Art: My Fallback Treatment Funding

I'm researching Complementary and Alternative Medicine for cancer treatment - not in the hope that I'll ever get the insurance to pay for it but to be better informed about what might help.

So far Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's website is most helpful. It is written in patient-friendly language but also includes information for doctors to download.

Their cancer care and research is so forward thinking that their therapy center combines massage therapy, acupuncture, nutritional guidance, and other services with more traditional ones. YAY, right?

BUT - even they say

"Despite the documented benefits of some of these therapies, most insurance plans will not pay for them.

Their response is to adapt. Dana-Farber bills health insurance for what they can, offer some at no charge at all, and some have a reduced fee.

So if NIH, NCF, Dana-Farber research and hundreds of other studies show positive results to alternative therapy why won't insurance cover it? It's nuts but that's the case with my top of the line insurance too.

So I'm putting together a collection of Art pieces to sell in order to pay for it myself

Art is my answer to helping underwrite costs of my care. These are mixed media construction pieces that can be shown in shadowbox frames or worn as pins

Because as always my community is really my strongest link in my chain of care - far more vital to me than any insurance company might be. I'll be looking for your help in talking about what I'm doing and why.

What about the future? Hopefully it will include both education and legislation

We need insurance that pays for compassionate care of any sort that has been shown to boost immune function, reduce pain, and improve overall quality of life.

What of patients who can't make and market art through their online networks? What if their skills involve more physically challenging activities they just can't do when they are sick?

That doesn't seem right.

In the meantime, I've got art.

Comments

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Kudos to you for tacking costs with art! Can't wait to see what you do!