Cancer patients face tough tradeoffs in meeting medical costs

As painful as it is for clinicians to hear, recent studies have documented that the cost of potential medical care affects what treatment cancer patients actually receive. In fact, an analysis from Thomson Reuters found that one in eight people with advanced cancer turned down the care recommended to them because of the cost. Meanwhile, a study in Cancer found that 20 percent of all survivors of cancer had delayed or missed needed care because of its cost.

Not only that, but a survey by USA TODAY, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard School of Public Health found that one in 10 survivors were unable to pay for basic necessities such as food, heat, and housing. Twenty-five percent of cancer patients or their families said that they used up all or almost all of their savings to pay for treatment.

These signs of strain are not only because of the rising costs of cancer treatment, but also because insurers are expecting patients to cover a greater share of the cost. Charities that support cancer patients are also seeing increased costs, including a 30 percent increase in requests for financial help.

To learn more about the challenges facing cancer patients:
- Read this USA TODAY piece

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