Any Kind of Financial Help???

[Guest]

Hi...This might be a strange question. My mom is starting radiation next week, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Anyway, we're your average middle class family, but going through the tunnel to get into Boston is $3 each time and parking at the hospital will probably be at least $12 a day. This money is going to add p FAST. Does anyone know of any financial assistance programs for transportation? Any advice would be great.

[Carolyn Flournoy]

The American Cancer Society has a Transportation Assistance Program that you could look into just call your local chapter to see if they have this program. Hope this helps, Carolyn

[luvmydog2]

I was told by the Am Can Society that they would pay millage for radiation but not for chemo or anything. I don't know what they pay cause I never turned anything in. I found out about it after my radiation was over.

[shirleyb]

You might just want to call the transit authority and see if they have any kind of program that will give a discount. I know alot do but they do not advertise it at all.

Also check with the hospital about the parking issue. So hospitals will waive the fee or reduce it for these types of situations.

It can't hurt to ask. All they can do is tell you no.

Good luck.

Shirley

[Hebbie]

Yes, I agree that you should check with the hospital -- the parking garage associated with my hospital (in Philly) gives discounted rates to patients and during my daily radiation treatments, I had to get the ticket "validated" by the radiation department receptionist -- it was about 1/3 the costs of what it would normally be.

[Fay A.]

Cancer Care is an organization that provides some financial assistance to those who have cancer. Go to

www.cancercare.org

Also, check with the Medical Social Worker at the Hospital where treatment is to be received. They may have something to offer in the way of assistance.

Best Wishes,

[MO_Sugar]

I received $150 from The American Cancer Society to help with my travel expenses but I had to live at least 50 miles from my radiologist to be able to collect. It cost me almost $700 in gas alone to go for treatments (radiation and then PCI) but it did help to get that check. Here we also have local transportation that will take you to a local medical appointment for about $3.00 per day. Maybe there is something like that there? You might call the county health dept. and see if they offer any thing also.

God Bless,

MO

[Carleen]

I agree with Hebbie about checking with the hospital for special rates. I know that the hospital Keith goes to offers two packages. We could get a discount rate, or we can buy a weekly parking pass.

[kimblanchard]

I went to Yale at first for chemo and their parking garages offer discounts as long as you have the ticket validated in the Oncology department, cost about $6.00 with discount per day. I think most large hospitals offer this.

[Ry]

The local American Cancer Society here will transport patients to treatment. When my husband was gettting radiaiton there was a mini van that the ACS would use to transport patients. They had volunteers that would drive people wait and take them home. Don't know if something like that is available in your area.

[David A]

I'm fortunate I guess as my insurance carrier pays for my parking as long as it is validated correctly and I am have my insurance card in my posseion . The hospital does get their money back in the permit my wife has to buy to park there as she is an employee there, she says I don't want to know how much it cost her per year to park there and I believe she is right! Kinda make you wonder what they are in business for,parking or health care?