by Life Credit Company | Mar 18, 2020 | Financial Assistance for Cancer Patients
High healthcare expenses are a problem for even the healthiest individuals, but when you introduce a serious medical crisis like cancer, the price tag can skyrocket, financially crippling people around the world. From small payments that add up over time like co-pays to big-ticket bills for procedures such as surgery or ongoing prescription-drug treatments, cancer and bankruptcy are unfortunately becoming synonymous. What is the Average Debt from Cancer? The average debt from cancer is staggering. According to new research published in The American Journal of Medicine, more than 42% of patients spent their entire life savings within the first two years of treatment, an average of $92,098 per person. An overwhelming 62% of patients report some level of debt following treatment, with 55% accruing at least $10,000 in debt. In one study, more than half of patients reported extreme financial complications from cancer treatment, including house repossession and relationship breakdowns, as financial stressors complicate all facets of one’s life. Cancer’s Financial Burden Cancer and bankruptcy are all too common. According to a study published in the Chicago Tribune, cancer patients are more than twice as likely as healthy Americans to declare bankruptcy. In that same research, 16% of patients reported “overwhelming financial distress,” while nearly 40% said they weren’t prepared for the financial burdens their cancer diagnosis brought. A number of factors may be fueling the growing average debt from cancer, such as tightening restrictions on what prescription drugs insurance carriers will cover, rising deductibles and increasingly narrow networks of doctors and hospitals, which prompt some patients to seek better treatment — albeit much more costly — elsewhere. Life...
by Life Credit Company | Mar 18, 2020 | Uncategorized
Patients who undergo an organ transplant are likely eagerly awaiting the day they’re given the good news that their transplant was a success and that they can begin to head down the path toward recovery. However, getting right back to normal isn’t always the best approach, as cancer after transplants is a serious concern that patients and their physicians need to be vigilantly seeking to prevent. Increased Risk for Cancer Cancer in transplant patients is nearly twice as common—and, by some estimates up to 100 times—as the rate of diagnosis in non-transplant patients. While research continues into the reasons, many studies have suggested the link between transplant patients and cancer lies in the immunosuppressive medications transplant patients take to help their body adjust to the transplant. While these regimens are highly successful at preventing the body from rejecting the new organ, they also greatly weaken the immune system, which can leave cells open to cancer infection. Another hypothesis is that immune-suppressed people are at greater risk than others for certain viral infections, which may also play a role in promoting cancer growth. The Risk of Skin Cancer While cancer in transplant patients can span many different types, skin cancer is among the most common, particularly cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, a less common type of skin cancer among the general population. Basal cell carcinoma and melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, are also seen more often in transplant populations. What Can Be Done to Prevent Cancer After Transplants? First, patients should be educated on the risks of transplants before their surgery; while few would avoid the potentially lifesaving...
by Life Credit Company | Mar 18, 2020 | Uncategorized
We know March to be home to holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, but the month is also a time for more serious occasions, such as raising kidney cancer awareness. Although this cancer, also known as renal cell carcinoma, is among the 10 most commonly diagnosed cancers, it’s one that is much lesser-known. That’s why Kidney Cancer Awareness Month seeks to shed light on the risk factors for the disease, as well as the kidney cancer treatments available. Here are five facts to raise your own kidney cancer awareness this March: Men are affected more often than women: One in 48 men is at risk for developing the disease, but just one in 83 women is affected. Age plays a factor: Kidney cancer is extremely uncommon in younger people. The average age of diagnosis is 64, and it’s very rare for someone to be diagnosed under the age of 45. Treatment can be expensive: Kidney cancer treatment most commonly centers on surgical removal of the kidney, also known as a nephrectomy. Without insurance, this procedure may cost anywhere from $15,000 to $75,000 and could be about one-third for a negotiated insurance price. For patients who are not good candidates for surgery, they may opt for drug treatment, a full course of which can cost $60,000-$80,000. New therapies are emerging: Several new oral therapies have recently been developed for kidney cancer treatment, and some have been shown to reduce toxicity and double the length of survival time compared to other therapies. However, these new therapies are more expensive and studies have shown that the higher price tag, coupled with other costs...
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