How do I get a Second Opinion (cancer)?

How, does your insurance pay for extra appts?

You are entitled to second opinions. I didn't have any problems with insurance covering 4, I was under 65 at the time and had insurance from the marketplace.

When you’re making the decision on which doctor and what facility do not discount a place just because they say they don’t take your insurance. When I was diagnosed I had no idea of where to go. MD Anderson is over 3 hrs from my house but it seemed like the best option. Because it is a comprehensive cancer center I thought it would be easier for me to make decisions about care because their services are all coordinated. I’ve never felt so helpless when this all started.
MD Anderson said they did not take my insurance but they said I should call my insurance company and see if they would cover me. They said yes (scary leap of faith to start treatment and depend on a phone call that costs were going to be covered!) My insurance, one of the UHC Medicare advantage programs, covered everything at an in-network cost.

I’m not sure if anyone else would be amused by my story of how I got there, but here goes. Mammogram showing a problem and biopsy were done locally. I was in Denny’s restaurant with my 3 year granddaughter when they called with the results. I was pretty sure it would be negative, and who wants to wait anyway, so I said, yeah, give me the news. Hmm, DCIS intermediate grade.

How do you get care at MD Anderson - well, there is a link on their website that says “do you want to be a patient?” I’m so glad they asked 🙂
I filled out everything I could. They called me two days later on a Friday. I was standing in the grocery with a full basket of food, just checked out. She asked if I wanted her to call back, but I was like no way thinking it will be probably next week and I might be at the end of a queue. I stayed on the phone with her in the grocery parking lot for 1 1/2 hrs giving her insurance info and everything I could remember on my past mammograms and the biopsy. Because of the ability for facilities to share health info, with permission, she was able to see a copy of the biopsy pathology (I hadn’t even seen it yet!!) and other health history. Amazing process. I then had a patient ID at MD Anderson and the following appointments, scans, treatments take on a life of their own, don’t they?

Way to be your own advocate!!!! Best of luck!

We had a great experience at MD Anderson. They make it easy to be a patient there. They are on top of the latest research and treat you with respect and kindness, up and down the line. Top notch regardless which professional you deal with, We came during height of the pandemic from Canada—could not have done better.

My local docter didn't seem interested in doing a LC Screening test. I made an appointment with a teaching hospital in their Pulmonology Dept. The docter recommended the screening because of my history. Because of the findings I had to have it repeated in 12 months. At the second screening I was diagnosed with poorly differentiated Squamous LC. It was less than 3 cm, and the PET scan was clear. I had a VATs resection, and now have been NED for 6 years.
I had an appointment with the local docter later. He said he should bring his patients up to the teaching hospital, and that the local hospital wouldn't have offered me surgery. I think that second opinion gave me time.

Not to take anything away from local docs or even local cancer specialists but they can’t possibly have the breadth of knowledge and experience as you will find at a cancer centre where they have seen and treated everything. According to MD Anderson data 25% of the people they treat come in with wrong pathologies from original doctor—not to mention many more who should have been diagnosed a lot earlier. Cancer is such a diverse spectrum of diseases that you really need to look for the leading medical professionals in whatever unique area of expertise you need. Mostly you will find them at a specialty cancer clinic. As a previous commenter posted it is easy and quick to get into MD Anderson. All you need is to have your pathology sent to them. Some local docs will directly refer if wanting to get a diagnosis and/or treatment plan confirmed. They will treat or just provide their expertise for you to be treated elsewhere. I am sure there are excellent resources at other well known specialty clinics. Don’t want to take anything away from them, but just commenting from personal experience as a caregiver to a patient. By the way, MD Anderson treats caregivers as royalty!

@gisellef, you're right. Mayo Clinic found similar findings in a study about second opinions

- Mayo Clinic researchers demonstrate value of second opinions https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-researchers-demonstrate-value-of-second-opinions/

The study conducted at Mayo Clinic found that 88 percent patients who visited Mayo Clinic for a second opinion were found to have their initial diagnosis changed or modified as a result of a second opinion.

I think it’s similar to deciding where to get your exotic foreign sports car worked on. I’m probably not taking the Maserati to a shade tree mechanic. Not because I think the latter isn’t a wizard mechanic. But he doesn’t know Maserati because he never sees them.

If I have cancer, I’m confident the Cancer Center my local hospital is justifiably proud of has common cancers dialed in - my mucinous Adenocarcinoma among them. But for the types that are complex, hard to diagnose and harder to successfully treat - I’m seeking Mayo or Anderson or Sloan Kettering because they see everything.
That process needs to be, and I’m glad to say I believe is, accessible and ordinary.

I agree! And although I went to MD Anderson because it was the closest to me, I would have happily chosen Mayo Clinic. My sister has good things to say about Mayo. My sister in law went to Memorial Sloan Kettering because she is across the River from NY and was happy with her care.