Plans can change. Be sure you’re still covered for cancer care at Roswell Park.
One in three. It’s a hard statistic to grasp, but one in three of us will receive a cancer diagnosis during our lifetime. That’s why you need to check whether your health insurance covers cancer care at Roswell Park, the region’s only comprehensive cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute. And you want to make sure that Roswell Park is an in-network provider with your plan. If not, you’ll be able to change your plan during Open Enrollment this fall.
Open Enrollment is the time period each year when you can renew your current plan, switch to a different one or apply for health insurance for the first time. Here are the dates for open enrollment this year:
- For Medicare: October 15 - December 7, 2024
- For plans through New York State of Health Marketplace: November 1, 2024 - January 31, 2025 (Enroll by December 15 for coverage to begin January 1, 2025. Otherwise coverage will begin February 1, 2025.)
Why does having Roswell Park in-network matter?
Roswell Park is one of the nation’s elite comprehensive cancer centers with world class providers, facilities and advanced therapies. But if your health insurance plan does not have Roswell Park and its providers as in-network, your cancer care could be more costly. The plan may not pay for services at Roswell Park at all, or the coverage may be limited, your co-pays and co-insurance may be higher, and the plan may require separate authorizations for every service, potentially delaying care you need promptly.
As you compare the coverage offered by different health insurance companies and plans, look for a plan with in-network access to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and its providers. Visit this page and click View Health Plans and Networks to find out which ones do.
- Plans WITH in-network access to Roswell Park, review your benefit options carefully. Different plans can come with very different out-of-pocket costs for specialist office visits, outpatient surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, medical imaging and inpatient care.
- Plans WITHOUT in-network access, find out if they provide out-of-network benefits. If so, are authorizations required for out-of-network care at Roswell Park? How much will you pay for the deductible and coinsurance, and what is the out-of-pocket maximum? You may find these costs are greater than choosing another plan with in-network access.
Current and past patients need to check their plans, too
Insurance plans may change their contracts each year. Even if your care at Roswell Park has been covered in the past, you need to verify that your coverage will continue.
For detailed information, check each plan’s provider directory or contact the insurer you are considering. If you still have questions about your insurance, call a Roswell Park financial counselor at 716-845-4782.
Share this information with friends and family so they can be certain they’ll have the option of choosing Roswell Park for their own treatment if the need arises in the future.
You deserve the best care. Make sure you’re covered.
Open enrollment is here, and your health insurance matters more than ever. If you are diagnosed with cancer, will you have access to the best care? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Check your policy now to ensure Roswell Park is in-network.
