Q: I was told that my insurance company will not pay for a post chemotherapy treatment Pet Scan.
I was told that my insurance company will not pay for a post chemotherapy treatment Pet Scan to ascertain the status of my potential condition following my rectal cancer treatment. Instead they are proposing to do a CT scan and only look for tumors. I was originally told that a PET scan was the most accurate way to determine if microscopic remnants of cancer still existed. I was diagnosed with Stage 3A rectal cancer. Am I at risk of missing detection and/or obtaining optimistic results regarding my potential remission status if I do not get the upgraded test?
If so, can you suggest any avenues I might pursue to get the more accurate post treatment assessment?
A: Go ahead with the CT scan but keep pressing your treating doctor to prescribe the PET scan. Build all the medical evidence you can which justifies the need for the PET scan. Insurer's are required to pay for medically necessary treatment.
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