Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be terrifying. Even if you have health insurance, your plan may not cover all of the costs of treatment. And if you don't have health insurance, the thought of pay for treatment might feel like a death sentence. Fortunately, many resources are available that can help you avoid the financial strain of breast-cancer treatment so you can focus on your recovery.
Talk to Professionals
As soon as you have been diagnosed, talk to your doctor, a medical social worker, or even a patient advocate. These professionals deal with health-care costs every day, and can help you determine if your insurance plan will cover necessary treatment or if you qualify for government sponsored-programs.
When talking to a health-care professional, don't be afraid to ask any question that comes to mind. And if you don't understand something, ask for clarification. Having breast cancer at any stage or age is traumatic enough. If you can, try to get your financial situation cleared up before treatment commences so the only battle you're in is the one to defeat your disease.
Government Programs
Numerous government programs can help. Ask your health-care professional about any and all programs available, your chances of qualifying and how long the application process takes.
In the case of Medicaid, you can get screened through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "States that choose to extend Medicaid benefits to women under this new option will receive a federal match of up to 85 percent of the costs of treatment." Just remember that Medicaid is run differently from state to state.
Your health-care professional should also know if your hospital is a Hill-Burton facility. The federal Hill-Burton program provides free or reduced-cost care to patients who qualify.
Nonprofits
If you don't qualify for government or low-income financial assistance, your health-care professional should steer you in the direction of nonprofit organizations such as CancerCare, which offers small grants for treatment and medication. CancerCare has partnerships with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Avon Foundation, groups that offer additional grants for women with breast cancer. These organizations also help patients find assistance through state agencies and state-run treatment funds.
Also, look into the Patient Advocate Foundation. Patient advocates can help you research treatment plans, solve billing and claims issues, accompany you to appointments and help you manage the costs of prescriptions and co-pays. Many patient advocates charge fees, but some are free.
Breast Cancer Survivors
Many women have been where you are. Look for support groups and talk to breast-cancer survivors, and find out how they paid for treatment as well as non-medical expenses such as transportation and living expenses. These women may know of resources in the community that you might not discover otherwise. The benefit of their experiences could be priceless.
Remember, the more you know, the more you can focus on conquering this disease.
Tags: health-care professional, breast cancer, Breast Cancer, costs treatment, have been, have health
