Codes

**This post has been in 'pending' mode for some time as I've struggled with whether or not to publish it. There are some stark realities to Cancer. This deals with one of them. I'm sensitive to those also on my insurance plan, and wonder, when our insurance premiums go up next year how much of it is due to me, and other co-workers/retirees or their family members in my situation. Did I share too much? Are there potential legal issues? are only some of the questions I've asked myself. However, this blog is about experiences with my NHL, and this is part of that experience. Be warned, the military term "shock and awe" might apply here!**


Zip CODE
The majority of my mail goes to a post office box where I pick it up once a week, usually on Sunday. Saves gasoline, saves time, and there is always a great parking spot.

which brings us to...

CODE Blue
For the last several months, in addition to the unwanted junk mail and box-filling catalogs and 'ugh' utility bills, there has of course been an abundance of medical related mail. From the "This Is Not A Bill" Explanation Of Benefits (EOB) sent by my insurance company for each procedure and each provider's service (often a single procedure has multiple providers), to the Invoice from each of those providers there are plenty of envelopes to sort through. Sometimes the EOB comes before an Invoice and sometimes the Invoice comes first. Either way, for those services that I am waiting on any type of notice to know the actual amount for what I owe it can be nerve-wracking wondering what those final $$$'s will be.
I think I've mentioned before how grateful I am for having medical insurance, which I've carried for 40+ years, seldom made claims on, yet now fully appreciate! [Perhaps another post will get into my pro's and gripes about medical insurance, not Obamacare which is a post all its own.] Anyway, my medical plan has an annual limit for out-of-pocket expenses, at which point Catastrophe Protection kicks in. Whew. Once that is reached there are a number of things I'm still responsible to pay for but nothing compared to what it has been. In the last several months I've diligently watched those out-of-pocket dollars not-so-slowly rise and wondered when that limit will be reached. Well, last Sunday's mail pickup had two surprises among my medical related envelopes. One took my breath away and the other had a code I'd not seen before.

So I mention all that to get to this...

The CODE Blue moment ("Code Blue" is generally used to indicate a patient requiring resuscitation or otherwise in need of immediate medical attention, most often as the result of a respiratory arrest or cardiac arrest.") happened while still in the parking lot of the Post Office opening medical-related envelopes, too impatient to wait until I got home, and the first one I happened to open was the EOB below. Can you see why I say "CODE Blue"?
First I saw the $$$'s amounts and then immediately checked the date.
It was for Chemo Day #1.
Fortunately a call to 911 was unnecessary. Barely.

(click on image to enlarge if needed)
As mentioned in this post an assistance program for one of the chemo drugs was offered to me. Guess which one? And now I know why!

Among the other medical mail also opened Sunday was the EOB for Chemo Day #2 which fortunately was a lesser cost, but was still reason for doing some calming deep breathing.

(click on image to enlarge if needed)

As much as these EOB's stunned me (and most of you reading this!), after all of the conversations with my C-Dr, and my subsequent research, I firmly believe he has me on the best course of treatment for my NHL based on the stage and location of the cancer activity in my body. An expensive course of treatment for sure, but no chemo drug is inexpensive. Cancer is not a low-cost disease as many cancer patients can attest to. And I whole heartily agree with what my Patient Advocate said to me on my initial visit to C-Dr office: "It looks like you have good insurance." Yes, and for that I'm extremely grateful.
The Six Million Dollar Man woman I'm not, but it may be close.

Thirty years ago, few to no options were available for NHL patients.
The prognosis was grim.
Life expectancy was short.
I'd likely have been told to get my affairs in order.
Fifteen years ago neither of my main chemotherapy drugs were available.
It's all very humbling on a lot of levels.

CODE M5

It was on the EOB for the Port Placement procedure, done on July 26th, when the new code "M5" showed up. Apparently my out-of-pocket costs reached the limit with this procedure. Shown below is the EOB explanation of the M5 code = "Catastrophe protection benefits apply to this service" and in reading that a new emotion kicked in. 

Certainly glad it wasn't a code of "MI5" (British Intelligence Agency) that was listed or that would be a Code Red!

note:  all comments are moderated and will not show up immediately.