Community Member
5 days agoSeeking advice from other cancer caregivers: My husband was recently diagnosed with cancer. On Friday, his oncologist told us we have to wait 14 days to get his tissue sample from the hospital because of the “14-day rule.” After researching, it appears this rule mainly applies to Medicare/Medicaid billing. My husband has private insurance, and there was a 2018 exemption for molecular/next-generation sequencing tests on outpatient procedures. It’s a long holiday weekend, so I’m waiting until tomorrow to follow up. I’ve already emailed the oncologist asking her to immediately request the tissue be transferred to their lab for testing — or, if that’s not possible, to switch his care to Duke University. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of delay around tissue/molecular testing after a cancer diagnosis? How did you handle it? Any advice on pushing for faster processing would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ❤️
Community Member
5 days agoThe 14-day rule can be incredibly frustrating when time feels so critical after a cancer diagnosis. Many patients and caregivers have encountered similar delays with tissue testing and molecular sequencing, and advocating for faster processing is completely understandable. Reaching out to the oncologist about transferring the tissue sample or exploring options at Duke sounds like a proactive approach that others in this community might have experience with too.
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