From the IAS: Financial Assistance for Adhesions, Adhesiolysis or other Surgery

From: IAS Admin (tracy.joslin@adhesions.org)
Thu Jun 7 08:25:22 2012


A posting from Dr. Wiseman to our Readers:

Financial Assistance for Adhesions, Adhesiolysis or other Surgery

Following are some leads and tips for finding financial help for adhesiolysis surgery. Please do your own diligent

research to find the right solution for you.

We are grateful to an adhesion sufferer for researching and compiling this information.

Hospital Policies

Hospitals have "charity care policies," and this article, "Hospitals Low Key on Charity,"

(http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2012/may/28/wsmain01-hospitals-low-key-on-c harity-ar-2313333/)

explains how they work at hospitals. Some hospitals have information on their websites about their policies,

but for others you must ask the hospital employees for information. The key words that seem to be the ones

to use when inquiring about eligibility are "charity care program." The requirements of hospitals to provide

charity care differ by state, according to this article, "Hospital Charity Care Requirements,"

(http://www.ehow.com/list_7174949_hospital-charity-care-requirements.html). If you know what hospital

you want to go to and you have a surgeon willing to operate, you might want to search online for their

charity care policy or program, and if that does not work, ask the hospital staff for help.

Here are some examples of general charity care programs:

JFK Medical Center, New Jersey:

http://jfkmc.org/departments-and-clinical-services/patient-support-services/ charity-care

University of Michigan: http://www.med.umich.edu/comben/direct/index.html

Central Texas Medical Center:

http://www.ctmc.org/PatientsVisitors/AfterMyStay/CharityCarePolicy.aspx

Options for Financial Help:

Other options to consider include non-surgical treatments, patient navigators, and tax breaks.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_6824464_surgery-health-insurance.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/303307-surgery-without-insurance/

Vocational Rehabilitation:

Try contacting your local Vocational Rehabilitation organization or Department of Human

Services. This article explains how it works, and the second link is a state-by-state listing

of organizations.

http://voices.yahoo.com/free-surgery-dental-work-town-52207.html?cat=5

http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_ID=SVR

International Medical Travel:

Find low-cost adhesiolysis procedures in other countries:

http://medicaldiscounts.com/ (800) 771-3325

Laproscopic Adhesiolysis is listed as a $1,950 procedure, on top of travel expenses.

Research this carefully, go over the FAQs with a fine-toothed comb, ask a lot of questions,

and make sure you are comfortable with every detail before agreeing.

http://abcmedicaltourism.com/en/adhesiolysis_treatment.php

In the first search field, enter "General Surgery," then, "Adhesiolysis Treatment."

Before agreeing to undergo treatment by any medical professional abroad (or in the

USA for that matter), thoroughly investigate all the risks and benefits of having the

treatment as well the training and experience of the foreign doctor. In addition to

considering treatment's safety, a patient should evaluate the qualifications and

experience of the doctor and account for differences between training and standards

of doctors in those other countries and those in the USA.

Surgeons donating surgeries:

Some organizations are available in some areas to provide procedures to people with

low-incomes. If one of these is not near you, search for "low income surgery" and

include your city/state name. Sometimes it is one surgeon who is offering a free

surgery day once a year. Sometimes it is an organization that can offer help more

often. It is unknown whether these organizations can provide adhesiolysis.

California:

http://www.handsonnetwork.org/stories/AccessOC

http://www.operationaccess.org/Home Page (415) 733-0052

Nevada:

http://www.helpinghandssurgicalcare.com/how-we-work.html

Tips:

Call hospitals and ask for their "charity care policy" and how to be considered

for their "charity care program."

When calling organizations, you will want to use key words like "general surgery,"

"minimally-invasive laproscopic surgery" and "adhesiolysis" or "adhesions causing.

(whatever your symptoms are)."

Find a surgeon who is willing to operate first, and then work through the hospital's

charity care program. Remember that health centers/surgeon offices may bill separately

from the hospital. Make sure you ask at the office and the hospital about consideration

for low-income patients.

This summary was put together by a fellow adhesion-sufferer who is not a doctor

or a financial assistance professional. Please be your own advocate, and do your

own diligent research. If you do not see something here that helps you in your

area, use the search terms listed to find assistance locally.

Admin Note: you can also find this posting at: http://www.adhesions.org <http://www.adhesions.org/> & click on What's New.

We have put this information into a .pdf file for printing also at http://www.adhesions.org/disability.htm


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