You mentioned that they found something in one breast. Please don't wait for few weeks. Please ask them to take action as soon as possible. My sister-in-law (Brother's wife) died of Breast Cancer at age 38 twelve years ago and left two young children behind. One day, she found a small lump in one of her breasts and consulted her doctor who said that it might be of holding water in there. She went home and one month later, the lump became a size of an egg. Other Doctors diagnosed that it was Breast Cancer. She had surgery to remove the breast in two weeks time. Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy were to follow. No follow-up was done by the Hospital after these treatments. ( It might be of a saving of hospital cost under HMO Plan). Two years later, she had an abdominal pain and did not know what was causing it. She went back to see the Cancer Doctor and this doctor was not able to find out what was wrong in there and sent her to Physical Therapy for couple times. She was in severe pain also at her back when the Therapist was doing the work. Horribly two weeks later, my sister-in-law could not stand for the pain and went back to see the same doctor. This time, he ordered an X Ray for her and found out that she had a big tumor in her spine (Breast Cancer Spreading to Spine). She walked into the hospital and being carried out later. (She was in severe pain and couldn't move, lay in hospital bed for 29 days on morphie and died). It was horrible that doctors gave up surgery to rescue her (HMO Health Plan). If she were not being misdiagnosed twice, she might be still alive by now. (Sad story !).

i am sorry that is a sad story and u are right it does go on i didnt find a lump and i still cant the mammogram found it and they did a us and sent me to have a biopsy when i got their the nurses said the doctor was running late and he had surgery sceduled for another paitient they was going to wait till he got there to prep me until they see what he had to say after another us i kinda thought he would have me wait because he was running late well he did it is now six months later and they called me to come in april 18 i guess i never thought anything about it seeing u could only see lump on mammogram and us and couldnt feel it and i have no breast pain im finding out alot of horror stories on waiting and starting to get scared im really sorry about your sister in law she was still young and the children were so young to have lost their mother because of hmo

I'm sorry to hear this story. I question about that of the HMO plan. If you had cancer surgery it is of logic sense that her oncologist continue with monitoring. Isn't it the doctor fault and not the HMO plan? I don't know but I don't think having a HMO plan is excuse to negligence. Please more feedback in these. I'm a new employee at my job and was going to get the HMO plan, then i guess I should choose the PPO? I still have to understand the difference between the two yet..

Somtimes, doctor might not know exactly what is happening to the patient.
Only the patient himself/herself might feel the exact problem. We actually
cannot blame the doctor without knowing the ailment. It is not quilty if he/she
doesn't know how to treat a patient. PPO doesn't seem to be better than HMO if PPO is linked to Networking Hospitals and these Hospitals are also HMO
Hospitals. Please have your Human Resources Dept to explain the differences.

I'm a new employee at my job and was going to get the HMO plan, then i guess I should choose the PPO? I still have to understand the difference between the two yet..
I have PPO (preferred provider) right now and what we do is go to doctors and hospitals on their list. There are many to choose from. No referrals as in HMO's. I can go to whomever I want when I want. If I go to docors not on their list they still pay but not as much.

William Y, I am so sorry about your sister-in-law :(.

I have PPO (preferred provider) right now and what we do is go to doctors and hospitals on their list. There are many to choose from. No referrals as in HMO's. I can go to whomever I want when I want. If I go to docors not on their list they still pay but not as much.

William Y, I am so sorry about your sister-in-law :(.

See this is what is confusing to me cause I am told in my company that with HMO you do not need the referrals and that with PPO you do. Then I called my doctor and they said what you say. I will wait orientiation week and ask more about this cause it's very confusing to me.

According to your information, PPO looks like much better than HMO. I am glad
that you have PPO. Better Hospitals and Doctors of your choice, your health
is better taking care. Do you have to pay more co-payment or deductable for
PPO ? Usually, better health care provided, more money has to come out from
your pocket ! Money makes a difference !

Unfortunately we won't have this insurance for much longer as my husband lost his job and we have to get it on our own because he is starting his own company. Hopefully we will find something like it. Co-pays are $20 for in network providers, $100 hospital. I'm not exactly sure how HMO's work but from what I hear about them I wouldn't want it. There is a "health insurance issues" board on this site that might be helpful to you.

i thinkk ppo is different depending on where u work my co pays are 15.00 if there is a test ran in doctors office there is no co pay for me i pay nothing for hospital visits or test or stays i have ppo to