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Waiting on Insurance in Chicago-advice welcomed
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Waiting on Insurance in Chicago-advice welcomed

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Waiting on Insurance in Chicago-advice welcomed

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    • March 13, 2018 at 10:22 pm
    raamstutz
    Participant
      Hey all. My partner and I live in Chicago and are low income. He has applied for Medicaid and is waiting for it to come through (they bungled things for his initial application). Thing is, he has a mole that has been glowing/bleeding/changing colors, and he has risk factors for melanoma (uncle has it, he has lots of moles, sun exposure). Got a referral to see a dermatologist to get it removed from a sliding scale GP, but having a hard time finding any sort of sliding scale dermatologist in Chicago without a wait list months long. Wondering if any of you know anywhere to go in Chicago with sliding scale or anywhere that won’t charge right away and thus we could get Medicaid to reemburse when it finally comes thru. Otherwise, we are left debating whether or not to bite the bullet and pay tons of money to see a dermatologist now, or wait on insurance to come through. Thanks for any advice.
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    • Replies
        • March 14, 2018 at 8:14 am
        jetdoctor67
        Participant

          Hello – Not sure if Derick Dermatology provides a sliding scale but they've taken really good care of me.  Great staff and really friendly and professional. 

          • March 14, 2018 at 1:11 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            I'd consider making appointments with any of the sliding scale derms – even though the appointments may be further out.  Then as soon as you have Medicaid, start bugging the docs for cancellation appointments.  People cancel all the time and that's one way to get in sooner.   The GP couldn't do a simple biopsy?  Many GPs will do biopsies – maybe you could also call around and go that route.  I do suggest, however, that you request a punch biopsy over a shave biopsy.  Shave biopsies can lose staging information if they aren't deep enough and if you really suspect melanoma, that's not a good thing.  Docs like to do shaves because they are quick and require no stitches or followup. 

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