Update on myself. IL-2… Yervoy… now Clinical Trial???

Some people have posted (check the archives to) about the Angel Network helping with free flightshttp://community.melanoma.org/cgi-bin/mpip/dbforum.pl?header=search&db=main_bb&post=98611

Posted by Alli at 12:17 on Wed, Feb 06, 2002    [Show other posts by Alli]

I ran across this ad and thought it sounded like a great idea. The Corporate Angel Network uses corporate jets to fly cancer patients to their out of state appointments. Has anyone tried it? I have listed the information below. Their web-site is corpangelnetwork.org. Needing to travel for treatment, consultation, or check-up. Able to walk up the stairs of a private jet without assistance. Requiring no form of life support or medical help on board. Save the expense of commercial tickets. Travel in comfort and ease. Avoid large crowds in terminals and on planes. Fly with an adult companion; a child patient may travel with both parents. Travel as often as necessary. Patient calls CAN at 914.328.1313 to register when there is a specific travel date; requests can be taken up to three weeks in advance. Supplies name, address, and telephone number of current physician. Makes back-up travel arrangements.

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Since you mention flyiing out from Texas, Have you checked what MD Anderson can provide for in-state residents that do not have medical insurance?  As a state supported institution, you should check what help they can provide.

Good luck on the continuing reduction and elimination of your tumors.

.

Some people have posted (check the archives to) about the Angel Network helping with free flightshttp://community.melanoma.org/cgi-bin/mpip/dbforum.pl?header=search&db=main_bb&post=98611

Posted by Alli at 12:17 on Wed, Feb 06, 2002    [Show other posts by Alli]

I ran across this ad and thought it sounded like a great idea. The Corporate Angel Network uses corporate jets to fly cancer patients to their out of state appointments. Has anyone tried it? I have listed the information below. Their web-site is corpangelnetwork.org. Needing to travel for treatment, consultation, or check-up. Able to walk up the stairs of a private jet without assistance. Requiring no form of life support or medical help on board. Save the expense of commercial tickets. Travel in comfort and ease. Avoid large crowds in terminals and on planes. Fly with an adult companion; a child patient may travel with both parents. Travel as often as necessary. Patient calls CAN at 914.328.1313 to register when there is a specific travel date; requests can be taken up to three weeks in advance. Supplies name, address, and telephone number of current physician. Makes back-up travel arrangements.

**********************************

Since you mention flyiing out from Texas, Have you checked what MD Anderson can provide for in-state residents that do not have medical insurance?  As a state supported institution, you should check what help they can provide.

Good luck on the continuing reduction and elimination of your tumors.

.

Some people have posted (check the archives to) about the Angel Network helping with free flightshttp://community.melanoma.org/cgi-bin/mpip/dbforum.pl?header=search&db=main_bb&post=98611

Posted by Alli at 12:17 on Wed, Feb 06, 2002    [Show other posts by Alli]

I ran across this ad and thought it sounded like a great idea. The Corporate Angel Network uses corporate jets to fly cancer patients to their out of state appointments. Has anyone tried it? I have listed the information below. Their web-site is corpangelnetwork.org. Needing to travel for treatment, consultation, or check-up. Able to walk up the stairs of a private jet without assistance. Requiring no form of life support or medical help on board. Save the expense of commercial tickets. Travel in comfort and ease. Avoid large crowds in terminals and on planes. Fly with an adult companion; a child patient may travel with both parents. Travel as often as necessary. Patient calls CAN at 914.328.1313 to register when there is a specific travel date; requests can be taken up to three weeks in advance. Supplies name, address, and telephone number of current physician. Makes back-up travel arrangements.

**********************************

Since you mention flyiing out from Texas, Have you checked what MD Anderson can provide for in-state residents that do not have medical insurance?  As a state supported institution, you should check what help they can provide.

Good luck on the continuing reduction and elimination of your tumors.

.

Chet,

I am glad to hear that you may be a late responder to the Yervoy.  With clinical trials, it varies from hospital to hospital what they will cover.  I think that your participation in one should be based not only on what they will pay for, but also the treatment plan.  Some drug companies will help cover the cost of drugs regardless of where you go.  A patient advocate can help you with this.  Also, sometimes you can coordinate with your local oncologist so travel time is less (ie, seeing your local onc for checkups).  We have contacted Angel Flight in the past.  As long as you know when you have to travel they are very accomodating.  It is in the rush situations that you may have a problem – they need some advance notice.  You can also look into trials at NIH – they reimburse you for travel and will pay for your flights.  No insurance is needed there, and the cost of all tests/drugs are covered.  However, all followup has to be done there too and may require alot of travel depending on what trial you get into. 

On a side note, I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Curti.  We are on the east coast, so getting into his trials wasn't reasonable for Dave.  But I do know they are doing one with steriotactic radiation prior to IL-2 which is what Dave wanted to do.  I spoke with a gentleman by the name of Scott Fountain there.  Really easy to get ahold of and answered every question I had.  We also worked with Dr. Wong when he was at Roswell (he left about 18 months ago).  My husband really liked him and he had a great relationship with him.  We were sad to see him leave.  Dave seen him while doing Interferon and still stage III.

Do you know which trials are offered here?  I would think that an anti-pd-1 would be your next step.  Is that what your oncologist is looking into?

If you need info on NIH, you can email me.  Others on this board have been treated there (ValinMtl is one).  Dave wasn't accepted into anything at that time (he is HLA negative, which is what they were looking for at that time).

Best wishes to you and I hope others can give you more info.

Maria

Chet,

I am glad to hear that you may be a late responder to the Yervoy.  With clinical trials, it varies from hospital to hospital what they will cover.  I think that your participation in one should be based not only on what they will pay for, but also the treatment plan.  Some drug companies will help cover the cost of drugs regardless of where you go.  A patient advocate can help you with this.  Also, sometimes you can coordinate with your local oncologist so travel time is less (ie, seeing your local onc for checkups).  We have contacted Angel Flight in the past.  As long as you know when you have to travel they are very accomodating.  It is in the rush situations that you may have a problem – they need some advance notice.  You can also look into trials at NIH – they reimburse you for travel and will pay for your flights.  No insurance is needed there, and the cost of all tests/drugs are covered.  However, all followup has to be done there too and may require alot of travel depending on what trial you get into. 

On a side note, I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Curti.  We are on the east coast, so getting into his trials wasn't reasonable for Dave.  But I do know they are doing one with steriotactic radiation prior to IL-2 which is what Dave wanted to do.  I spoke with a gentleman by the name of Scott Fountain there.  Really easy to get ahold of and answered every question I had.  We also worked with Dr. Wong when he was at Roswell (he left about 18 months ago).  My husband really liked him and he had a great relationship with him.  We were sad to see him leave.  Dave seen him while doing Interferon and still stage III.

Do you know which trials are offered here?  I would think that an anti-pd-1 would be your next step.  Is that what your oncologist is looking into?

If you need info on NIH, you can email me.  Others on this board have been treated there (ValinMtl is one).  Dave wasn't accepted into anything at that time (he is HLA negative, which is what they were looking for at that time).

Best wishes to you and I hope others can give you more info.

Maria

Chet,

I am glad to hear that you may be a late responder to the Yervoy.  With clinical trials, it varies from hospital to hospital what they will cover.  I think that your participation in one should be based not only on what they will pay for, but also the treatment plan.  Some drug companies will help cover the cost of drugs regardless of where you go.  A patient advocate can help you with this.  Also, sometimes you can coordinate with your local oncologist so travel time is less (ie, seeing your local onc for checkups).  We have contacted Angel Flight in the past.  As long as you know when you have to travel they are very accomodating.  It is in the rush situations that you may have a problem – they need some advance notice.  You can also look into trials at NIH – they reimburse you for travel and will pay for your flights.  No insurance is needed there, and the cost of all tests/drugs are covered.  However, all followup has to be done there too and may require alot of travel depending on what trial you get into. 

On a side note, I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Curti.  We are on the east coast, so getting into his trials wasn't reasonable for Dave.  But I do know they are doing one with steriotactic radiation prior to IL-2 which is what Dave wanted to do.  I spoke with a gentleman by the name of Scott Fountain there.  Really easy to get ahold of and answered every question I had.  We also worked with Dr. Wong when he was at Roswell (he left about 18 months ago).  My husband really liked him and he had a great relationship with him.  We were sad to see him leave.  Dave seen him while doing Interferon and still stage III.

Do you know which trials are offered here?  I would think that an anti-pd-1 would be your next step.  Is that what your oncologist is looking into?

If you need info on NIH, you can email me.  Others on this board have been treated there (ValinMtl is one).  Dave wasn't accepted into anything at that time (he is HLA negative, which is what they were looking for at that time).

Best wishes to you and I hope others can give you more info.

Maria

I assume your Onc is associated with a hospital.  Call that hospital, ask to speak with a social worker.  Tell her/him your insurance situation and ask for a consultation.  They may be able to help!  You'd be amazed what can happen if you get to the right person and that person WANTS to help you.

Mary

Stage 3

I assume your Onc is associated with a hospital.  Call that hospital, ask to speak with a social worker.  Tell her/him your insurance situation and ask for a consultation.  They may be able to help!  You'd be amazed what can happen if you get to the right person and that person WANTS to help you.

Mary

Stage 3

I assume your Onc is associated with a hospital.  Call that hospital, ask to speak with a social worker.  Tell her/him your insurance situation and ask for a consultation.  They may be able to help!  You'd be amazed what can happen if you get to the right person and that person WANTS to help you.

Mary

Stage 3

When I was diagnosed in June 2011 (Stage IV), I did NOT have insurance when Pennsylvania's governor got rid of it a few months earlier because they wre out of $$.  Immediately they assigned a social worker to me that got me started on filing out all the paperwork, etc to help get approved by the hospital/treatment center for their program to help uninsured patients.

Then a month later, we got a call from our local branch that handles the Medicaid, etc for families (which my kids have been on since we're low income), and said that I qualified for Medicaid, and they'd pay all my outstanding bills back to June 1st, and for the future, including any bills that my future insurance (which started July 2011) wouldn't cover.

I HAD NO IDEA I even qualified for Medicaid, they called me when they found out about my case from somewhere, no idea how they found out, but they did!

If you can, just find someone at the treatment center, or call your local office that handles Medicaid/Disability , etc, and go thru them!  They had me sign up for Disability (saying I couldn't work again), and it cleared me for the insurance (I don't get payments or anything like that), it's simply for insurance.

I hope the Yervoy works for you!  I too, am young as well, 31 years old, and I am just hoping that Yervoy works for me (get my 4th injection Nov.4th!)

When I was diagnosed in June 2011 (Stage IV), I did NOT have insurance when Pennsylvania's governor got rid of it a few months earlier because they wre out of $$.  Immediately they assigned a social worker to me that got me started on filing out all the paperwork, etc to help get approved by the hospital/treatment center for their program to help uninsured patients.

Then a month later, we got a call from our local branch that handles the Medicaid, etc for families (which my kids have been on since we're low income), and said that I qualified for Medicaid, and they'd pay all my outstanding bills back to June 1st, and for the future, including any bills that my future insurance (which started July 2011) wouldn't cover.

I HAD NO IDEA I even qualified for Medicaid, they called me when they found out about my case from somewhere, no idea how they found out, but they did!

If you can, just find someone at the treatment center, or call your local office that handles Medicaid/Disability , etc, and go thru them!  They had me sign up for Disability (saying I couldn't work again), and it cleared me for the insurance (I don't get payments or anything like that), it's simply for insurance.

I hope the Yervoy works for you!  I too, am young as well, 31 years old, and I am just hoping that Yervoy works for me (get my 4th injection Nov.4th!)

When I was diagnosed in June 2011 (Stage IV), I did NOT have insurance when Pennsylvania's governor got rid of it a few months earlier because they wre out of $$.  Immediately they assigned a social worker to me that got me started on filing out all the paperwork, etc to help get approved by the hospital/treatment center for their program to help uninsured patients.

Then a month later, we got a call from our local branch that handles the Medicaid, etc for families (which my kids have been on since we're low income), and said that I qualified for Medicaid, and they'd pay all my outstanding bills back to June 1st, and for the future, including any bills that my future insurance (which started July 2011) wouldn't cover.

I HAD NO IDEA I even qualified for Medicaid, they called me when they found out about my case from somewhere, no idea how they found out, but they did!

If you can, just find someone at the treatment center, or call your local office that handles Medicaid/Disability , etc, and go thru them!  They had me sign up for Disability (saying I couldn't work again), and it cleared me for the insurance (I don't get payments or anything like that), it's simply for insurance.

I hope the Yervoy works for you!  I too, am young as well, 31 years old, and I am just hoping that Yervoy works for me (get my 4th injection Nov.4th!)