Fortunately, for those needing mammograms or those who are diagnosed with breast cancer in the Miami Valley, there are resources available that offer advice, direction and help with costs.
They include the Women’s Wellness Fund, Premier Community Health, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the breast centers at area hospitals.
These entities work together and all stress that early screening provides the best chance of receiving financial assistance.
Women’s Wellness Fund
Teresa Geisterfer is the event manager for the Kettering Medical Center Foundation, which raises money for the Women’s Wellness Fund.
The fund helps underserved and underinsured women in the Dayton-area.
“We raise money for women — and men — who can’t afford a mammogram,” Geisterfer said. “And, if something is found, then we can pay for an ultrasound or a CT scan if they need it. We can help with prostheses as well.”
Geisterfer said the fund has helped around 8,000 women and raised more than $800,000.
“We have some qualification criteria — income, family size, etc.,” she said, “but it is very generous.”
To see if you qualify for the fund, call the Kettering Breast Evaluation Center at (937) 299-0099.
The fund benefits from three major fundraising events: the Walk for Women’s Wellness in May; the Ribbon of Hope Society Reception, held Oct. 15; and the Ribbon of Hope Luncheon Thursday, Oct. 29.
This year’s luncheon, which will feature Dr. Susan Love, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at the Ponitz Center at Sinclair Community College in Dayton. Tickets are $50.
Geisterfer said it is open to all who want to attend.
The fund also benefits from sales of The Crown Jewels of Dayton calendar, a project by Sharon Howard, executive director of community and public relations with WDTN-TV (Channel 2).
The calendar can be purchased at the luncheon or by calling the foundation at (937) 395-8607.
Premier Community Health
Kathy Haught of Premier Community Health is a project manager of the local Breast and Cervical Cancer Project, a federal program run through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health.
Haught said the BCCP is for women older than 40, without insurance, who are at 200 percent of the poverty line.
“The program pays for mammograms, pap smears and any diagnostic work-up that would go with breast or cervical cancer,” Haught said. “If those screenings then lead to a diagnosis ... , then those women can apply for a special class of Medicaid, that can cover all medical costs.”
Haught said that program also serves patients in the biopsy phase. She emphasized the importance of getting screened for early detection, from a health and financial standpoint.
“If someone is already diagnosed, I also tell them to apply for Medicaid. The worst they can tell them is no,” she said.
She added that if patients don’t qualify for Medicaid, they are then referred to heath centers at area hospitals, such as Miami Valley Hospital, Grandview and Good Samaritan.
Another program PCH offers is a voucher program. It pays for mammograms for women who are at more than 300 percent of the poverty level, are underinsured or can’t make their co-pay.
“We also refer folks to the United Way,” Haught said. “They are not just for medical treatment, but also help with food, rent, electric, etc.”
For information about PCH, call (937) 227-9444.
For information on the BCCP, call (614) 728-2177.
Susan G. Komen Foundation
The Susan G. Komen Foundation in Cincinnati also provides help to those living in the Miami Valley.
Peggy Isenogle, executive director of mission, said the whole breast cancer network is interconnected. She said Komen partners with the Women’s Wellness Fund and PCH and works with the BCCP and area breast centers.
“We’re trying to do everything we can to maximize the dollars available to us, to get women the most services, and to save the most lives,” she said.
Komen also offers no-cost mammograms.
“We don’t call them ‘free’ because if a patient does have insurance, we bill to that. But we call it ‘no-cost’ because there is no cost to the patient.”
To schedule a no-cost mammogram, call (513) 671-9100, ext. 205.
“Sadly, (people) need to get into those programs at the very earliest stages,” she said. “Even before a woman is screened, we try to see what she is eligible for so there won’t be this tremendous financial burden if she is diagnosed.”
Isenogle said that if an uninsured or underinsured woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and has not taken part in any of these early detection programs, they should talk to someone in financial aid at an area hospital breast center.
“Getting (people) screened is the most critical and important part,” Isenogle said. “And we’ll get people where they need to be from there.”
Health centers
Area hospitals have breast centers that provide care for people undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Kathy McCarthy, mammography coordinator for Miami Valley Hospital, said the hospital refers people inquiring about mammograms or breast cancer treatment to PCH.
“If they are eligible, (PCH) can give you a coupon to be done here or other places. Then, that agreement is the bill goes to them and they pay for it,” McCarthy said. “If a patient needs further testing, we refer them to the BCCP.”
She added that if you don’t fit into those guidelines, the hospital also has CareSource, a nonprofit health plan for Medicaid recipients.
“And if you need to, we’ll set up payment plans,” McCarthy added.
Ann Lensch, breast care coordinator at Good Samaritan, said Good Samaritan and Good Samaritan North work with each patient to help them find resources.
“No patient is turned away due to lack of insurance or funds,” Lensch said. “We have HCAP (Hospital Care Assurance Program), which all hospitals have, and some people are eligible for help through this program.
“We exhaust all possible resources to help every patient who needs it.”
For information about care at Miami Valley, call (937) 208-8000 and ask for the breast center.
For more information about Good Samaritan’s resources, call Lensch at (937) 567-6117.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7325 or jikelley@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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