Above 330,000 women breast cancer is diagnosed annually. Only in my family did my grandmother, great-aunt and mother fight this terrible disease.
And while advances in treatment and early detection have done a tremendous job of increasing breast cancer survival, the financial burden does not simply end once treatment is over.
Even women in remission, many have to take a step back in their careers and pay for long-term medical costs such as hormone therapy and frequent doctor visits, all of which affect their ability to save.
Financial side effects of breast cancer
Every eighth woman will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of a lifetime. This is one case in 833 for men. Pink foundation – a non-profit organization that provides 90-day non-medical living expenses for breast cancer patients under active treatment – found that breast cancer patients face a 130% increase in financial hardship during treatment.
Here are some reasons why:
The cost of breast cancer treatment is higher than that of any other cancer.
At best, a woman’s breast cancer is detected early and has a reliable employer-sponsored health plan to help pay bills. However, it is estimated that she will pay $ 5800 Cash Expenses for treatment.
And for women with a late diagnosis or no insurance at all, cash costs are skyrocketing.
One study found that the real cost of cancer treatment could range from $ 48,477 for stage 0 breast cancers to $ 182,655 for stage IV.… These numbers are quite devastating considering that almost 36% of households you don’t have enough money to cover a $ 400 emergency.
Jamie Vanek – a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed at 36 years old – told me about one case where she received an unexpected medical bill of $ 14,000 in the middle of treatment:
“I was incredibly lucky to have Tricare military insurance during the initial stages of my treatment. However, six months later, after chemotherapy, surgeries and 10 rounds of radiation, I received a bill for $ 14,000. “
She went on to explain that she lost her Tricare insurance when her husband graduated from military service and her radiation oncologist did not accept her new insurance. She received radiation daily and could not stop treatment.
“I brought the bill to the oncologist in tears. The woman in charge of billing contacted the insurance company and confirmed that it had not been approved. After several moments of panic, the doctor was able to apply for critical treatment to the insurance company, which said it could not transfer me to another institution. “
This was the only way Jamie could get insurance to cover the bill. Otherwise, she would have to stop treatment or find a way to pay $ 14,000 herself.
But the costs do not stop immediately after the end of the treatment. They keep adding …
Some breast cancer survivors need to take hormone therapy for 5-10 years after treatment to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. And depending on which tier the drug belongs to, it can be quite expensive. As Jamie says:
“My hormones cost $ 700 after insurance — a recurring bill I get every three months, for a total of $ 28,000 over ten years. Even though I had the resources to cover it, it still felt unfair. I didn’t even want to take medicine. In fact, I hated it. “
Women also face higher costs if they are diagnosed with lymphedema, a common side effect that occurs in women who need to have their lymph nodes removed. One study found that women with lymphedema experience 122% higher monthly expenses ($ 355 vs. $ 160) than breast cancer survivors without lymphedema.
For many women, careers will never be the same after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
On average, breast cancer survivors lose at least $ 1000 more in annual income due to missed work days and disability compared to people without cancer.
Between 20% and 30% of survivors lose their jobs altogether, while 37% you must make at least one career change. Christine Sager one example of this.
Christina was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago, at the age of 36. She was at the peak of her career and was making more money than ever before. But after being diagnosed, she was forced to reorient her priorities and find work with less stress. She also understood how fragile life was and wanted to spend more time with her husband and two young girls.
“Every step in my career that I have taken [after my treatment] was a step down and back. After all, I worked part-time for four years while my girls were in school, but I also made $ 75,000 a year less than when I was diagnosed. “
BRCA gene mutations make it even more expensive
Although most women 13% chance of developing breast cancer during life, women with the BRCA1 gene have 55% to 72% the development of cancer. Those with the BRCA2 gene have a 45% to 69% chance. They are also at higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
As you can imagine, such diagnostics can be quite expensive. Monica Monfre Scantlebury was kind enough to share her experience with me:
“Having this diagnosis affected my long-term goals, especially because a BRCA1 diagnosis means I need preventive care, I have a pre-existing medical condition and that life insurance is so much more expensive for me.”
Monica went on to tell me about her sister, who also had a BRCA1 gene mutation and died of breast cancer in March 2020:
“My sister was 27 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was a mother of four children under 10 years old. When she was diagnosed, she tried to continue working, but she was very ill. There were so many bills, so many hospital visits, and she had to travel everywhere. None of this was cheap. “
Since Monica’s sister was also BRCA1, her children may also carry the genetic mutation.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis Has A Heavy Financial Impact on Black Women
When black women are diagnosed with breast cancer, they are exposed to disproportionate amounts of stress. According to many years Breast Cancer Research in Carolina59% of black women say their breast cancer diagnosis has negatively affected their finances, compared with 40% of white women.
Black women were also two to four times more likely to quote all five these indicators (and not just one) as the reason for their financial stress:
- Decreased income.
- Financial barriers to health care.
- Transport barriers.
- Job loss as a result of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Loss of insurance as a result of losing your job after being diagnosed with cancer.
V pay gap one of the indicators of this. Black women are already making $ 0.64 for every dollar a white man makes. And among the married heads of families, Black households account for the largest proportion (52.5%) of female-headed households.… This financial strain is forcing many black women to postpone treatment or to end therapy early in favor of earning money.
More details: 9 strategies to close the gender pay gap
Financial resources for breast cancer survivors and their families
Even if yours is good medical insuranceA breast cancer diagnosis can drain your savings if you have to take leave from work or pay upfront child care costs, transportation, co-pay, deductible, and more.
Here are some financial resources you can turn to. I’ve categorized them based on the type of support they provide. You can find even more resources at Susan G. Komen website…
Personal expenses
First, talk to the financial advisor at your hospital to see if you are eligible for any local, state, or federal financial assistance programs. They know your situation best.
Pink foundation is a non-profit organization that provides 90-day non-medical living expenses for breast cancer patients undergoing active treatment. You must demonstrate a loss of working income, be active in medical treatment, and have a household income of no more than 500% of the federal poverty level to be eligible.
Komen treatment assistance program another one worth looking at. You will receive $ 500 if you have stage IV cancer and $ 300 if you have stages 0 through III. To be eligible for the program, your household income must be at least 300% of the federal poverty line. (You can view the FPL chart on their website for precise ranges).
Accommodation and travel expenses
The American Cancer Society has excellent resources for families. Their Hope Lodge provides an overnight stay during cancer treatment. Their The path to the recovery program provides local transport to and from hospitals.
For childcare and elderly care costs
If you have children or older family members who rely on you, first find out if you have friends or family members who are willing to help. (Most want to help you, but don’t know how – just ask!)
You can also check CancerCare… They provide financial assistance to take care of children and the elderly during treatment. V Komen treatment assistance program too.
For prescription drugs
There are several organizations that can help you cover the cost of prescription drugs. V Breast Cancer Assistance Program helps with a surcharge. V Komen treatment assistance program will provide financial assistance for medicines. MedicalAssistanceTool.org there is a free drug program for low-income families.
One last tip
Jamie had one last piece of advice to share with women undergoing breast cancer treatment:
“Protect yourself in any situation – whether it’s working with service providers to lower your bills or working with your employer to rethink sick leave policies.”
She also encourages women to look for a patient navigator and support group:
“I am very carried away Here for girls – a support group for young women with breast cancer. They helped me find babysitting when I needed treatment and took me to surgery when my family got the flu. They also connected me with Camp Kesem – a free weekly summer camp for children whose parents have cancer. Now this is my daughter’s favorite week of the year. “
Summary
I would like to personally thank Jamie, Christina and Monica for an open discussion about how their breast cancer diagnosis affected them financially.
If you, or someone you love, is fighting breast cancer, I hope their stories will inspire you to stay strong and keep fighting. You are not alone in this battle. You have an army of friends, family members and online strangers ready to support you.