Stevie JoEllie is a 21 year old young woman diagnosed with stage II follicular variant papillary carcinoma with lymphatic involvement after several years of inconclusive medical evaluations and diagnostic tests. She underwent a radical thyroidectomy and neck resection on March 31, 2008 followed by radioactive iodine therapy.Her insurance HMO Carrier, AmeriChoice of NJ denied coverage for her surgery and post surgical care due to a technical enrollment error and administrative miscommunication during the pre-certification and authorization process through no fault of her own and despite clear supportive medical evidence that her treatment plan adheres
to the National Cancer Institutes 2008 standard of care for thyroid cancer.
An Appeal process for services was referred to the HMO's Escalation department in mid-May, but since their decision was to drop her enrollment and denied all medical services pre and post surgically because she turned 21 a few weeks prior to surgery and was not actively attending school at the time of pre-certification request due to her illness.
All of her surgical and post surgical care has become an out of pocket expense, as we pursue an insurance appeal process designed to protect the insurance company interests --she is no longer elegible for private insurance coverage in the open market due to her cancer diagnosis as a pre-existing condition. While there are programs in place to provide chemotherapy and external beam radiation therapy to uninsured patients eithe under charity care or other supportive funding programs there is no program we are aware of as of today that provides supportive funding for Thyrogen injections and or radioactive iodine therapy.
We soon discover that cancer care financial assistance programs simply do not provide financial assistance or relief funding for the type of services and/or medications Stevie JoEllie needs post surgically to remain healthy in-spite of her Thyroid Cancer diagnosis and a number of related and post surgical conditions.
We have learned that with cancer time is key; early detection, early treatment and close monitoring is the most effective way we have to save lives.
Stevie JoEllie is doing well and looking forward to returning to school in the spring of 2009 after yet another nuclear scan and additional diagnostic testing. Our experience has led us to meet many more Thyroid cancer patients who share very similar stories.
If you or someone you know has an endocrine condition, thyroid nodules or thyroid cancer YOU ARE NOT ALONE, you don't have to be alone. We are here with you and for you, hoping that as we develop this web-site and our web-based support group you come along, learn and share with us this crazy and sweet journey of life.
We are creating an affiliate You Tube Channel full of relevant easy to understand Pod Casts and Videos, or you can visit Hope Angel' MySpace WebPage and search under "my videos" a separate Happy Angels Project on MySpace is also under construction in an effort to reach out to the young men and women in our community and around the world. |
|
Welcome ! >
Our Story and Inspiration
Subpages (1):
A Message to our Visitors
|
EMERGENCY HEALTH IDMedic Alert Foundation
Medical Identification Emblems and Emergency Electronic Medical Records Database. Please enter promotional code 750 and Ambassador Number 10456 where indicated during enrollment. If you or someone you know cannot afford this life saving tool please ask us about the hardship sponsorship program.
VISIT OUR A-STOREWELLNESS POSSIBILITIES - $25 or more Good for their choice of
services -- featuring 150+ ways to relax,
relieve pain, reduce stress, and live
healthier, happier & easier.
Enter Promo Code Stevie
PREPAID LEGAL SERVICES Life Events Legal Plans
HealthCare Proxy
Bankruptcy & Collections
Wills & Trusts
SUBSCRIBTION CORNERNEWSLETTERS ON FILE |
