Like Getting Blood from a Turnip

A few months back, my oncologist told me about a Hopkins trial that I was a candidate for. Dr Tuica said that my cancer cell type and treatment program fit the criteria for the trial, run by a doc friend of hers. I called up the Hopkins doc and we spoke at length about what would be involved. It sounded like a big time commitment, but since this is my Year of Breast Cancer, I decided to sign up for the trial. Not only did the treatment on trial have a strong possibility to actually do me some good, but I would be doing my small bit to help advance science! So, I made an appointment and went to Hopkins. The first wrong note sounded when the folks at the registration desk asked my for my insurance information. Why would they need that? I was there for a clinical trial, not treatment. I asked, but the clerks at the desk didn't know why; they were just doing their job of not letting anyone past the portal without insurance info on record. I had my vital signs checked and some blood drawn. The investigating physician conducted a long, detailed interview and sent me home with a thick sheaf of papers. My signature was need on the informed consent document, but it was much too huge to get digested at the interview. The next step was to go home and sign all the forms, then return for some additional set-up procedures (like testing to see if I would be allergic to any of the reagents used, etc.). The second wrong note sounded during the interview. I asked, unnecessarily I thought, if this would cost me or my insurance company. The doc said that they would only bill me or my insurance company if, during the trial, they did any therapeutic medicine. I tried to pin her down a bit, to see what that meant. Sounded like no- no charges would be billed because, after all, this was a trial that I agreed to participate in out of the goodness of my heart, not a required part of my treatment. The whole issue cleared up nicely when, a few weeks later, I received a bill for $380.00 with $1,330.00 'pending'! Whoa! I had no idea that participating in a medical trial can cost you money now! I remember the day when the participant got paid a small stipend. Apparently, those days are over and the docs need your money, as well as your body, to do a trial. I called the billing department and protested and am now waiting for my 'appeal'. I think that good ole JHH will have a great deal of trouble getting any money out of me. I didn't need that stinky old trial anyway!