we work with who are struggling with “paying their bills or buying their pills.”

If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, please contact the PBCC if there is anything we can do to help. This is why we’re here.

Patient Advocacy: Rewarding and Challenging

Posted By on March 1st, 2010 at 3:34 pm | 6 comments.

Patient advocacy is of course incredibly rewarding.  Referring a woman, newly diagnosed with breast cancer, to just the right program or organization to help with her particular circumstance makes for an amazing day at work.

At the moment, we are faced with finding resources for two women who share the same problem:  Medicare does not cover all the costs of their treatment or medication and they cannot afford the supplemental coverage. One of those women has actually stopped treatment. Is this a coincidence?  Or is it, as a breast center nurse called it, a new trend of “Medicare poor” or “retired poor”?

The PBCC will not give up until we find a resolution for these women, but meanwhile we worry about that regimen of chemotherapy being interrupted and what it will do to her.  And we worry about the other patients these two women may represent … the ones with the same problem who aren’t calling because they have already given up.

If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, please contact the PBCC if there is anything we can do to help. This is why we’re here.