What if my insurance won't cover a cancer treatment?

If your insurance will not cover a test or treatment your doctor recommends, there are steps you can take. The National Cancer Institute explains that your doctor and the hospital billing department can help you get the care approved.

Most likely, if your doctor feels you need a test or procedure that your plan does not cover, you will ask them to write a letter stating why it is needed. You then submit this letter to the insurance company. If the company does not agree to cover the treatment or procedure, you can go through its appeals process.

You do not have to do this alone. Your doctor's office can provide medical information, the billing department can explain the steps, and a hospital social worker or financial counselor can help you understand your options and prepare paperwork. Keeping copies of everything you send and receive makes each step easier.