Posted on Sep 30, 2023
She received chemo in two states. Why did it cost so much more in Alaska?
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https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/09/29/ [login to see] /she-received-chemo-in-two-states-why-did-it-cost-so-much-more-in-alaska
Emily Gebel was trying to figure out why she was having trouble breastfeeding. That's when she felt a lump.
Gebel, a mother of two children, went to her primary care doctor in Juneau, Alaska, who referred her for testing, she said.
Her 9-month-old was asleep in her arms when she got the results.
"I got the call from my primary care nurse telling me it was cancer. And I remember I just sat there for probably at least another half an hour or so and cried," Gebel said.
Juneau, the state capital, has about 31,700 residents, who are served by the city-owned Bartlett Regional Hospital. But Gebel said she has several friends who have also had cancer, all of whom recommended she seek treatment out of town because they felt bigger cities would have better care.
Emily Gebel was trying to figure out why she was having trouble breastfeeding. That's when she felt a lump.
Gebel, a mother of two children, went to her primary care doctor in Juneau, Alaska, who referred her for testing, she said.
Her 9-month-old was asleep in her arms when she got the results.
"I got the call from my primary care nurse telling me it was cancer. And I remember I just sat there for probably at least another half an hour or so and cried," Gebel said.
Juneau, the state capital, has about 31,700 residents, who are served by the city-owned Bartlett Regional Hospital. But Gebel said she has several friends who have also had cancer, all of whom recommended she seek treatment out of town because they felt bigger cities would have better care.
She received chemo in two states. Why did it cost so much more in Alaska?
Posted from npr.org
Cancer
Medical
Health
Pharmaceuticals
Posted 9 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."She opted for treatment in Seattle, the closest major American city to Alaska. She underwent surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center in September 2022. In January, she began chemotherapy at Lifespring Cancer Treatment Center, a stand-alone clinic that she said she selected because it offers a lower-dose chemotherapy.
During chemo, she learned she had stage 4 breast cancer, she said.
Commuting to Seattle for chemo every week — nonstop flights last as long as two hours and 45 minutes — became tiring. So Gebel began treatment at Bartlett Regional Hospital after her Seattle doctor taught hospital staffers there how to administer her chemo regimen.
Then the bill came.
The patient: Emily Gebel, 37, insured through her husband's employer by Premera Blue Cross. She was previously covered by Moda Health.
Medical service: One round of metronomic chemotherapy, which involves regular infusions at lower but more frequent doses and over a longer period than traditional chemotherapy.
Service provider: Bartlett Regional Hospital and Lifespring Cancer Treatment Center. The hospital is a tax-exempt facility owned by the city and borough of Juneau, though most of its revenue comes from the services it provides, according to hospital officials. Lifespring is a stand-alone, doctor-owned cancer clinic in Seattle.
Total bill: The prices for Emily's chemo infusions at Bartlett Regional Hospital varied week to week. A hospital bill showed one infusion in July was listed at $5,077.28 — more than three times the price for a similar mix of drugs at the Seattle clinic, $1,611.24."...
..."She opted for treatment in Seattle, the closest major American city to Alaska. She underwent surgery at Virginia Mason Medical Center in September 2022. In January, she began chemotherapy at Lifespring Cancer Treatment Center, a stand-alone clinic that she said she selected because it offers a lower-dose chemotherapy.
During chemo, she learned she had stage 4 breast cancer, she said.
Commuting to Seattle for chemo every week — nonstop flights last as long as two hours and 45 minutes — became tiring. So Gebel began treatment at Bartlett Regional Hospital after her Seattle doctor taught hospital staffers there how to administer her chemo regimen.
Then the bill came.
The patient: Emily Gebel, 37, insured through her husband's employer by Premera Blue Cross. She was previously covered by Moda Health.
Medical service: One round of metronomic chemotherapy, which involves regular infusions at lower but more frequent doses and over a longer period than traditional chemotherapy.
Service provider: Bartlett Regional Hospital and Lifespring Cancer Treatment Center. The hospital is a tax-exempt facility owned by the city and borough of Juneau, though most of its revenue comes from the services it provides, according to hospital officials. Lifespring is a stand-alone, doctor-owned cancer clinic in Seattle.
Total bill: The prices for Emily's chemo infusions at Bartlett Regional Hospital varied week to week. A hospital bill showed one infusion in July was listed at $5,077.28 — more than three times the price for a similar mix of drugs at the Seattle clinic, $1,611.24."...
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