Connecting You To Care

Battling a serious illness or scary diagnosis can bring a tsunami of emotions, sometimes every day. For those who've waged that war or watched a loved one bravely trudge through treatment, you know it can sometimes take all your strength to focus on getting well and staying positive. But, the harsh reality is that serious illnesses usually bring serious medical bills, paperwork, and processes to manage, too.   

For one of our clients, that reality hit like a ton of bricks. "I was sitting next to a friend at a church meeting, and at the time, I was trying to figure out how to manage cancer drugs." Ginny said, "It quickly became apparent I was going to need your help."   

Ginny and her husband were driving back from a trip from Boston when she got a call from her care team that the estimated cost of one - just one - of her treatments was going to be $12,000. "We were on a freeway, and it was noisy, and I wasn't expecting the call," she said, recalling details from that day last year like it was yesterday.   

Like many people, Ginny is grateful for her doctors for their expertise, and she knew they couldn't help delivering news that felt like a punch in the gut. "Their job is to figure out what's best for me, not discuss how much it costs," she said. "But, it still left me shocked."  So, Ginny did exactly what we tell all our clients to do. She took a breath, told them she'd get right back to them, and then called us. 

"I just asked Lois Ann if she could help me, and she dropped everything," Ginny said. "Within 24 hours they had it all figured out. She and my doctor's office found a grant and worked together to get most of my treatment covered, including my extended stay at the James." 

A short time later, Ginny made another call to our team. When her providers recommended she undergo genetic counseling to the tune of $10,000 and her insurance denied it, our team was able to ensure Ginny got the care she needed, at no additional out-of-pocket cost. 

To know she'd be able to receive the treatment her doctor was recommending, and that she'd be able to pay for it, made all the difference for Ginny. Not having to spend countless hours wading through paperwork, on the phone with providers and insurance companies, and managing the process helps too.   

After working with our team at SSC, Ginny's husband also enrolled in our annual service program. While he hasn't had any serious health events like Ginny, knowing that trusted professionals are managing all his routine medical claims and ensuring he's enrolled in the most comprehensive coverage plan for his needs each year gives the couple relief. They think of their investment in SSC's services like an insurance policy.   

"You just never know when you're going to need it," she said, joking that sooner or later we're all bound to experience some kind of need as part of being human.  And if a time does come when they'll need that additional support, Ginny knows without a doubt managing the complicated logistics won't be something they'll need to worry about. 

"I can count on them to help me and just to care… when it feels like an emergency for me, no matter what else I know they have going on, they make me feel taken care of."