Referral
Patients are accepted through physician referral or self referral. Out-of-town patients may contact us by telephone or e-mail for a preliminary evaluation by an oncology nurse. To avoid unnecessary travel by the patient, the nurse may suggest that the patient send records for the radiation oncologist to review. If the oncologist determines that neutron therapy might be beneficial, the patient can make an appointment for a consultation with the oncologist. Regardless of how the initial referral was made, the neutron therapy oncologists will work closely with the patient's physician(s).

Records
At or before the time of the first consultation, the patient should submit the medical records needed to evaluate whether neutron therapy is an appropriate treatment for the patient. Original records belonging to another clinic or hospital will be returned promptly.

Cost
Total charges for a course of neutron therapy are about the same as the charges for a course of photon therapy. The exact amount varies according to the number of treatments, the complexity of the treatment plans, and what additional services are necessary for a particular patient. Medicare and most insurance companies pay for treatment here. Our patient account staff works with our patients to help them obtain maximum reimbursement from their insurance policies.

Some insurance policies cover the cost of housing and transportation for specialized treatment which is not available near the patient's home. Patients should check with their insurance companies to see whether such coverage is provided in the policy.

Housing
The NIUINT at Fermilab is a national resource for cancer treatment, and many of our patients do not live near Fermilab. For the convenience of our out-of-town patients and their families, we maintain a list of hotels and motels in the area. When making housing arrangements patients should inquire about possible discounts for Fermilab visitors. They should also inquire about exemption from paying State taxes for extended hotel/motel stays.