Technological advancement of the past two decades has provided the most accurate medical diagnosis and treatments ever achieved. While reliance on technical progress has dramatically improved patient care, it has also significantly escalated medical costs. The addition of a complex system of health insurers and government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, have further clouded the picture, making much of the cost/reimbursement structure difficult for many patients to understand.

This sheet has been designed to help you understand the charges incurred during radiation therapy. Almost 80% of total costs involved in delivering your care are derived from equipment expense and operation. The center is state-of-the-art and is equipped with the most sophisticated treatment machines available. In addition to initial costs of several million dollars, the complex machinery and computer systems require a considerable support staff and ongoing maintenance for accuracy and reliability. The remainder of the bill supports the professional components of your care—physician reimbursement, educational meetings, and other costs accrued with operating an office practice.

In an effort to subdivide and categorize the costs involved in medical care, the federal government has outlined the parameters listed below. Each has been explained to help you understand the coding on your bill. While this will provide a general outline, we are always available to discuss any individual questions.

Consult: Charge for initial examination and consultation, reviewing records and films, contacting referring physicians, and making initial decisions regarding the need for treatments.

Treatment Plan: One time charge for planning the individualized course of treatment, including field arrangements, dose fraction size, and other necessary elements.

Physics: Staff physicists and technicians provide ongoing calibration checks of machine parameters, dose accuracy, chart calculations, and data recording. These calculations and therefore the charges may occur on days when you are not here.

Teletherapy: Cost for specialize computer planning involved in complex multiple field treatment set-ups (irregular fields, contours, arcs, and multiple filed techniques).

Simulation: Fluoroscopically guided set-up and marking for treatment. Measurement of field sizes, tissue dimensions, gantry and collimator angles. This allows for optimal treatment and insures reproductability from the first treatment to the last.

CT: Computed tomography guidance for placement of radiation fields.

Resim: Additional set-up and marking for new field arrangements or other modifications in treatment.

Blocks: Charges for physically constructing customized lead alloy blocks used in shaping the field of treatment.

Treatment Device: Any of several methods used to modify the primary treatment beam. This allows for compensation of tissue irregularities and uniform dosing throughout the treatment field. Examples include wedges and bolus.

Port Films: Films taken of the actual treatment beam to verify portal accuracy.

IMRT: Intensity modulated radiation therapy dose distribution planning.

3-D Treatment Planning: Three dimensional computer generated reconstruction of tumor volume.

Treatment (Daily): Technical charges for machine operation on a daily basis.

Treatment (Weekly): Professional charges for treatment management including field and dose confirmation, normal tissue and target response, decisions in ongoing case management, nursing, and other services.

Dosimetry: Calculates amount of radiation received to the treatment areas, based on tumor depth, patient measurements, and beam energy.

Diodes: Testing device used in calibration and on patients to ensure correct radiation levels.

Brachytherapy: Use of radioactive implants.