Cancer Doctors And Specialists
How important is a second opinion if I've been diagnosed with cancer?
I think second opinion is critical. Not because the first opinion wasn't correct, I think the second opinion helps the patient. I tell my patients get a second opinion, get a third opinion, get a fourth opinion. I even give them names and I'll give you as much assistance in getting those opinions as I can, because I think it's going to do several things. Either, one; the patient will hear the same thing that I told them. That will give them confirmation, that "well I think Dr. Osborne was right I've heard it now twice." Or two; the patient will get new information that I didn't tell them, in which case they learn more about their disease than I gave them, that's also good for the patient. Or three; they're going to hear something totally contradictory to what I said, which I still think that's good for the patient because they'll come back and say "well Dr. Jones said that he thought I should us this chemotherapy agent, why did you feel I should use this one?" Then we can have a good discussion about that. I'd much rather them ask that question before the treatment than after they've been treated.
Will my insurance cover a second opinion concerning my cancer treatment?
Most insurance plans will cover a second opinion. There are a few that do not, but the bulk of them will. If you're in some of the HMO plans, they may be a little more difficult to get that second opinion, just based on the way the structure of those plans are set up. But even when they tell you that you can't, everyone has a case manager and a case worker. You need to find out who that is and contact that person, and they can help you get that second opinion.
