CancerCompass message board discussion started by Lorelei on 1/3/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,19355,0.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ This is probably a very stupid question but if my husband is accepted into a clinical trial, do we pay for treatment?  Does insurance help?  Thanks for any and all information about clinical trials.  We are heading to the U of C at San Francisco for a consultation.  He's a 9 on the Gleason with mets to the bones and has just gone through radiation on his spine. Lori  Lorelei Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Lorelei:This is a fair question to ask. The providers of the Trial (UCSF I presume) will explain how the costs are covered. Usually the sponsor of the trial, a drug company or institution, will pay for the expenses of the trial. This may include housing and other associated costs, but not always. Sometimes only the treatment. Often they will want the patient to undergo more examinations and tests required only for the treatment and it is unfair to expect an insurance company or patient to pay for such costs. In any case it is rare for an insurance company to pay for clinical trial expenses because the treatment is not approved, or is not the standard of care, in most cases. Insurers specifically deny such experimental costs, though this may not be true in every situation. Without covering the costs the Clinical trial underwriters would have almost no one to recruit, thus the free or nearly free treatment for trial participants. Travel, housing, and associated expenses are another matter. Thoosier Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Comments above seem correct...the institutions & staff normally do not sur-bill anything above what they can get from 3rd party payors...best wishes Kenny Bouy Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT It would be helpful to us prostate cancer  patients to let us know what they do, say, and recommend and the name of medicines uses. Best of luck. needhelp Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT I will be happy to share information - if and when we get there! Lorelei Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT