Partnering to Help Survivors Address Financial Hardships

Cancer care has come a long way in recent years, with breakthroughs and advancements in areas such surgery, radiology, symptom management, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, in many cases, these advancements have also increased the cost and complexity of care. For example, patients are now paying higher insurance premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and co-payments. The rise in care costs has created a new side effect for cancer patients– financial toxicity(1). This term refers to the negative impact the cost of cancer care can have on the patient’s financial circumstances such as their ability to pay for medical bills and everyday essentials like food and housing. Fortunately, many different forms of assistance are available to help patients navigate the often financially challenging waters of cancer care. The Patient Advocate Foundation and LIVESTRONG have partnered to create a comprehensive suite of services for cancer patients to help them deal with medical debt and its side effects. By calling 1-855-220-7777 or by visiting www.livestrong.org/wecanhelp, a patient or their loved one can be connected with a navigator who can provide one-on-one assistance with a variety of problems such as difficulty paying for transportation, prescriptions, hospital bills, rent and utilities. Not only are both organizations dedicated to helping patients with their daily financial challenges, they’re also gathering data about financial toxicity to help shed light on its causes and ...
Source: LIVESTRONG Blog - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: blogs