Remote Second Opinion program
Access UCHealth University of Colorado Cancer Center’s independent experts without the need to travel by participating in the UCHealth Remote Second Opinion program.
Although we welcome you anytime at the CU Cancer Center in Aurora, Colorado, our Remote Second Opinion program helps you overcome the hardships of lost work time, lost family time, and the time and expense of travel.
When to explore a remote second opinion from UCHealth
Get an expert second opinion from our cancer specialists, whether you or a loved one are:
- Recently diagnosed with cancer, want to confirm the diagnosis, and receive counsel on the best plan before you begin treatment.
- Already in treatment and want to explore the options our physicians would recommend in your situation.
Cancer specialties offering second opinion consultations
Our medical professionals offer second opinion consultations in a number of specialties, including:
Thoracic oncology. Lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma, thymoma and thymic carcinoma, small cell cancer in other body sites, chest sarcomas, pulmonary carcinoid tumors, other rare thoracic cancers.
Gastrointestinal oncology. Anal, colorectal, esophageal, extrahepatic, liver, pancreatic, small intestine, stomach, gastrointestinal tumors.
Breast cancer. Breast cancer in young women (ages 18-45), pregnancy-associated breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma.
Sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcomas including: GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumors), leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, spindle cell tumors, synovial sarcoma, desmoid fibromatosis, nerve sheath tumors, etc.
About RSO payments
Please be aware that payments for Remote Second Opinion (RSO) services are non-refundable, and are not reimbursed by insurance plans. While we issue invoices to confirm payments for services rendered, we do not provide billing codes.
Questions and answers
When should I consider a remote second opinion?
A medical second opinion is valuable in many situations. Consider using our Remote Second Opinion program if you:
- Want reassurance that you’ve received the correct diagnosis and that you’re receiving the most appropriate medical care for your individual condition.
- Are diagnosed with a chronic illness and want to confirm the proposed treatment plan.
- Are faced with a serious illness that doesn’t require immediate treatment and you want to confirm that your proposed treatment plan is the right one for you.
- Have been offered more than one treatment option and you don’t know which to choose.
- Have been told you need surgery and want to confirm this treatment recommendation.
- Have been advised to undergo a controversial or experimental treatment.
- Have multiple medical problems that put you at greater risk of complications as a result of surgery or other medical treatment.
- Want more answers to your questions to help you make the most informed decision about your health or that of a loved one.
- Want a second opinion from our world-renowned specialist physicians but don’t want to incur the time and expense of travel.
Who can request a remote second opinion?
Anyone anywhere who’s interested in receiving a medical second opinion and who’s been diagnosed with a disease or condition covered by the Remote Second Opinion program.
The second opinion includes treatment options or alternatives and recommendations about therapies to consider in the future.
Individuals over the age of 18 may ask another person to request a remote second opinion on their behalf by providing us with a completed patient consent form.
Do I need my local doctor’s permission to request a remote second opinion?
No. Because you’re requesting this consultation and paying for it yourself, you don’t need your doctor’s permission.
What medical conditions are covered in the Remote Second Opinion program?
Our program continues to expand, so keep checking with us. Currently, we offer expert consultation for:
- Lung and thoracic cancers.
- Colon and other digestive/gastrointestinal cancers.
- Breast cancer.
How to request a remote second opinion
The Remote Second Opinion program at UCHealth connects you directly with expert physicians and specialists at the CU Cancer Center. They review your individual situation, answer your questions, and provide you with a comprehensive report you can share with your family and local practitioner. Based on the medical second opinion you receive from us, you can decide to come to our facilities for treatment, or you can choose to stay in your hometown and receive treatment locally.
Once you have our second opinion information, you can request updated opinions as your condition changes.
STEP 1: Download and complete necessary forms
To be evaluated by one of our oncologists, download and complete the following forms and submit them with additional documents described in STEP 2:
- Intake Form
- Authorization Form
- Telemedicine Consent Form
- Credit Card Authorization Form – Payment for a Remote Second Opinion will be billed to your credit card.
STEP 2: Assemble medical records and imaging scans
To make our assessment, we need the following materials:
- All clinical notes from time of diagnosis to present, including:
- Progress notes
- Lab results
- Radiology reports
- Pathology reports
- All imaging scans put on disc; ask your radiologist to convert them to Dicom and Viewer formats and include both on the disc
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- PET scans
- Pathology slides and tumor block information, if you would like it reviewed at an additional cost*
*Pathology pricing is an estimate and includes the potential cost for additional molecular analyses. For a detailed breakdown of costs, Please contact Maribel Campos at [email protected] or 720.848.9264.
When you have all these materials collected, go to STEP 3.
STEP 3: Submit your materials
Add all the completed and signed forms from STEP 1 to the collection of your medical records and images from STEP 2 and place everything in a single package. Use regular postal mail to send your package to:
Remote Second Opinions
Attention: Please contact Maribel Campos
Anschutz Cancer Pavilion
1665 Aurora Court
Aurora, CO 80045
Mail Stop F704
STEP 4: We review your materials and provide a report
Once we receive your package, our medical team—including the oncologist who specializes in your form of cancer—will thoroughly review and discuss your individual situation.
After the review, our oncologist will create a written report that includes a confirmation or dispute of your diagnosis, as well as our recommendations for moving forward.
If our physicians agree with your diagnosis, our report recommendation may confirm the treatment plan already outlined for you.
Medical records you send to us
How do I get my medical records?
Call or contact all the doctors and/or facilities where you have received services from the point of diagnosis to the present and ask them for your medical records. Paper records will need to include the following information:
- All physicians’ dictations pertaining to diagnosis and treatment; generally, this includes History and Physical notes or Progress notes.
- Pathology reports, including those pertaining to tissue diagnosis and any subsequent testing performed on the tissue specimen.
- Radiology reports, including any imaging performed, such as CT, MRI, and PET scans.
Clinical notes may be obtained from your oncologist’s office or at the hospital where you’re being treated.
Radiology scans may be obtained from the facility where you underwent the imaging procedure. Scans must be put on disc in both Dicom and Viewer formats and should include any CT, MRI, PET/CT, or other scans related to your diagnosis.
Pathology slides/tumor block information can be obtained by contacting the pathology department at the hospital where you had the tissue diagnosis.
What if I can’t get all the requested materials?
We’ll review what we receive. If we need other materials for review, an additional charge may be made.
Who will see the medical information that I send?
Access to your information is restricted to the program coordinator and the physicians who review your materials.
Who chooses the physician to provide the remote second opinion?
We select the oncologist specialized to diagnose and treat your specific cancer type.
Can I send my medical records in a language other than English?
No. Only records in English are reviewed. If your records need to be translated into English, you must make those arrangements yourself.
Where do I send my materials?
Collect all necessary forms and records and send them together in a single package by postal mail.
For thoracic oncology or gastrointestinal oncology, send your medical records package to:
Remote Second Opinions
Attention: Please contact Maribel Campos
Anschutz Cancer Pavilion
Mail Stop F704
1665 Aurora Court
Aurora, CO 80045
USA
For breast cancer, send your medical records package to:
Attention: Breast Center – RSO
Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion
1635 Aurora Court
Aurora, CO 80045
USA
Our Remote Second Opinion report to you
How long will it take to receive my remote second opinion?
Within five to seven days of receiving your materials, we’ll send your written report. Allow time for postal mail delivery.
What will the Remote Second Opinion report include?
Please review this sample second opinion report in PDF format to see what a typical report contains.
What if I have more questions after I receive my report?
Contact one of our Intake Coordinators, who will notify the consulting physician.
- For thoracic oncology and gastrointestinal oncology, Please contact Maribel Campos at [email protected] or 720.848.9264.
- For breast cancer, email Brittany Barnes or call 720-848-3601 with your questions.
If we get your questions within three weeks of our initial review, your Remote Second Opinion physician will answer them as part of the report.
Questions or concerns submitted after three weeks will be considered as an additional consultation and additional charges may apply.
If my condition changes later, can I get another opinion?
Yes. We’re happy to arrange for a repeat consultation. Rates are typically less than the initial review.
Cost and payment
How much does a remote second opinion cost?
Current costs are:
- Primary review and written report without a pathology review* – US$785
- Primary review and written report with pathology* – US$2750 – $3250
- Follow-up review – US$250
*Pathology pricing is an estimate and includes the potential cost for additional molecular analyses.
Costs by cancer type
- For a detailed breakdown of costs related to thoracic oncology or gastrointestinal oncology, please contact Maribel Campos at [email protected] or 720.848.2221.
- For a detailed breakdown of costs related to breast cancer, email [email protected] or call 720.848.1030 and ask for the Remote Second Opinion program.
How do I pay for a remote second opinion?
Remote second opinions are typically paid by credit card. Just submit a completed credit card authorization form with your other documents and materials.
Will my insurance pay for a remote second opinion?
No. At this time, insurance companies do not cover remote second opinions.
Will my company pay for a remote second opinion?
It depends on your company and the benefits they provide.
Talk with your company’s human resources professionals, or those who can answer questions about your benefits program, to determine if your company will cover a remote second opinion.
Contact us
Talk to our Remote Second Opinion program coordinators about our service, costs, payments, or other questions.
Please contact Maribel Campos at [email protected] or 720.848.9264.
When your health—and maybe even your life—is at stake, you want the best medical care available. That’s why your first choice needs to be UCHealth and our nationally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.