Here comes some noise ~ Medicare coverage for Proton Therapy challenged

Hey Tony!

Now we will have a good thread here.Hopefully most of you have excellent health coverage through your job. Unfortunately many of us have lost health benefits even though we have paid for insurance for our whole life.The insurance companies were able to rewrite the laws in 2005 to effectively end coverage for erectile dysfunction.

If you suffer from ED in Indiana - for whatever reason your coverage has been dropped from any individual policy. This also includes the state mandated high risk pool. We are still searching all small group policies to see if there are any that cover ED - so far it doesn't look promising.

If and when I need a revision for my implant - which I will. There will be no coverage. I have an Anthem plan (Blue Cross) - the new policy will not cover any expense dealing with the treatment of ED (for me the penile implant). Even if I go to a PPO physician and hospital, I will not be afforded the discount rate insured patients receive. I will pay the ‘retail’ rate—that in some cases in 2 1/2 times the insured discount rate. Scary - yes. On top of that, if I am treated for ED, and have a complication - say a heart attack during surgery, or other condition caused by the ED treatment. That also will not be covered according to Anthem. I have had many conversations with the Indiana Department of Insurance - and they agree. I could easily be bankrupt if things don’t go well. If things work out great - I’ll only be out 30,000 or so. Comforting, isn’t it? We are the only industrialized country in the world where an individual can be bankrupted my the medical system. All the technology and medical resources that America has to offer is a wonderful thing. It’s just a shame it is out of reach of so many of our citizens.