you could ask the dr about it. Some things require a preauthorization that the doc would do by calling the insurance company..essentially getting their approval, or call the insurance company and see what the options are. Hospitals also have financial assistance if all else fails. As far meds..not sure your situation, but if you are low income check with your your pharmacy for discounts, the manufactuer of the drug, your local social security office and help you with options as well. Good luck! I hope your mom goes!

Thanks for the advice as for me I have checked with all i could for my meds its not something I get at the pharmacy its IV infusions and I have checked out the drug companies and patience assistance programs with no help. But I was thinking about the hospital financial assistance for my mom. Hopefully she will go but she is so dang stubborn lol.

I can sure understand your concern. Maybe call the doctor and tell them that she won't make the appointment due to finances, and maybe they can work something out with her. You are SO right...she NEEDS to have this taken care of before it becomes serious. Hang in there. She's lucky to have you. Hugs xx

With my insurance, they cover once a year, but when something suspicious is found, the follow up isn't considered part of the yearly allowance...it's necessary! I hope your Mom doesn't keep fighting it.

Hugs,
Cherry

Many hospitals have coverage if a patient can't pay. Have your mom talk to someone about a "indigency packet or application". It is quite a lengthy thing...but, I am sure that you can help her. I know that the hospital in CDA does this because that is where I was a social worker. All public hospitals do so.

They will just be able to write off the costs from their insurance if the patient can't pay.

As for the mammogram....It is defiantely important that she gets it checked out. It is probably a cyst or something that is benign...but, you never want to mess around with it as it can be so dangerous if it is not.

HUGS and support to you my friend. Please let us konw if there is any updates.

Leigh Ann, it looks like you got some good advice. Since your mom is being stubborn you can call the hospital and say you are her and then that can lead into the info you are needing. Or you can start doing a little of the homework yourself then sit with your mom and tell her what you've found out . Have all the places and what she needs to ask for and just sit it by her and pray that she will pick up the paper and make some calls. I sure she is still in shock and is scared to death. She will come around once the initial shock wears off. Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers

my mom is the same way, she has a bunch of health problems, fibro and RA among others and she wont take meds or seek out any other dx (she's starting to get neuro symtoms so i'm thinking something else may be going on with her)

its really frusterating to watch her be sick but she wont take my advice. i do feel for you. i just realized over time you can lead a hoarse to water but you can't make them drink.

There is strength in numbers tho, since this may be a cancer scare maybe get other friends and family memebers to gently suggest she go get it checked our further.

i'll be thinking of you guys

hugs

I've been thinking about you and your mom since you posted this. My husband is like this only his reason is because they just want your money so they make up a bunch of stuff and then start adding all these test. What vie done with him is I make an appointment for him and had him the date and time and believe it or not he goes. He always says I'm not going and I tell him he has to call and cancel it because I'm not. Also I tell him if he doesn't cancel they will charge him. Only once did he cancel and he end up in the ER because he couldn't breath. He had pnuemonia . Give her a few days and then start the tough love. We think as we are growing up we wouldn't be telling our parents what to do and giving them the tough love treatment but there always seem to come a time when we have to. Keeping you and you mom in my prayers.

I agree that the second should be covered if there was a problem with the first. It would make no sence to see there could be an issue and leave you no way to find out if it was an error or not. I have been called back and it was frightening. It turned out to be nothing and nothing further was required. Getting past the fear of being called back is very hard. Intellectually you know you have to go but your body doesn't want to go. Maybe doing research on percent of people being called back and it turning out to be nothing along with numbers of people called back where the problem was easily resolved because of catching it in a timely manner?

If the insurance happens to be a problem, ask the place that did the test if there are any women's health groups that might cover the cost. I had a problem that eventually needed surgery. I had no insurance to even have the mamo at the time and they hooked me up with a group that paid for everything including the additional testing and surgery.

Good luck with all of this. Your mom will be in my thoughts. Hugs, Barbara

You have the best advise in the world here. I pray you can have success with it. I'm in the same position with my dad in his 80's. Finally I found an aging agency and together we are signing him up for welfare...but he doesn't know it. It has another name QMB so we are calling it that. Now he will go to the doctor. Older people lived through the depression and they think it's a sin to get financial help. I will say a prayer for her...and you!
Anne

I've been there and done this. I was getting mammo's every six months do to family history.
I went for a Dr.s appointment and Dr. felt the knot and ordered a mammo, the hospital did one side this really made the Dr mad he send me some were else for a both side mammo,and ultra sound,The results were very quickly called to Dr and I was refered to a cancer center within a week I was being treated.So I ended up with 3 different mammo's, insurance had to pay, there was suspect findings.
Your local health dept helps or pays for mammo's with donated money.
Tell your mom being stubborn can kill her.

There are all kinds of programs out there that pay for mammograms, at this point though Jan is right an ultrasound is what will be done. I've been through it too.

I didn't have insurance or any income coming in and told the hospital and dr about it and everything was paid for by hospital funding.

I had a lumpectomy and follow up. The doctor bills, everything was paid.

I'm not sure of the ratio, but it's around 80% that most of the time it's just fatty matter or a non-surgical cyst. This does not mean that she shouldn't get the test done, I'm just saying this so maybe it will help calm her some.

Because I acted on my results within a week, mine didn't turn into something worse. Breast cancer runs very strong in my family. Tell her my grandmother didn't do anything about hers and it ate a hole in her breast (sorry for being morbid). It eventually took her away from all of us.

I hope she listens to you. Tell her what everyone said here and I pray she does something about it.

I'll also pray it's just one of those fatty clumps,
Hugs,
Toni

I am late on the scene here, and you already have great advice. I just want to add that I hope you can convince your mother of the importance of following through with the exam. You will both be in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs, Cathy

If their are any siblings (yours or hers) try to get them involved. There's strength in numbers!! Or anyone she may be close to and whose opinions she would value.

I think she will go and get it because her doctor called asking her if she is going to do it. I know her doctor pretty good if she doesn't get the updated mammogram then I have a feeling she won't refill her pain meds. i don't agree with the tatic being used but if it gets my mom to the doctors to get it looked at than I am for it. It will be a couple weeks before she can get in though. This Monday I have a doctors appointment with my rheumy which is about 2 to 2 and half hours away. then she has appointment the Monday after that. She works graveyard and has Sunday and Mondays off so she can only schedule doctor appointments on Mondays. Thank you all for your advice :)