Cancer Patients Face Desperation as Insurance Giant Cigna and Huge Cancer Center Sloan Kettering Fight About Dropping Coverage

Cigna did not respond to our requests for comment at the time of publishing.

Cancer patients who receive treatment from MSK are taking to social media to express frustration over the ongoing dispute between the hospital and the insurance company.

“I just received a letter from Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC that Cigna will likely drop the hospital from its in-network coverage. The hospital is recommending that we contact Cigna and have our employers call too and urge Cigna to get to a contract with MSK,” one Reddit user wrote.

Another person affected says they are trying to get Cigna and MSK “on the same page” after receiving an expensive medical bill worth $16,000.

“I’m getting billed as out of network, which has a $16k out-of-pocket max, instead of the in-network with an $8k out-of-pocket max (which we usually hit by February). Both Cigna and MSK have acknowledged the problem but thus far have not corrected it,” the person under the username BocaHoo91 wrote.

Help with the Cost of Cancer Treatment

“Cancer treatment is incredibly expensive,” Laurie Ostacher, a Behavioral Health Clinician at Stanford Health Care, previously told SurvivorNet.

“How much coverage you have depends on your purchased insurance plan. Sometimes, when folks are younger, they might purchase a plan with a high deductible, assuming they won’t get ill. So, really, it’s helping them think about and kind of try and plan for the expenses that will be coming up. Your cancer center will often have a financial counselor to help you with that, who can sit down and go through the costs.”

WATCH: See how a social worker can help with cancer costs.

Financial toxicity is a term that has been coined to describe the problematic financial impact cancer treatment brings.

The consequences of cancer costs can extend beyond patients’ wallets. Some people feel they must cut their pills in half to extend their medications or not refill their prescriptions for several weeks because they can’t afford it.

To begin your journey for financial assistance, start by talking to your doctor. Your cancer center can help address any concerns about the cost of your cancer drugs.

Ostacher also recommends exploring disability programs.

“Most people are working when they’re diagnosed, and finances are a significant issue for them. So, for those who want to take some time off and can take time off, I will talk to them about the disability programs that exist,” she said.

“There’s the state disability program. Every state has a disability program. They vary from state to state. And then there’s also the federal disability program. So, I’ll help folks kind of sit down, look at their income, estimate how much money they will get, they will collect from disability, how to go about the application process,” Ostacher continued.

Other options may include taking part in paid clinical trials.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are worried about cancer treatment costs, here are some questions you can ask your doctor to kickstart your way to solutions.

• What will my treatment cost?
• Will my medical insurance cover my treatment?
• How long do you expect my cancer treatment to last?
• What options do I have if I can’t afford my medication?
• Can you recommend a financial counselor or navigator to talk with?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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