I often see these commercials for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and I find them misleading and unethical. I can’t seem to embed the video, but it can be found at this link. Most of their commercials are all about giving the patient “hope” where there was no hope before. But each commercial also carries a disclaimer: “No case is typical. You should not expect these results.” So the CTCA are suggesting that you should have hope and that they will offer you hope when other MDs fail to do so, but that you should also no have hope that it will work for you (although here “hope” is replaced with “expect”).
1. Legal Reasons for Disclaimers in Medical Advertisements
The reason for the disclaimer results from a lawsuit in the 1990s:
Cancer Treatment Centers of America was the subject of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint in 1993. The FTC alleged that CTCA made false claims regarding the success rates of certain cancer treatments in their promotional materials. This claim was settled in March 1996, requiring CTCA to discontinue use of any unsubstantiated claims in their advertising. CTCA is also required to have proven, scientific evidence for all statements regarding the safety, success rates, endorsements, and benefits of their cancer treatments. CTCA was also required to follow various steps in order to report compliance to the FTC per the settlement.
Cancer centers and hospitals in general (including Cancer Treatment Centers of America) have been the subjects of some controversy over their advertising. Many doctors and other observers have noted that many cancer organizations’ advertising are sparsely regulated and, therefore, often contain unsupported and misleading claims as to the efficacy of their cancer treatments.
In 2001, the FDA issued CTCA a Warning Letter concerning three clinical trials that were conducted in violation of FDA requirements. (From Wikipedia)
I understand that there are legal reasons for the disclaimer. Nevertheless, I find it creates an odd message overall. It also illustrates some of the problems with advertising in medicine.
2. Medicine and Advertising
When medicine is viewed as a product or commodity to be sold like any other, then it makes sense to use the techniques used in other forms of advertising.[1] What one is really interested in when seeking medical services is the outcomes; that is, whether one will experience an improvement in one’s biological functioning, health, ability to cope with the condition and/or sense of well-being.
But discussing outcomes does not make good ad copy. Statistics are dry and boring, most medical treatments have a number of side effects (as drug commercials are now forced to disclose) and in most medical situations the outcomes are uncertain; medicine deals in probabilities more often than in certainties. [For a ranked list of Hospitals specializing in Cancer Care in the USA click here.]
So rather than discussing these dry aspects, ads for drugs and medical centres instead rely on selling an experience or selling based on emotional pleas or manipulation.
But marketing executives defend their approach, saying cancer treatment ads tend to play more heavily on emotion than on medical statistics because the ads are not intended to inform people who already have the disease. They are meant to make an impression on future patients, who may decide on treatments years after they have seen an ad, or to sway influential people who might advise a future patient.
“This isn’t retail advertising,” said Ellis Verdi, president of the DeVito/Verdi Agency in Manhattan.
The agency produced the Mount Sinai ad, which ran in The New York Times, and has created cancer ads for other hospital clients. “This is reputation advertising,” Mr. Verdi said. “There is a very big difference.” (From The New York Times)
And the CTCA are selling hope:
3. The Problem With Selling Hope
There is some appeal to selling hope when faced with the risk of death, but this approach might also back-fire: people who are diagnosed with the disease expect to be given hope and treated as advertised. They might feel more let-down if this “hope” and “personal” treatment does not materialized. Indeed, some of the patient comments made at the American Cancer Society might imply that something of this sort is going on. Many of these quotes express dismay at the way their case was treated precisely because it differed from what they were led to expect from the commercials.
Take for example these two quotes:
My tumors were upgraded to brain cancer in 2005 and my husband and I contacted CTCA. I couldn’t even get past the “gatekeeper” who was only interested in what type of insurance I have.
…
There is nothing “kind” about these people when they are obviously in it for a profit. Profiting off of people at a time when they need assistance and guidance is just plain wrong. (April 7, 2011 – 8:56am)
And:
I called CTC (after watching their commercial) just to get information. I don’t have cancer (crossing self), but my brother does. Called the 1-888-381-5645 number and got the RUDEST lady! The first – and I mean the FIRST – thing she asked was “What insurance does he have”? I’m trying to give diagnostic information, and she’s all about insurance. She talked over me endlessly, saying there were (I’m quoting) “thousands and thousands of insurance companies, but we only accept a few, like Aetna and SOME Blue Cross policies, which allow treatments in different states.” I asked about Kaiser, and she laughed, saying, “Kaiser? No way!” This company is all about making MONEY!! And those commercials where “Peggy” says that her Doctor walked into her room after surgery and said “You have cancer”, and then turned around and walked away???? No way that happened!!! This company is just a money-maker!! The lady I spoke with was very rude, and tried to give ridiculous insurance “facts” This company is a scam! All they want is insurance and co-pay information. They could care less about anyone’s “condition”. (August 22, 2010 – 9:32pm)
In each the writer seems particularly upset by the way in which their experience trying to access the CTCA did not match what they were led to expect from the commercials. A third quote comes from a patient who was able to access treatment but then found that the “hope” and “personal” treatment they received only superficially reflected these values:
…they lay it on thick, really make you feel like you’re the mosy important person in the world. First they asign you your personnel nurse navigator who is suppose to meet you everytime and take you to your appointments – well we never saw her again after the first visit – you’re on your own going floor to floor to each appointment with all these different titled people. We finally meet with a Dr. who tells us he’s 99% sure the treatment will work and your so excited.
…
We went back to Mayo, our Dr. there was so nice – he said with cancer you never throw out 99% 50-50% yeah. Well they did scans and the cancer was all over – liver, lymph nodes, lungs, thyroid, everywhere. Never heard from the treatment center again til I called and told them my husband had passed and I thought it was terrible they abandoned us the way they did. (March 23, 2010 – 9:45am)
Although selling hope might be effective in getting individuals to contact your center for care, it might also set them up for disappointment when the reality of the care they receive does not reflect what they were led to expect from the ads. By setting the patient up to expect “hope” and “personal care” these ads might actually end up undermining that hope or sense of personal connection once the patient attempts to contact them or manages to receive care through their services.
4. Pitting Doctors Against Doctors
A final problem I have with these commercials is the way that they portray non-CTCA physicians as callous and uncaring. It is true that many physicians are busy and they do not always take as much time with the patient as the patient would like, but most physicians are concerned with their patients and do want to give them the best experience possible when they are going through a difficult treatment for a life-threatening diagnosis. The last problem with the way that the CTCA commercials sell hope is that it can undermine the trust one has in one’s physician if the patient is not receiving care through the CTCA.
A post at This Commercial Sucks specifically targets the way the commercials pit patients against their doctors as a strategy for promoting the CTCA.
Apparently this country is just dominated by evil doctors who can’t wait to tell their patients that hey, they are gonna die, so please leave our offices now and try not to spread the stench of your impending death to our other patients (you know, the ones we care about.)
Commercials for Cancer Treatment Centers of America aren’t about promoting alternative cancer treatments- they are about bashing standard health care practices. (From Cancer Treatment Centers of America–It’s You vs. Your Doctor)
One physician commenting at the American Cancer Society also makes this point:
I have a few comments about the TV commercials CTCA uses to promote itself. While they promote their physicians as being competent and compassionate, they shine a rather negative light on the rest of their medical colleagues as heartless people who do not know what they are doing. Even CTCA’s staff physicians would agree that there are thousands of dedicated, competent, and compassionate non-CTCA oncologists out there. Most oncologists I know strive to, and do succeed in, providing the best care available for their patients, both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, often, the best care available do not always lead to a cure. However, most oncologists I work with do research the available data from clinical trials from around the world, as well as taking into account each individual patient’s medical history and condition, before carefully formulating the treatment plans. Yes, there are a few bad apples in every barrel, but those are exceptions rather than the rules.
If an institution is truely as great as CTCA claims to be, there is no reason for it to put down the rest of medical profession to raise itself up. To me, this raises a huge red flag. I cannot ever recall hearing an advertisement from MD Anderson, Mayo, Mass General, or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers where former patients give testimonies stating how awfully they were treated by other doctors before going there, and now they are cured of all sorts of terminal diseases. Can anyone? (May 30, 2011 – 10:33pm)
One of the reasons that I find these commercials to be unethical and not merely misleading is the possible effect that they might have on important values in medical ethics: hope, trust, and solidarity. The commercials purport to be selling future patients on the idea that the CTCA will give them hope where none existed, but the disconnect between what is sold and what is possible given the current state of medical knowledge can actually undermine that hope. Second, the way that they portray non-CTCA doctors can undermine patient trust in their physician. Finally, the commercials undermine the sense of solidarity that patients might have with one another and with their physicians by creating an “elite” of cancer patients treated with elite care at the CTCA and then substandard patients treated with substandard care elsewhere. Not only is this misleading it is also divisive.
[1] A really interesting argument against thinking of medicine as a commodity for sale can be found in the book Everything For Sale by Robert Kuttner. He argues that medical markets are unlike the ideal markets considered by economists in a number of important ways. See Especially his discussion in Chapter 1 pages 16-19 (available in the Google Books preview) and Chapter 4 . I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in the topic of markets in medical care.
I despise CTCA commercials. I have been a nurse for over 20 years, and I have never seen any physician speak so cruelly to a patient, especially a cancer patient in such a way as they claim. I always thought al physicians took the first do no harm oath? Evidently CTCA doesn’t believe in that!! I have personally lost several family members to cancer.
CTCA should remember: G_D is watching.
I have been a nurse for 17 years, and while I’m anti-CTCA, I have had an Oncologist speak horribly to me. He was a part of a team at UAB. I had a biopsy locally and was found to have breast cancer. I consulted with UAB for a second opinion, and the medical oncologist on the “team” was rude and nasty to me. He did not shake mine or my husband’s hand, he did not smile, and before chemo even started he told me he would not complete my fmla paperwork because I would not miss a single day of work. The oncologist told me that chemo would not make me sick, and I did not need time off work to comlpete my treatment. If he was trying to motivate me to get busy fighting for my life, he went about it completly wrong. I did not stay there, but went to CTCA, and as you can read in my later comments was not pleased. I was not able to continue to work because my immune system crashed with each chemo, and I worked in a hospital where I would be exposed to too germs/infections. I was very sick with chemo. The Onc from UAB often crosses my mind, and I would like an opportunity to tell him what I think. I usually am pretty out spoken, but unfortunately our meeting was days after a cancer diagnosis, and frankly I was in shock at his attitude. I don’t think he was trying to get me motivated to fight. I think he is a male shovenist, and just rude in general. I asked to work multiple occasions during my chemo, but CTCA and my local Onc always said no. I have also worked with other doctors that have been rude to their patients, but I also have worked with wonderful doctors that have great bedside manner. I can believe some of the patient’s from CTCA have had bad experiences with other doctor’s being rude, but I can tell you that from my experience at CTCA that the doctor’s at CTCA can be rude as well.
Hi Angela,
There are so many healthcare workers like that. I’m a guy and my wife and I have a term “psycho nurse”. Some of these nurses are crazy! My wife hates them. Why, because she hates women who hate men. So many of these nurses hate me because I’m a guy. Seriously, you can’t get past that in a cancer hospital?! It happened to me in lots of places INCLUDING CTCA.
Hang in there,
Ed
I had stage 2b breast cancer and had a double radical mastectomy with 18 lymph nodes removed.i had when threw treatment at Baylor in Ft Worth. My dr was a very rude person. I had lost lots of weight even way after my treatment ( which was not cause by the chemo) that I couldn’t keep weight on. I had another lump come up on my chest. When I went to her to show her she said there is nothing else I can do , what do u want me to do keep cutting and cutting. I then started crying. She said why are you crying I said I’m scared I’m going to dye. Then she raised her voice with my mother in the room and me still in a paper gown, ” get use to it were all going to dye! Then went on to tell me I needed a shrink cause I started crying cause I was scared of dyeing and she could do anything else nor offered me anything else . So I went home after she said There was nothing else I can do. I sat there at home very depressed so sad, everyday was torched waking up. My husband called CTCA and they were extremely nice. He spoke to a nurse. Made arrangements to get me in the falling Monday. Well when I got there and they ran all my scans n test, I now had stage 4 breast cancer , only 4 months from my surgery! They offered me treatments that my drs at home told me nothing about. I went threw radiation and hormone therapy and it was gone! So my opinion and I state is also a FACT. There are very rude drs out there who don’t care about all their patients. Most people are just to scared to say anything because they think oh this person is very smart and always knows the right thing to say and is never wrong which is crap!!!’ny dr at Baylor should have been fired , and the horrible depression it took me months to get out of and terrified to see another dr cause I thought they would be the same way! So you just haven experienced it got yourself but they are out there. Also my who family is in the medical field and they see it every day. CTCA WITH THE LORD ABOVE USEING THERE MINDS AND HANDS KILL MY CANCER!! Doesn’t mean it won’t come back but they did what my dr at Baylor never even mentioned!
You know, you really can’t get much lower than over-treating cancer patients for profit, providing false hope, but doing so only for patients whose gold-plated insurance policies pay for stuff that more prudent insurers and more ethical health car providers would not approve or authorize.
Low down. No wonder the head grifter in charge is a republican. He must have learned the trade from Rick “Batboy” Scott.
Bakka-
I am happy to find your comments about CTCA ads. I share your views. The ads I have watched use terminal patients and sell false hope but implying that CTCA can cure these terminal conditions. The ads imply that other medical centers and physicians lack the compassion that they offer. I would like to see their treatment data and compare it to other oncology results. I will go out on a limb here, but I’ll bet there is no significant difference.
I am a true believer in capitalism and the free market, but this is what happens when business is put ahead of medical care.
Bad stuff.
JAJ, MD
I am a patient at CTCA since 2009, and am a very happy person for going there. They do take good care of you! Yes, there are many physicians that are competent and compassionate and I applaud them, but CTCA’s commercials are telling you what we the patients have lived and have expressed to them. Most of the patients that go there have horror stories regarding their doctors and treatments. Oh yes, this sadly is true. Many have been told to go home and get everything in order because they won’t be around very long (even told they have 1 week to live). Many arrive extremely ill, some sagging into their wheelchairs and let me tell you that they leave really happy. They work with you, mind and soul, nutrition, etc. They also work with the caretakers. It is wonderful. I could tell you so much about them, but would need a lot of time and space. I myself have found hope there. All these comments I must address because it his how you see the situation. You really have to be there, go through it, hear the stories that each of these patients have to tell to be able to understand. We all have one thing in common we were not given hope where we were treated (not necessarily by the doctor, but by the equipment or treatments available to them). I have witness miracles there, and I tell all who want to live and have been given a death sentence. Those people you see in the commercials are real patients. I stayed there 5 months from Oct 2009 to March 2010, second time in two years that i was being operated, for the same cancer (overlooked) and I know if I would have gone there the first time I wouldn’t of had the second operation. It’s amazing all they did for us and how they went out of their way to make us feel at home, especially during Christmas, and New Years. Anyway, I stand by the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. You would be amazed at how much they give back to you and your family. The last thing I want to say is that without HOPE, and all it entails (for me it is GOD) there is nothing and they validate that hope with the superb quality they practice. I know that if they tell you they can’t do any more for you, it truly is because they can’t because they try everything they can and don’t quit fighting for you.
[…] rigid gender roles; they attempt to instill dissatisfaction in the viewer to urge purchases; they use emotional manipulation to get us to buy products that have little to do with the emotion; and they are increasingly […]
I think the worst commercial I saw for this company was the one in which a
patient testified that his previous physician had walked into his room and said “What are you smiling about? You have cancer!” It’s a shame they are not required to identify the physicians they supposedly quote.
I have an advanced metastatic cancer, and I’ve been through a lot ie a nephrechtomy, the removal of my humerus, lots of heavy meds and rehab. and lots of financial worry.
I first contacted CTCA due to the advertisements, and soon found myself
directed to a web site where a CTCA salesman/clinician really poured me over with syrupy sympathy remarking constantly about ‘How it’s a shame I’m having to experience cancer – and how much she personally wished I’d become well…’
I don’t mind someone offering help or being sympathetic, but when they are
sympathetic to the point as to jumble their words and have difficulty completing a sensible scripted sentence – it sorta raises a red flag. I was really exploited ie. I had called for information, but I felt as if I had instead contacted the intake
counselor of a missionary cult. Don’t insinuate miracles and paint me a picture of flying cross country to special care centers where I will find a magic cure, when such magic cures don’t exist – at least not in the way CTCA would have you believe.
I am a clininician. I have a grad. degree, so I had some insight into my cancer and my life situation that perhaps a lot of 1st time callers to CTCA don’t have
when trying to find the best treatment option for their cancer. I’m angry. When I think of someone naive calling CTCA and being mislead into an overly expensive program that eats up their insurance and dumps them back to their respective communities – well, that’s just not right; it’s robbery. I also notice that CTCA targets tough advanced cancers like pancreatic cancers where the
prospects of eating up someone’s insurance quickly – is all the more rich.
There’s one advertisement in particular I find irksome where a pancreatic survivor is speaking from her horse farm
ostensibly after more than a year of survivaland giving all the
credit of course to CTCA as if her case is typical and common. That’s robbery!
CTCA is EXPLOITING cancer patients, especially advanced cancer patients
for money. CTCA is raking in Billions and it’s pouring millions and millions of dollars into extremely expensive television advertisements.
One will notice that in not one single CTCA advertisement are the issues of insurance and DISABILITY even mentioned. CTCA doesn’t care about your
financial well being or your family’s financial well being. CTCA only cares about CTCA’s financial well being. CTCA is a sad reflection of America’s dysfunctional healthcare system. CTCA makes me ashamed to be an American.
I know of two hospitals that treat influenza; one charges $10,000 and will fly
you to one of about 5 clinics it has located all over America and claims a tremendous success rate and has national television ad campaigns…
The other hospital charges $1000 and is located within a 75mile driving radius of your present location – and is also a teaching hospital which actually has a greater number of specialist physicians who work there…and more acess to
new med. trials..
I would argue that CTCA is like that first hospital, and that the large teaching hospitals in one’s home state is the latter and better choice…but there’s a
big factor that CTCA exploits. CANCER. CANCER invokes fear – and CTCA
takes advantage of it, exploits it to the hilt, and has no shame – not a drop of shame ,as it dishonors the profession of medicine and the honor of America itself. Cancer Treatment Centers of AMERICA. What an appropriate name!
Reading this story and your comment brought to mind the for-profit online colleges like Univ. of Phoenix, Capella U, and others whose first priority is not educating students, but obtaining federal student loans (payable to themselves, of course) for their marks, er, “students,” most of whom are working people, veterans, and other folks who want a degree, but either don’t have time to go to a legitimate university, or simply aren’t prepared for even the remedial demands of U of Phoenix.
Most of their victims wind up deeply in debt and without a “degree;” and even those who do manage to graduate soon find that nobody is interested in hiring someone with a fake degree from a fake university.
CTCA was founded not by a medical professional but a marketer. Their CEO Richard Stephenson is on the Board of Directors of Dick Armey’s billion dollar Tea Party Super Pac….Freedomworks. Appears if you only have Medicare you will be out of luck at their “for profit” hospitals. http://www.freedomworks.org/about/board-of-directors Today’s entry on their website concerning the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Affordable Healthcare Plan reads, “However, the fight isn’t over! We’re still fighting to repeal ObamaCare, and we know that it’s time for lots of victories in November!” So some of the profits of CTCA will probably end up in the coffers of lobbyists and politicians.
7/23/12. I contacted the CTCA. I too could get No information at their information phone line or web site. It was all about what insurance I had and as I asked questions I got the politician thing where they kept interrupting and changing course always leading back to money. When they didn’t like the insurance I had they were rude and unhelpful. I was trying to find out IF they had treatments that were better than our options. I explained that I had members in my community that would have a fundraiser if they had something else to offer us. I did not want to fly my immunocompromised husband across the country to have false hope thrown at his frail, cancer ridden body. As my wise husband said, ” these place are about depleting your estate which will only add to the problems of the cancer.”
BTW. Do a search and you will find these type of “hopeful” places have no statistics to demonstrate improved outcomes for cancer patients. Yes, they provide care and treatment on nicer grounds, with lovely gardens, sculptures and artwork all paid for by exhausting your insurance and/or estate. Watch out. Call their intake line or better yet, contact their web-site. The way the responses were written by the person I was chatting with, made me believe that this job had been outsourced
Cancer Treatment Centers of America is opening in Atlanta. I am one who lost parents to cancer one chose her faith and dad unwilling took treatment. Both cases ended in their passing within three months. I don’t believe in cashing in with insurance company’s when CTCofA give false hope to family’s only to profit. People become desperate when cancer strikes home. Not real sure about this treatment center for those who may have a loved one that is struck with this terrible disease. Ask and consult with specialist. Research.
It appears that these places are about depleting people’s estates.
As far as a doctor walking in a telling you, you have cancer. That is what happened to me! It also happened to my uncle, who had pancreatic cancer. I was holding my aunt’s hand when the doctor walked in and told my uncle that he was dying and walked back out! And the woman who said in one of the CTCA commercials where she looks around to see who the doctor was talking to when he told her she had cancer…that happened to me…when the doctor told me I had breast cancer…it was like all the air went out of the room and I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Don’t judge!
reply to Brenda_ I’m sorry that you and your Uncle had such bad experiences.
I totally believe you too, because my Dr just handed me a note, and sent me on to the Radiologist.
Conventional doctors do not usually support alternative medicine, they will tell you so by brushing you off when you inquire. They are heavily opinionated on a topic they aren’t educated on. That propaganda is all over the place too, but no one’s allowed to point the finger back at them? I feel like I’m stating the obvious, here. Doctor’s are biased. Period. They are taught bias in school, as well as not knowing anything about alternatives to drugs, surgeries, rads, etc., yet to speak to them, one would think they know what they are talking about. They don’t. Patients give them far too much power, they are human, they have a limited education, yet spin it as if they have all of the answers. I wish they would just be honest and say, “I don’t know.” “I’m not sure.” “Maybe it’s possible” when faced with us questioning them on different cancer treatments. I am so over the tactics they have to try to keep us obedient. The white coat, the dismissive air, the authoritative tone, the “I’m the doctor” posture. Really? Well, I’m the patient. Are you going to do my dying for me when you’ve screwed this up, for the second time? We are putting our trust in these people, they want the glory, but when it doesn’t work out its, “Next!” I’m so sick of being the one to always have questions go unanswered. If you don’t know, just tell me, they act as if I’m bothering them. I don’t trust doctors any more than I trust the guy on the corner. I am paying money to be here, you work for ME. Can you tell I’ve had cancer for a long time? I’m sick of the drugs, the chemo the run around. I’m going to check out CTCA. The system has failed me. What is wrong with hope again? The author of this piece is obviously not one of “us”. I need to have hope, and you would too, if you had cancer. What a ludicrous angle. We all have to believe we are going to get well again, that is the WHOLE REASON to seek ANY treatment. Someone is going to get paid. None of the doctors I’ve had so far have done anything for me for free, as if CTCA are any different from any other hospital or doctors office in the country. Every single one of them has as a first question, “What kind of insurance do you have?” Every one of them. So what? Everyone wants to get paid. It sucks for people like me who have had MediCal and not been able to work a normal job for almost 8 years, but I can’t see anyone who doesn’t take my insurance no matter what kind of treatment they provide. That is not a worthy arguing point. I think a lot of the people who wrote in here are new to the cancer issue. I’ve been on this carousel for years. It all sucks, but now have Aetna, so I guess I’ll find out what CTCA can offer me, since my onc can’t help me much anymore. What am I supposed to do, just give up!?
Chris Rock got it right – the last thing the medical industry cured was polio and they’re still mad about that. There are no $billions$ in cures; no matter what you have, if it’s life-threatening the best you can hope for is that they’ll find a way for you to “live with it” until the dough runs out and you’re “allowed” to croak – “with dignity”, of course – and the lawyers step in to grab your estate no matter how small. Doubt it? Heh heh – just you wait. CTCA is just the latest in a scam that’s been going on for a loooong time.
Marc,
Very well said. They prey on the vulnerable and sick.
DDC
Actually, polio was already on the decline by the time the “miraculously curative vaccine” was developed. There are vast chasms of questions about the validity of “the vaccine question” ever since…if they continue to develop “miraculous vaccines” that only seem to work when a given disease is already declining…but hey…people don’t like to think, or do research…so I’ll leave that one alone.
Fact is, even medical mistakes are never going away. Not because people couldn’t be better trained in the medical field, but because if they WERE better trained, so that mistakes would never occur, it simply wouldn’t be profitable enough.
Put another way: Medical mistakes are TOO PROFITABLE TO AVOID. A recent article states that the average “extra profits” from medical mistakes have risen to $35,000.00 per mistake.
Think about that for a second, when you wonder why “health care” is not about prevention of disease, or about determine the actual cause of disease. “Modern medicine” has been converted into a “symptom manipulation engine for profit”, and little more. It’s a damned shame that so many people get into medicine with the honest desire to help save human lives…but they’re never allowed to do that, nor are they trained to.
I’m sorry, but WHAT is wrong about needing to know what type of ins. you have BEFORE listening to your entire medical history? No. I’m not being rude. If this particular group of centers don’t accept medical, or don’t offer what St. Judes or Shriners does like “Help patients regardless of their inability to pay” then they don’t.
I dont have ins. but I would never expect a company to just treat me for free. If everyone were treated for free then they wouldnt be there for very long. Yes. Many Americans dont have ins right now, but I think the people on the phone need to know if you have ins right away, so YOU, the caller, dont have to go through all of your history to then find out that they cant help.
You know how many phone calls they must get? I cant even comprehend. There are places that will help at little or no charge.
I had a fantastic experience with them. I WILL stay open to understanding that a few folks may get the small few employees of these centers that are not as kind as caring as the two that helped our family just today.
My daughter has a huge mass on her thyroid and numerous other ones as well. Her GP brushed her off and just said go see an endocrinologist right away. Well, she could get a dang appt. Has to wait anywhere for a month to 3 months.
CTCA told us that the size of her mass cannot wait. It needs several diagnostic tests and they are going to fly both she and I at no costs to us to a center 2000 miles away from both our homes.
I can imagine what they would have said had I told them my daughter did not have ins. I would have simply asked for a referral.
I have been going to the Cancer Treatment Center in Zion IL for several months to receive the same chemotherapy I could’ve received at home, but I did have a bad experience here in Ala. I called CTCA for a 2nd opinion, but they asked about insurance first. My insurance was approved. I went there for the evaluation, and the nurse navigator was seen only one time. After that I met with an oncologist that was cold & uncaring. Nothing personal there. I liked the fact that the natrurapathic Dr & Dietician was involved in my treatment. I had a bad feeling from the start, but continued to go. I started asking questions, and ultimately attempted to change oncologist several times after her indifference, and the fact that her physician assistant couldn’t even answer simple questions, and seemed to know less than me. When I questioned some things on my lab report that said “toxic granulation”, the PA said “Oh we don’t even look at that, it’s nothing”, I said well why do you order the test? She didn’t respond. I went downstairs like a good patient & got started with my premeds for my chemo, but I got a phone call from a lab I had a throat culture done the previous week saying I had a rare Klebsiella pneumonia in my throat. I googled it & it was the cause of the toxic granulation. I told the nurse to call the Dr & not give me the chemo until we talked. The physician assistant came down & blamed me for not telling her that I had an infection. Then she said “You can have the chemo anyway & I will prescribe antibiotics”. This was insane because my wbc’s & absolute neutrophil count goes way down after chemo & I am at risk of even more infection, and any lay person knows antibiotics don’t work in that situation. I told the PA all this & she said “We will postpone your chemo until you complete your antibiotics”. I spoke with a pt advocate several times & kept trying to change oncologist, but nothing happened. I have reported side effects & ended up in my local ER several times with no response from my Oncologist at CTCA. The local ER found nodules in my lungs that are suspicious for metastasis, but I mailed cd of the CT scan to CTCA, and their Radiologist disagreed. I wanted answers so I flew out to have a bronchoscopy, and they said it was negative, but couldn’t be 100% sure. In the meantime, I flew back out this week for my chemo & the oncologist I have been trying to fire multiple times fired me! Present with her was the lead pt advocate that was obviously the “Hospital advocate” . They told me that there was not another oncologist available to take me & I could finish my chemo at home. I only have 2 more treatments. Meanwhile back home my husband gets a 42k bill from CTCA that my insurance company is refusing to pay for 1 treatment & a port placement in August. The oncologist finally did tell me that she would finish my 2 more treatments, but I could not questioned them anymore! Wow. They exploit the very sick. I have a 3 yr old son, 6 yr old son, 14 yr old son, 24 yr old daughter & a 2 1/2 yr old grandson. I kept going there to fight for my life, and hoped I could get an oncologist that seemed caring, but they got scared of my questioning & ultimately my insusrance company got tired of their over charging. I am in shock & only wanted to do what I could to live, now I don’t know what to do. I do believe that some of the patient’s I met there are to naive to ever get it, and will die if something isn’t done. CTCA charms you with the “free” airline tickets, which aren’t free. You have to pay for a caregiver flight. They offer grants etc, but always turn you down saying you don’t need someone with you. A person driving 20 miles for chemo needs someone with them, much less flying across country. They are the biggest scam I have ever fell for, and I may pay with my life. I warn you all, please don’t fall for it! Please stay away from CTCA.
For Marc above, maybe you should call MD Anderson or Dana Farber, or go see a naturopath, I am going to do the same. Never give up. We have more healing power in our own minds & bodies than we know. Also, there are 31 healing scriptures in our bible. I am not giving up, but I will not be a part of letting CTCA rob my insurance company anymore, and almost kill me more than once. We must be our advocates, and do research. I knew CTCA wasn’t a magical cure, I just thought maybe the positivity that was advertised would help, and it did for some. I just kept thinking that a new oncologist there would help. Anyway, I will pray for all the suffering. I have said the truth. Not one word is untrue, so it’s not slander. There is even more. I am not interested in sueing anyone.
Very informative. I enjoyed reading. I did call them because I was trying to see if a friend of mine could go. They really were pre-occupied with the type of insurance he had. Well, he happened to be on disability because he was hurt on his job. The money he receives is from the government. You are not eligible if you receive any government money. This includes medicare that you have earned by working until you retired. The government doesn’t give you this. You’ve earned it. This tells me they are definitely in it for profit regardless of your need.
I have had the experience of an oncologist telling me that I have 2.5-3 years to live and walking out the door. Another said, “Well, there’s nothing I can do…my nurse will take care of you from here”. Compassion and hope offered by CTCA is very appealing. As far as them asking for insurance–I have been to a university hospital, another cancer hospital, and MD Anderson. The first question all of them had for me was what insurance I had. In fact, my tests and treatments are postponed until they are cleared by my insurance company first at all of those places. And as far as advertising goes–CTCA may have more tv ads–but all of the places I’ve been to advertise (including on tv).
What is the current status of the lucky patients portrayed in the tv ads?
The stories about this operation are true, I personally know of one case where the woman did all the treatments and they absorbed her blue cross insurance, afterward telling her she was cancer free and turning her lose. After 6 weeks she had returned to her normal hospital with pain and found out she had liver and bone cancer – how in 6 weeks can you go from cancer free to full blown cancer in the bones and liver ?? After calling Cancer Treatment Centers this time was told that there is nothing they can do… Obviously with the insurance maxed out, now they have lost interest in this case!! These people are a joke and nothing but scammers if you have buckets of money to give away they are a good place to start to relieve you of it!!
A joke !
Well said. Thank you for enlightening us.
I go to a major university hospital ( where I receive care I am very confident in) but I must tell you– it happened to me. After suffering a grandmal seizure and ending up in ICU for days of tests.. a young MD and his “pack” came in the door and said to me ” you have a brain tumor and we will need to perform surgery.” Within a few seconds — they all walked out and continued rounds to the next room. One lone resident came back on his own and asked me if I was ok and if my family was coming up? He then asked a nurse to come sit with me. I will never forget his kindness.. While my care is excellent … I do not expect my hand to be held or my back to be massages. I dont expect gardens or art. I expect top notch medical care…. but I think my if I were a differnt type of person– the delivery of the diagnosis could have sent me backwards.
Well said Janice. I am so very sorry that you have this battle ahead of you. I just went through a long battle with my husband.
Thanks.. I actually already had my craniotomy and things are looking ok. Time will tell. It was in my pariatal lobe ; i had very minimal damage. ( except perhaps typing and spelling ) 🙂
Does anyone here know why or experienced unusual personal financial requests from CTCA for uncovered blood tests from insurance companies. They tell me it’s simply a write off, and submission of this information is for audit purposes. I’m suspicious due to the fact there is no privacy policy or information that comes with the “financial hardship request”. I just want them to pay for something that was improperly preauthorized.
Hi Everyone, so I have been looking into getting my mother into CTCA and I have a friend who used to be in their Oncology Information. I showed her this and she clarified a few things for me. We will be staying home, but I thought I would share.
1- They do accept Medicare, but they are not allowed to fly you out etc. It’s against the law. They don’t “like” Medicare, but they do accept it
2. They are out of network, meaning you have to have a PPO private insurance usually – they need your insurance so they can see what type of out of pocket/out of network cost you will have. She stated that they should have to tell you this info over the phone clearly explaining your initial obligation.
3- They do not accept Medicaid etc state
4. The only hospital that accepts Tricare etc is in Zion Illinois
5- when they are payors who have not paid (certain insurance co’s) they sometimes ask for a deposit due to this
My personal opinion on this? I have seen a lot of commercials, healthcare in general has become very expensive and commercialized. I just took my mom in to our university for an MRI- 18k!!!
I understand the frustration with the insurance, however she was telling me they do need to know so they don’t run it and call you back with disappointment. Some of the issues she faced were- pre-existing conditions linked to an insurance company, and “medical review” (you haven’t had insurance for long)
The whole ” running out of insurance” – she stated she did have a few patients who were on their 2nd policy by the time they called. I guess it’s a good thing there are no more limits.
We decided to stay home, but from the things she told me it really depends on you and your situation. You may get a new perspective and can go home and find a facility offering different treatments.
We were at a local hospital and my almost died due to negligence, are at a University now, but thought CTCA may offer something more.
As far as the “alternative” goes.. please research, some of that information is more misleading than the actual conventional claims they make (esp. with food/weight deaths)
I wish you all the best
i am greatful for CTCA. I’ve been to 4 other oncologists/ 2 at the esteemed MD Anderson. The care, compassion and integrative approach is like nothing else I’ve seen. As a doctor and now a patient I’d tell you to visit a CTCA before you judge. There REALLY is a difference. You are priority, not a number. If I did not come here they would have missed the new lesions in my brain as they did not monitor for this with MRI at MD Anderson. I am so thankful
The following methods and “beliefs” about cancer treatment are at odds with common sense, as well as scientific reasoning:
1) Using toxic, cancer-causing chemicals to destroy the body’s immune system in the process of destroying cancerous tissues “cures cancer.”
2) Using cancer-causing radiation to destroy specifically targetted cancer cells and a minimal amount of healthy tissue around them “cures cancer.”
First off, it is most likely that toxic chemicals in the air, water, and food supplies are the leading causes of the rapid rise of all forms of cancer in the “allegedly” developed world today. The increase in governments allowing the public release of entirely untested GMO foods, I am certain, WILL cause the rates of cancer to rise exponentially in the next few years. (There is a reason they REFUSE to allow the labelling of GMO “phude products”, people…and it is NOT because they’re “just as healthy as if they were real foods without the introduction of toxic pesticide-producing genetics from non-food bio-sources!”)
It makes a great deal more sense to stop believing that human beings are not a part of nature, and thus, should avoid nature at all costs. The evidence around us is that this thinking is not only false, but killing us by the millions.
I’d suggest that people watch “Medicine Man”, and understand that this movie was about the search for a cure for cancer FROM WITHIN NATURE ITSELF. (And because it’s Sean Connery…)
Despite chemical companies “rebranding themselves” as pharmaceutical companies (and “phude” companies, in the case of Dow and Monsanto), the fact remains that without nature as their guide, we wouldn’t even have aspirin today…as that originally came from willow bark.
It is not nature that is the problem, but the arrogance to attempt to think that we can always do better than billions of years of biological evolution has…even while we remain almost completely ignorant of the planet we live on.
I would strongly recommend that those with cancer, and those who know someone with cancer take this to heart, and realize that nature DOES provide multiple methods of successful cancer treatment already…they are either suppressed, or made illegal, to keep multinational corporate profit levels high…and if you or I die as a result? There isn’t a column on the balance sheet for us. We simply aren’t important to their bottom line.
There IS information out there, but if you don’t know where to even start looking, as the vast majority of people don’t, many simply keep listening to whatever is most profitable for the medical industry, and 6 years down the road, find out that they did not get what they were promised by those very same profiteers.
Things to research NOW:
http://PhoenixTearsMovie.com (Documentary)
http://PhoenixTears.ca
http://BurzynskiMovie.com (Documentary)
http://www.BurzynskiClinic.com
http://JackHerer.com/thebook
Eventually, more people will learn the truly vast nature of fraud which exists in this world…but let’s start with this, and save some lives NOW.
I wish everyone well. I found this site because my son spent so much time at http://www.pasadenavilla.com with facilities in Tennessee and Orlando. Reading their marketing it feels like we got fooled, that they have inexperienced therapists, claim they treat everything, but at the end of the day, week, month, year they only care about lining their pockets. I contacted Psychology Today about false advertising that Pasadena Villa purchased, never never replied. I never mentioned Pasadena Villa. It really is 2013. Lol
I was a former CTCA employee in Philadelphia. There are a couple of interesting facts about them:
1) They are evangelically based. Look at their website, research who the supporters are and you will see a connection to Newt Gingrich and the City of Hope in Tulsa. At the big meetings you see guys running around with bibles in one hand. Guess Jews and atheists are supposed to convert…
2) They are the only major hospital in Philadelphia that does not offer domestic partner benefits for GLBT employees. Why? Jesus doesnt like gays… Yet, some of the big managers were very closeted gays.
3) They dont do Hypnosis… yes they do Reiki and acupuncture and “relaxation,” but again Jesus doesnt like hypnosis … due to some quote in the bible.
4) The amount of sexual shennanigans that went on there was unbelievable…involving management making passes at other employees… All covered up due to their powerful lawyers. I guess Jesus doesnt mind a good poke…
5) Much of the upper management was hired not due to competency but because of connections within the hospital elites. They had a former “beauty” queen there who was in charge of a department an abysmially incompetent.
6) The Hospital Director of the hospital got completely snowed because his assistant would pass information to one of the rising nurse managers regarding his views on pending hospital decisions. That nurse manager clawed her way up by then agreeing with the Director on every pending issue. Clever and devious..
The place does do good work, however. People are committed. Just know that it is no utopia.
My fiance was diagnosed with DCIS at Johns Hopkins back in 2004 when she was 30. We felt we were treated coldly and with indifference by the oncology group there, so we went for a 2nd opinion at CTCA Zion.
My finace felt that the CTCA staff treated her with compassion. We also felt they presented the diagnosis and treatment plan more gracefully than their Johns Hopkins counterparts. She agreed to be treated there with a mastectomy and six months worth of chemotherapy follow-ups.
We spent a lot of time there over that first six months. We met many, many people from all walks of life, and from every corner of the US and beyond. Some came from areas of the US that are perhaps poorly served by major hospitals, university medical institutions and the like. There were more than a fair share of patients being treated from abroad. The one thing I found most interesting was the large number of people I met who came from areas with access to top medical institutions like UC Irvine Medical Center, Cedars, or Johns Hopkins. Why would the forego these reputable places in favor of CTCA?
It’s pretty fascinating, that, in the final analysis, when you’ve had a chance to talk to enough people during those visits up to Zion, you realize the only reason anyone is really there is because of the TV commercials.
In the course of many cafeteria conversations with other patients and their family/friends, when anyone would ask how the other person learned about CTCA, the answer is the same: “I saw the TV commercials and decided to call.”
My impression: it’s all hype. Sure, everyone was nice, but very quickly all that starts to feel contrived. You get roped in. Once you sign on, it’s no different than anywhere else. You’re a head of cattle with a ID tag hanging from your ear. By the time they roll in the integrated care approach and related accoutrements e.g., essential oil diffusers, the whole enterprise turns into a dance of the schlokmeisters.
In the end, I doubt CTCA is any better than anywhere else. Based on my own experience and that of others I know who have been treated there, I could not in good conscience recommend them to anyone at all.
I’d say the overwhelming majority of the staff there were very sincere in their work. I think they were sold a bill of goods. You could tell some employees felt jaded.
It is their entire underlying approach to care that failed to impress me at all. I was disappointed because in the end, it’s all marketing. The reason they market so heavily is because they are making piles of money by doing so.
It would not appear that anything they do has any connection to providing a higher level of service or cutting edge treatments. CTCA is all about making tons of cash and nothing else.
Fact is, if they’re charging you a penny more than it costs them “to provide the service”, then it’s a BUSINESS VENTURE, and has absolutely nothing to do with “your health” or “your life”, except in as much as they can collect revenue from your suffering.
A TRUE “health care” system would be based on health, and saving lives, and would be vastly less expensive, as it would not be based on a profit motive.
The savings in fraud and $4000.00 rooms could be put towards paying off doctor’s student loans, and get the idea of getting out of debt out of their minds, so that they could spend all of their time actually helping people, instead of helping the bankers and the corporations.
I’ve been a patient at CTCA in Philadelphia since March 7, 2013. I had been diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma) at a local breast center (NJ). The breast surgeon who did the initial diagnosis and biopsy said “we can’t cure it at this stage, we only do palliative treatment.” The medical oncologist TOLD me what he was going to do, without asking about my thoughts. My mother had had two radical mastectomies and survived for 16 years, many of them hellish, so I was familiar with this type of attitude. I told the doctor I wanted to do alternative treatments in addition to chemo, etc., and he said no. At that point I decided to get a second opinion, and through serendipity, found out about CTCA.
I went for a 3-day evaluation, during which I kept thinking, this is too good to be true. I spoke with at least 2 dozen patients while I was there – in the lobby, in waiting rooms, in the dining room, and on the CTCA-provided shuttles to the CTCA-subsidized hotel. NOT ONE PERSON had anything other than praise and gratitude toward CTCA. One lady told me, “if you prayed to God for an answer, when you walked through that front door into the CTCA lobby you got your answer.” Many people told me they’d come there after being misdiagnosed, badly treated, or given poor prognoses by other doctors, and they were now doing better, some even thriving. Several had outlived prior predictions by months to years. I then insisted my husband come down for my final day (he’d had to stay home because we have dogs) so he could look for any “cracks in the façade.” He was as thoroughly impressed as I was.
I became a patient and have never looked back. My wonderful medical oncologist did testing to see which chemo drugs would be most effective against the type tumors I had. It turned out that the one the first oncologist wanted to use was not among the top choices, plus it was one of the most nasty. I started on another drug. After 13 cycles of chemo infusion every three weeks, during which I missed only 2 days of work due to not feeling well, I had 3 1/2 weeks of radiation therapy and am now on oral chemo only. The metastasized tumors are gone; the primary tumor has shrunken to what they describe as “minimal disease.” I am not having surgery because the latest research, as the surgeon told me when we discussed what I wanted to do, shows no survival benefit in the face of metastatic disease. He could have pushed surgery — that’s how he makes his living — but he gave ME the facts and let ME make the best decision for myself, after confirming that the medical oncologist agreed. I feel great and people keep telling me I look wonderful (as they’ve been doing since after the second chemo treatment).
I still go down every 3 weeks for bloodwork, a checkup by the oncologist or nurse practitioner, and my favorite things: acupuncture,reiki, massage, chiropractic, and consults when necessary with my registered dietician and my naturopath. I’ve also had occupational and physical therapy there as needed. Everyone I’ve dealt with in the past year-plus has been kind, compassionate, knowledgeable and helpful.
Once I get to the Center (by driving or by train – which CTCA pays for and schedules for me), I have 3 generous meal allowances in their incredible dining room, which offers a huge variety of healthful delicious, in large part organic, food and beverages. If my husband comes with me (when we drive), he gets the same meal allowances. When I was getting infusions, someone would take our order and bring meals to us. I actually enjoyed getting the infusions, because I could relax, sleep, eat good food, read, and then go home feeling cared for and well-treated.
When you get there, they take care of all the little things you’d have to worry about otherwise, making it easier to focus on your treatments and healing. They have the “Mother Standard” of care: treating patients the way they’d want their mother to be treated. This originated with the founder, Mr. Stephenson, who wanted to improve on the way his own mother was treated for cancer.
There are so many other things I could tell you about CTCA, but this is already pretty long. I felt I had to tell my story in order to help other people who might be wondering if CTCA is “for real.” It is. I recommend it without hesitation, especially if you’re not happy with what you’ve been told or given at another facility.
Yes, you need insurance. Yes, they will check your insurance benefits before setting you up for an evaluation. Do you think any other hospital welcomes you before making sure you can pay? You will have a consultation with a financial counselor who goes over what you can expect. You will have a care management team that confirms whether insurance will pay, before they do a treatment or procedure.
At least go there and see for yourself rather than making such an important decision based on a few critical comments on a message board
Hi,
I’m glad you had a good experience there. I did not. I found the staff that was paid the least to be so compassionate but the doctors and nurses treated me poorly. The oncologist barely tolerated my questions and then “yessed” me to death until I stopped asking. True, they took care of the incidentals but when it came to offering me “a second chance” they failed. They failed to try. They offered me the same care I am currently getting. Next time you go, look at your fellow patients. You will see that they are mostly female. They are marketing to YOU. They offered my wife massages, hair services, shopping excursion and more but offered me nothing. Not only that but I had to deal with nurses who would only speak to my wife and ignored me (the patient) and a doctor who just wanted to hurry me along. I’m not saying that they aren’t helping you but just make sure that you aren’t being swayed by the “marketing”. 🙂
Hang in there!
I feel your pain my wife has liver cancer.We made the 800 call got told a lot of lies.Wife got cussed out after surgery from head nurse.the story is so long.I’m right now fighting them on a bill they said I would never see.Ha Ha well I see it.Should start posting the bills so people can see what there doing.
Keep fighting – they just waived the fee. Ask for a supervisor and then when they say “no” write a detailed email about your experiences and ask them to waive it. They finally did with me.
I’m at http://www.carcinoid-cancer.com – I just posted on it.
Ed
The issue here is how this center is giving false hope by exaggerating the capability of Alternative Cancer Treatments in curing a patient diagnosed with cancer and not the treatment itself. I’m not really siding with anything, but this is marketing and it’s their job to sell a certain service or product. I don’t really get what’s wrong with this picture, but I won’t distrust Holistic Medicine just because an individual company marketed it the wrong way. If you think about it, Chemo Therapy doesn’t have much TVCs or Billboards, but doctors are introducing it to their cancer patients like it’s the ONLY option.
I go to the cancer treatment center in Chicago. The reason they ASK For your insurance FIRST. Is so they can determine which center you will go to. Chicago is contracted with blue cross and we can only go to that one. They have NEVER done a procedure / test without approval from my insurance. I have been going there for 2 years now and love the fact that I get all my test in one day and I am sitting in front of the doctor the next day discussing the results.
They are amazing! Thanks to the CON in GA CTCA is only allowed to take 35% of patients from the state of GA. Now that’s disgusting. The government and other Atlanta area hospitals are fighting to keep it this way. Very disturbing! What are these other hospitals afraid of? If they were amazing as CTCA they wouldn’t be afraid. GA residents contact your local government officials and dispute the CON. All GA residents should be able to choose where they want to receive their cancer care.
I had a pretty bad experience at Cancer Treatment Centers Of America as well.
I have carcinoid cancer and have a little blog. Here is the post about it: http://www.carcinoid-cancer.com/my-experience-at-cancer-treatment-centers-of-america/
Any how, in my humble opinion, most of what they offer is marketing. In then end they didn’t come through for me at all. They offered “standard” treatment of my cancer. Very disappointing.
Did they offer you naturopathy, Nutrition, chiropractor, massage therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, healthy food at no charge to you? I’m a patient there and they have been amazing to me and my family. I’m sorry you didn’t feel the same.
I have a rare and incurable cancer. They offered me nothing beyond standard treatment of typical cancers. Since then I have found other treatments that excel far beyond CTCA. As much as I appreciate Nutrution, chiropractor, massage therapy, physical therapy, accupuncture and food (yes for free) … none of these will correct the course of my cancer. I am glad that you have found something that works for you but to me….all of these things are simply marketing tools to get you there. Also, they BILLED me huge for my trip. I had to fight them tooth and nail until they finally dropped the fees they were charging me. So…NO, in the end it was not free. To be honest, I felt taken advantage of since I told them that I was basically penniless because of my cancer. They assured me “no charge” and “free” and I asked the if they were 100% sure I would not be billed a penny. Well I was billed thousands of dollars. Only after a huge fight and my threats did they drop it. Before that they used legal mumbo jumbo to say I owed the money. That is the truth.
I see all sorts of differing opinions here about CTCA. I will breifly give mine. In May of 2014 my wife was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at our local hospital. The local oncologist gave my wife a 50/50 chance of survival. I asked the oncologist how many cases she treated a year of this type of cancer and her reply was about one a year. With that in mind I started my search for someone who had experience with her type of cancer. After an extensive search we ended up at CTCA in Newnan Ga. Forward one year later after 16 weeks of dose dense chemo, a double mastectomy, and 6.5 weeks of radiation my wife has been declared cancer free. During this process the outpouring of love and support from everyone at CTCA was a major part of her treatment. I can not say enough about CTCA and it’s employee’s. They agreed to take our insurance which did not participate with CTCA as payment in full. They provided transportation from Colorado to Newnan GA. at no cost and gave us discounted lodging and meals. Every aspect of our battle against cancer CTCA has helped lessen the blow of this ordeal. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer then I beg you to talk with CTCA. Those who look from the outside and portray CTCA in a negative light are doing a disservice to all that need treatment. If you are in need of advanced, compassionate care then you can find it at CTCA.
Durango4u – I’m glad you had a good experience but I cannot say that I had the same good experience as you did. I blogged about it if you are interested.
My blog is http://www.carcinoid-cancer.com – you can just do a search. I had trouble with them from beginning to end AND the worst part is that they eventually billed me $800 for doing basically nothing. I fought and they eventually waived the fee but, man. What an ordeal.
I hate to see what you wrote. I am a patient of CTCA. Before you write all this garbage why don’t you talk to the CTCA patients. Not only am I a stage 4 breast cancer survivor but I am also a 7 year survivor. I give God the glory for my life but also thank God everyday for guiding me to CTCA. You speak for a handful of people. I have heard 100’s of cancer patient and caregivers stories. Where they were giving no hope at the first facility they went to. CTCA has never promised me a miracle but they did give me hope and promised me they would be there for me on my journey. They have always been there for me and my family. The dedication of my care team was above and beyond the care I received in Fayetteville GA. To have physicians not afraid to pray with you is amazing. To have love, support, and compassion from everyone I came in contact with was what my family and I needed. They have never promised me a cure. Of course all stories are not typical. I know you must be smarter than your comment. Cancers are different. Some more aggressive and a lot of patients that come to CTCA are there for their 2nd and 3rd opinion. Cancer is a horrific disease. Please stop bashing them. You haven’t walked the path of a cancer patient at CTCA. Don’t be judgemental. You need to ask CTCA if you can come for a visit and talk to patients and caregivers. I know the negativity you are spreading would change. Don’t pollute what CTCA is doing. You haven’t walked through those doors and felt God’s presence. You haven’t seen the love radiating off of the employees faces. The embraces by the greeter, culinary team, cleaning staff, nurses, physicians, and the rest of the team of HOPE. Cancer patients don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I know that I’m in a place that truly cares about me and my family. This is a very difficult journey many of us have to face. Let us choose the facility that we want to help us on this journey. Please stop what you are doing. I will pray that God opens your heart to see what I see and that I know about CTCA.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO POST THE TRUTH ABOUT CTCA. GOD BLESS!
I wish I could say the same abt.ctca in newnan the worst thing I have ever seen they started with what insurance,then you will only pay out this much in a year.It was all a lie,just got a bill for almost 7 grand.I call it bait and switch.