Being diagnosed with cancer or seeking a cancer consultation for you or a loved one can be a very complicated, scary experience. At Tennessee Cancer Specialists, we believe knowledge is power. We want to be your empowering partner in comprehensive, compassionate cancer care. We encourage you to read the following list of compiled commonly asked questions. We hope it helps ease your fears and prepare you as much as possible for your initial visit.

If you have an additional question not answered here, please pick up the phone and give us a call. We're here to help.

What information will I need to provide when making the appointment?
Many times your physician will make the appointment and provide us with the information needed to get you set up in our system, but in some cases a patient can call directly to make an appointment. When calling to set up an appointment, we will need your name, address, phone number, cell phone number, insurance information and additional identification information.

Do you accept my insurance?
We participate with most major insurance companies and will submit claims to your carrier on your behalf. Medicaid/Tncare patients are welcome. We also accept Medicare assignment. If you belong to an HMO or PPO plan, please call our office to verify that our TCS physicians are a participating provider of your insurance company. Our experienced staff will be able to tell either you or your primary-care physician whether or not we accept your insurance when the first call is made.

Is there a lot of paper work to fill out?
Yes. No surprise here. There are a few forms that will need to be filled out upon your first visit that ask for personal data, insurance, emergency contact and medical history questions. We ask that you arrive at the office 15 minutes prior to your appointment time to provide us with this much needed information.

A select few TCS locations have the ability to mail the forms to your home prior to the initial visit. If you are visiting one of these locations, you will need to bring these forms to our office the day of your first visit.

What do I need to bring to my first visit?
You will need to bring your medical insurance identification card or cards. In some cases many people have two or even three insurance carriers, or maybe a cancer policy. We need to know this so we can properly bill your medical claim. We will make a copy of this card for our records. From the information you provide we will verify your insurance benefits, obtain per-certifications or authorizations if necessary and be able to file your claim to your insurance plan. If your insurance plan requires a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) this is ultimately your responsibility; but don't worry, we can help you with this too. On occasions we will ask you to update or verify your insurance so our records will always reflect the most current information.

What will my financial responsibility be?
We wish we could provide a standard answer to this question for all our patients. Unfortunately, we cannot. Each insurance plan has its own requirements based on its contract with the individual policy holder. Some have deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays, while others may require you to pay a percentage of the charges.

As a new patient, you will sit down with one our highly trained financial counselors and review your insurance coverage. We will not only provide prior to treatment an estimate of cost for your care, but work with you and your family to find ways to meet these financial obligations so you and your family can concentrate on your treatment and recovery. We have several payment options to offer. Your financial counselor will provide you with all the information you need.

What if I don't have any or enough insurance to cover my treatment?
We can help. Our experienced financial counselors will help determine your need for financial assistance during your first visit. There are several payment plans or programs available to help ease the financial burden for those that qualify. Once we determine that you meet the requirements, we will seek and try to obtain assistance for you.

Are there any Web sites my family or I can visit for financial assistance or just information about cancer?
Yes. There are several Web sites you can go to for financial assistance information as well as Web sites that address other questions or concerns your might have. We have provided a list of Web sites that we believe will be the most helpful for you and your family.

Healthwell Foundation:www.healthwellfoundation.org
Addresses the needs of individuals who cannot afford their insurance co-payments, premiums, coinsurance or other out-of-pocket health care costs.

Patient Access Network Foundation:www.patientaccessnetwork.org
Assists patients who cannot access the treatments they need due to out-of-pocket health care costs including, deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance; offers assistance for specific conditions.

Patient Advocate Foundation's Co-Pay Relief Program: www.copays.org
Provides direct c-payment assistance for pharmaceutical products to insured patients (including Medicare part D beneficiaries) who financially and medically qualify; offers assistance for specific conditions.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:www.LLC.org/copay

Cancer Care:www.cancercare.org

Lymphoma Research Foundation:www.lymphoma.org

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:www.leukemia-lymphoma.org

Partners for Prescription Assistance (PPA):www.pparx.org

What if I have more questions?
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to give us a call and we'll be more than happy to assist you.