CancerCompass message board discussion started by Pilot on 8/23/2006 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,6573,0.htm Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Has anyone had the RC with neo blader done. I was supose to have it done on the 21 of Aug. . But my insurance will not pay. They say they concider it experamental so I would have had to pay for it up front. So I had to wait to appeal there disition. Don Pilot Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hi, My husband had an RC on January 6, 2006 and received a neobladder. He had his surgery at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis. It was covered by our insurance. I hope you win your appeal and can have your surgery covered. If you have any other questions, please ask. Also, my husbands surgery was conducted by Dr. Michael Koch. I noticed the title of your message is "robotic surgery" and did not know if that had anything to do with insurance paying or not. Good luck, Stephanie Steph2005 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT Yes it is becouse they concider it experamental. They will not pay. The cost is $31,000.00 and that is the discount, conventional surgery is about $25,000.00 So we are appealling so I had a turb done fryday to see what the stage it was aa t1 and my uro said he thought it was T2 so I have anther uro did this last test. Don Pilot Mon, 28 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hi, My dad had this sugery performed at the Univ. of Chicago about one year ago. Ironically he had a robot take out his bladder and the doctor performed the neo-bladder. this is not at all experimental so dont buy this crap. the robot was and dads was still paid for but the neo-bladder has been done for many years. Even the cardinal was going to have this sugery if it was possible. Heart Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Thanks for that info, could I get the name of the insurance to put with my appeal papers. I do not need names but maybe just the Docter that did the surgery for his opinion.Maybe he has away to get this approved. May i ask waht was the recovery time. My URO for robotics says about 2 week to supervice my job sites and 4 weeks for 90 percent recovery and I would only were acathiter for 10 days. 5 days in hospital and no blood tranfution. How does all this sound to you. Tahnks for your help. I ned all I can get. Don Pilot Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT I think that we have Humana but I know that Blue Cross also pays for this sugery as well. Our Dr. is Dr. Gary Steinberg at the U of C but Im not sure he will help without using him as your doctor. The recovery times your Dr. quoted seem reasonable without complications. Unfortunately in my dads case he got all of the complications mentioned. He had a blood clot,abscess and did need a transfusion. Are they doing the sugery with a robot? Are they taking the prostate as well. I hope so because dad ended up having prostate cancer and they didnt know it. Our dr. always takes out both at the same time. The cardinal in Chicago also has some complications so it is a possibitlty while remote. I think the rate is 25% for one complications and much less 10% for two. Our doctor is one of the leading guys in the country who perform this sugery. I think dad took three months to recover but nine months to get back to fully functional due to his complications and needing to fix a ureter stricture. Dad would say while its not easy its life and well worth it. I dont know what stage you are in but grade 3 is agressive and many wait too long. While sugery isnt a guarentee of no recorrences it does have a 90% ten year survival for grade 3 stage one tumors. Heart Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT While im not a doctor im not sure i would advise to use the robot. our doctor im not sure is evening doing it on bladders anymore becuase i think with great hands and knowlege he had better outcomes than with the robot. FYI Heart Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Thankyou this is a great help I have humana one and if you could confirm this it would a great help to me, I hate to battle cancer and to battle the insurance. I really want it done this way I know this may seem stranch to some, but I know a man that had it done 3 years ago by Dr Mennon at henry ford with great results. But I do appreciate your concerns. This is done by 2 sergens, one does the prostae and bladder removal and the other one buids the neo thru a2 inch insitionn then it is put back together roboticly, so it is a combination of the two typs. By the way becouse segery was postponed I had aTURB and I am still a T-1 No muscle invasion but into the lamina peora. I have been offerd chemo and radiation I will not do this, also More Bcg with interferon, If I can get the suregry approved I will do this. By the way this inteferon is very expensive I pay 25 percent witch is $1,250.00 the insurance pays the other 75 percent, Isnt that wild they will pay that 5000 but wont pay for removal. They are stepin over dollors to pick pennys. So if you can confirm they payed for the surgery I know it would win this cure for me. Then I would skip the BCG/ interferon. It might save my life. Not to say I still might do it the reguler way someday but I would try the Bcg/ interferon first. Plus I will always take my tea and natural cures. Thansk again I am hoping to hear back from you soon. Don email me if you want --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ---- Pilot Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT I know that humana paid but i dont know if they billed it as a robot becasue they used a robot but the surgeon did the re-bulid himself by his hands. dads bladder was removed by the robot along with the prostate. THe prostate are almost exclusively done by robots now at all major institutions. I would have your doctor call humana and talk with them. I cant believe they wont pay. Heart Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Thanks for the info I will be on it Monday to see what is up with this. Hope your Dad continues to do well. Don Pilot Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Dont let the insurance company win. I dont understand thier position on your case. However if the robot is what is stopping your sugery you might want to consider getting it done the regular open sugery neo-bladder. That Im sure they will pay for. I dont know what grade cancer you have but waiting is a risk if they feel you need it out. DOnt wait too long. Keep in touch and good luck to you. Heart Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT Well the bottom line is with my policy being an indavisal not a group. There is an exclution that they do have to not pay. So I am now now doing interferon and bcg combo. First treatment was Thursday 5 to go.This has a 30 percent chance of success. Maybe by then if I need RC I can bet it done . Don Pilot Sat, 23 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT it wouldnt be a bad idea to perhaps talk with a lawyer for a few minutes and see if there is anything you could do. keep your chin up and keep us informed. Heart Sat, 23 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT While I go thru this other treatment I will appeal there ruling. But my hopes are I wonrt need it. Don Pilot Sat, 23 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT I had an RC April 29, 2004. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield and it paid for the procedure and everything within the constraints of my plan. Could it be they consider Robotic as experimental? They should pay. Stay on top of it and don't delay the operation if you don't have to. Skylid Fri, 06 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hell all. I have done an extensive on assisted robotic surgery. It should not be considered experimental because many hopistals now are uusing it. There are many articles about the daVinci robot. Go to www.intuitivesurgeryinc.com. They have a link to hospital locators. Also do a seach online with the terms: Assisted robotic surgery for (type in your condition) and you will see scientific literature on it. The assisted robotic surgey is considered better because of lees blood loss, more precise than hands alone surgery, faster recovery, etc. When you appeal, you need the backing of scientific articles to provide the rationales. Copy the literature, give it to your doctor, and have your physician appeal or you can. authord Authord Sun, 03 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT Sorry all...I meant to say Hi all not hell all. I must have been thinking it is h--- dealing with these issues. authord Authord Sun, 03 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT Thanks for your reply I will use this info if I need to. I will be making a post on this amazing thing that has hapened since then. I am now in remision I will tell all in a post later today. I know it might come back but as of last Mondays(11/27/06)turb and bladder wash I am clear for now. Don Pilot Sun, 03 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT