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Colorectal Cancer Patient Support: Working With Your Health Insurance Company

Undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer is demanding enough without having to deal with your health insurance company at the same time. That’s why it’s a good idea to ask someone close to you to assist you with your health insurance issues during treatment. Designate yourself or a caregiver to keep track of all your healthcare information.

Insurance considerations — some basic questions

Ask yourself these questions before you get started:

  1. Which health insurance provider do I have?
  2. What does my coverage include?
  3. What are the payment and billing procedures?
  4. How do I keep all my paperwork organized?

Learn what your coverage includes before beginning treatment

You might be responsible for payment of fees and services if you do not follow your insurance plan’s guidelines.

  • Is preauthorization required for some surgical procedures or treatments? If this is the case, ask your doctor for the CPT codes for colorectal cancer and find out if the treatment is covered. If it isn’t, you can appeal, usually with assistance from your doctor explaining why the procedure is necessary.
  • Does your coverage have any exclusions — items or services for which benefits are not provided. For example, some plans that cover cancer therapy do not cover the expensive growth factors often required to replace blood cells depleted by chemotherapy.
  • Are second opinions covered? Or, are they required for certain procedures such as surgery?
  • If you are covered by an indemnity plan, what are the amounts of your yearly deductible and the percentage of your co-payment? Cancer therapy is expensive, so you should also find out whether your plan has a maximum calendar year out-of-pocket expenditure.

Get organized. Get all your paperwork together and keep it in one place

You can use a three-ring binder or file folders to organize your papers. Store your “Explanation of Benefits” here, as well as bills, statements, and payment records. Then, whenever you call your insurance company, hospital billing department, or doctor’s office, you can easily refer to your records.

  1. Basic information
    • Personal information: date of birth, Social Security number, work phone numbers for you and your spouse or other person you designate.
    • Insurance information: policy numbers, addresses, phone numbers.
    • Physician information: names, addresses, phone and fax numbers for all your physicians, past and present.
  2. Reports
    • All surgery and pathology reports.
  3. Consultations and letters
    • Letters from physicians and written second opinions.
  4. Test/lab results
    • Blood work, X-rays, bone scans, etc.
  5. Calendar
    • A record of appointments and schedules to track your treatment.
  6. Log
    • A diary of events related to your treatment.
  7. Insurance/financial data
    • Bills, statements, explanation of benefits, payment records, etc.

Learn about employment rights and colorectal cancer.

INDICATIONS

Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin injection), used in combination with infusional 5-FU/LV, is indicated for

  • Adjuvant treatment of stage III colon cancer patients who have undergone complete resection of the primary tumor.
  • Treatment of advanced carcinoma of the colon or rectum.

Clinical Safety Considerations

Anaphylactic-like reactions to ELOXATIN have been reported and may occur within minutes of ELOXATIN administration. Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines have been employed to alleviate symptoms.

  • ELOXATIN should not be administered to patients with a history of known allergy to ELOXATIN or other platinum compounds. Hypersensitivity and anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions to ELOXATIN have been reported and were similar in nature and severity to those reported with other platinum compounds (ie, rash, urticaria, erythema, pruritus, and, rarely, bronchospasm and hypotension). These reactions occur within minutes of administration and should be managed with appropriate supportive therapy. Drug-related deaths from this reaction have been reported.
  • ELOXATIN may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Women of childbearing potential should be advised not to become pregnant while receiving ELOXATIN. It is not known whether ELOXATIN or its derivatives are excreted in human milk.
  • ELOXATIN has been associated with pulmonary fibrosis (<1% of study patients), which may be fatal. The combined incidence of cough and dyspnea was 7.4% (<1% grade 3, no grade 4) in the ELOXATIN plus 5-FU/LV arm compared to 4.5% (no grade 3, 0.1% grade 4) in the 5-FU/LV alone arm in the adjuvant colon cancer study. In this study, one patient died from eosinophilic pneumonia in the ELOXATIN combination arm. The combined incidence of cough, dyspnea, and hypoxia was 43% (7% grade 3 and 4) in the ELOXATIN plus 5-FU/LV arm compared to 32% (5% grade 3 and 4) in the irinotecan plus 5-FU/LV arm in patients with previously untreated colorectal cancer. In case of unexplained respiratory symptoms, ELOXATIN should be discontinued until pulmonary investigation excludes interstitial lung disease or pulmonary fibrosis.
  • ELOXATIN is associated with two types of primarily peripheral sensory neuropathy: an acute, reversible type of early onset and a persistent type (>14 days). In patients with advanced colorectal cancer paresthesias occurred in 77% (all grades) and 18% (grade 3/4) of previously untreated patients. In previously treated patients, acute neuropathy occurred in 56% (all grades) and 2% (grade 3/4) of patients; persistent neuropathy occurred in 48% (all grades) and 6% (grade 3/4) of patients. In patients with stage II and III colon cancer, paresthesia was seen in 92% (all grades) and 13% (grade 3/4) of patients; 21% (all grades), 0.5% (grade 3/4) had residual paresthesia at 18-month follow-up.
  • Hepatotoxicity, as evidenced in the adjuvant study by increase in transaminases and alkaline phosphatase was observed more commonly in the ELOXATIN combination arm. The incidence of increased bilirubin was similar on both arms. Changes noted on liver biopsies include: peliosis, nodular regenerative hyperplasia or sinusoidal alterations, perisinusoidal fibrosis and veno-occlusive lesions. Hepatic vascular disorders should be considered and, if appropriate, investigated in case of abnormal liver function test results or portal hypertension not explained by liver metastases.
  • Monitoring of white blood cell count with differential, hemoglobin, platelet count and blood chemistries (including ALT, AST, bilirubin and creatinine) is recommended before each ELOXATIN cycle.
  • The safety and effectiveness of ELOXATIN plus 5-FU/LV in patients with renal impairment have not been evaluated. Since the primary route of platinum elimination is renal, this combination should be used with caution in patients with preexisting renal impairment. Clearance of these products may be decreased by coadministration of potentially nephrotoxic compounds, although this has not been specifically studied.
  • The incidence of diarrhea, dehydration, hypokalemia, leukopenia, fatigue and syncope were higher in patients ≥65 years old.
  • Extravasation may result in local pain and inflammation that may be severe and lead to complications, including necrosis. Injection site reaction, including redness, swelling and pain, has been reported.
  • There have been reports of prolonged prothrombin time and INR occasionally associated with hemorrhage in patients receiving ELOXATIN plus 5-FU/LV while on anticoagulants. Patients receiving ELOXATIN plus 5-FU/LV and requiring oral anticoagulants may require closer monitoring.
  • The most common adverse reactions in patients with stage II or III colon cancer receiving adjuvant therapy were peripheral sensory neuropathy, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, nausea, increase in transaminases and alkaline phosphatase, diarrhea, emesis, fatigue, and stomatitis. The most common adverse reactions in patients with advanced colorectal cancer were peripheral sensory neuropathy, fatigue, neutropenia, nausea, emesis, and diarrhea.

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