Looks like my remaining pending insurance claims from October, november, and december have been processed, and so I can finally review my totals.
So for medical care, lab services, and other diagnostics, in network, I had a total of 40 claims, for $29,386.09.
For prescription medications covered in network, I had 65 claims, for $18,682.43
I paid just under $8,400 in premiums, and just over $6,000 in copays for in network or otherwise covered services, for $24,000 out of pocket, against total claims paid of $48,068.52
I also had appx. $18,000 in uncovered or out of network services that I had to pay for out of pocket. That was mostly in radiology services... both the FOUR actual CT and PET scans with contrast I had last year, and the services of the diagnostic radiologists reviewing those scans that my insurance did not cover, and some genetic testing costs they didn't cover; all of which I had to pay cash out of pocket for.
I had about $6,000 in uncovered or out of network pharmaceutical expenses that I also had to pay cash out of pocket.
Finally, I had $190,400 in uncovered pharmaceutical expenses, which were covered for me by Mercks patient assistance program for Keytruda... which my insurance will not cover because it is still considered experimental for my type of cancer. Though, because I have a rare and weird kind of cancer, technically all medications are considered experimental for it... but that's another issue entirely.
So, my total out of pocket medical expenses this past year were about $48,000, and the theoretical gross cost of keeping me alive was close to $300,0000.
... All of which I had to pay for out of disability insurance... including the more than two months that they never actually paid me for during my transition from short term to long term disability insurance between February and April.
Thank GOD that long term disability insurance is not considered taxable income... And thank God, and all of you, because I had a fair few friends donate to help out this past year whEN THINGS WERE CRITICAL... Otherwise I wouldn't have made it, period.
...And frankly, I'm expecting my out of pocket costs will be similar this year, and I'm going to have to ask for help again.... because this cancer crap is EXPENSIVE....
