Controlling Your Cancer Care Costs
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 20:28 The very last thing my husband and I were worried about when I was diagnosed with Stage IIIa breast cancer was how we would deal with the costs. When you’ve suddenly had your own mortality crammed into your face, the bills aren’t at the top of the list.
As the year+ of treatment wore on, however, and we travelled again and again from Reno to Houston for the best care possible, the bills did add up. We finally ended up taking out an equity line of credit against the house to help ease the cash crunch.
There are other options out there for those who may not be able to take that course. Reno, as with many other cities, has some great non-profit organizations that folks can avail themselves of. Moms On the Run ( a Reno breast cancer non-profit), as well as Susan B. Komen offer breast cancer patients help with bills and much more.
Don’t let the fear of the financial aspects derail your getting the best treatment possible. But at the same time, let those close to you help with planning for the financial realities. One other thing I would heartily recommend is to organize your finances the best you can before you begin treatment. Intuit, the makers of Turbo Tax and Quicken financial software, offers a program similar to Quicken that tracks medical expenses and your insurance payments to providers.
Finally, you can’t call your insurance provider too often. Call as much as you need to so that you completely understand what they do and do not cover.
From Everyday Health:
Money Matters: Cancer and Health Insurance
For cancer patients, battling the disease is the first priority - but they must also deal with the realities of health insurance.
Even if your health is the only thing on your mind after a cancer diagnosis, the reality of bills, bills, bills soon becomes apparent. Even with health insurance, you could be paying for some portion of your cancer treatment, depending on your deductible and co-pays.
Insurance and Cancer: Your Finances
Cancer affects your life in many ways, including your budget and bank account. Here are some possible financial concerns that you may need to account for:
- Lost wages. Household bills and extra medical expenses may seem manageable when you’ve got a regular paycheck coming in. But cancer patients probably will need to take some time off from work to undergo treatment and recovery — you may even need to leave your job. Your spouse or partner may need to miss work to accompany you to doctor’s visits and treatment appointments and to stay home to take care of you during your recuperation. You may need to re-budget to account for smaller paychecks for both of you — at least temporarily — during your cancer treatment and recovery.
- Travel expenses. If the best cancer specialist or treatment center for you is out of town, your travel expenses may add up quickly. Airfare or gas and car expenses, food, and lodging can get pricey if you need to be away for weeks at a time. That’s not to say that the care isn’t worth the cost, just that you’ll need to budget for it.
- Extra needs. If your caregiver goes back to work, you may need to hire home care aides to help with meals, dressing, bathing, or just tidying the house. This can mean another cost for you, although some insurance plans may cover some of these expenses.
Insurance and Cancer: Learn About Its Limitations
The major factor regarding paying for cancer care is the amount of coverage your health insurance provides. Just having health insurance doesn’t mean all your medical bills will be covered.
While many health insurance plans can deflect much of the burden of paying for cancer care and treatment, you may still have your fair share of the costs. Here are some expenses you may be responsible for, even with insurance:
- Drugs that aren’t on your formulary or that cost more than your usual prescriptions
- High deductible costs
- Out-of-network cancer care costs, which usually have a different deductible that must be met
- Any pre-existing condition limitations on your treatment
- Any treatments or procedures not covered by your plan
- Any costs that exceed your lifetime maximum, if your cancer treatment is ongoing and very expensive
If you are among the over 40 million uninsured people in the United States, your financial burden will be even greater. But you may be able to find ways to get the care you need without accruing mountains of debt.
Cancer Care: Finding Help to Pay for It
Many organizations and foundations can help you find financial assistance for paying for your cancer care. The National Cancer Institute is a great resource for cancer patients. Others include:
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- State Children’s Health Insurance Program
- Patient Advocate Foundation
- Hill-Burton Program
- CancerCare
Don’t let financial concerns interfere with your need for first-rate cancer treatment. To prevent them from taking an additional toll on you, enlist a friend or family member to help you navigate the system and find a way to fund your health care needs.
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