By someone who’s done both sales and scans
As a sales professional, I’ve faced more objections than a toddler at bedtime. “It’s not in the budget.” “We’re not ready.” “We’re going in another direction.” I’ve learned to listen, adapt, and respond in ways that turn roadblocks into opportunities.
What I never expected? How those very same skills would become critical… not in closing a deal, but in fighting for my life.
“I Didn’t Realize Cancer Had a Sales Department”
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I figured—naively—that it would be like any other medical issue: you get sick, you see a doctor, they treat you, and you move on. End of story.
Spoiler alert: not with cancer. Especially not when it’s late-stage or a rare type. That’s when you learn the real meaning of “complex objections.” Suddenly, your very survival becomes a matter of cost-benefit analysis.
From the research center evaluating whether you’re “worth” the clinical trial slot, to the insurance provider carefully crafting their “unfortunately, this is not a covered benefit” letter, you find yourself in a bureaucratic maze where empathy is scarce and logic often defies gravity.
The Cancer Equation: Life vs. Line Item
Your case isn’t just reviewed by a doctor—it’s run through an algorithm. Variables include:
- General health
- Comorbidities
- Age
- Type and stage of cancer
- Past treatments
- Insurance codes that look like encrypted Wi-Fi passwords
And somewhere in this mathematical soup, someone (or something) decides whether you are “a good candidate.” Not just medically, but economically. It’s a numbers game, and the house has the advantage.
16 Years and Still Objecting
My journey started 16 years ago. I’ve learned to navigate this broken system not only for myself, but for others—patients who want nothing more than a fair shot at treatment, at life. Too often, they don’t get it. They’re left in limbo, unapproved, unsupported, and unseen.
Even when you do find a treatment path, the next boss level shows up: your insurance company. Suddenly, the same plan that covered your flu shot won’t cover your life-saving therapy. It’s enough to make you wonder if Kafka secretly founded a healthcare startup.
So… How Do You Push Back?
How do you handle objections when the stakes are your health, your future—your life?
You do it the same way you do in sales:
- You stay calm.
- You get educated.
- You keep asking questions—even the uncomfortable ones.
- You build relationships with people who can champion your cause.
- And you don’t take the first “no” as the final answer.
What’s the Fix?
Honestly? We need a system that values people over paperwork. We need shared care models that look at the whole person, not just the diagnosis code. We need better collaboration between providers, payers, and researchers. Most importantly, we need patients to be seen as partners, not liabilities.
Because right now, for too many patients, the journey isn’t just uphill—it’s uphill in a sandstorm, without a map, and someone’s stolen the camel.
Final Thought
Don’t be afraid to challenge the system if you’re a patient. If you’re a provider, remember the humanity behind every file. If you find yourself in the cancer desert looking for water, maybe we can help at 1104health.