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Narrow your search with CardMatch™
Looking for the perfect credit card?
Narrow your search with CardMatch™
Looking for the perfect credit card?
Narrow your search with CardMatch™
Looking for the perfect credit card?
Narrow your search with CardMatch™
Looking for the perfect credit card?
Narrow your search with CardMatch™
Looking for the perfect credit card?
Narrow your search with CardMatch™
We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
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Breast cancer statistics are alarming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about 264,000 cases in women and about 2,400 in men every year, causing an annual 42,000 deaths in women and 500 in men.
And breast cancer can be alarmingly expensive, too.
In a 2020 study, the American Association for Cancer Research found 47 percent of young women with breast cancer experienced money issues, as a result of their care. Not surprising, since the average cost of treatment in that same year ranged from $20,000 to $100,000.
If you’ve been diagnosed, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for the financial strain it can cause. The last thing you want to do is make financial decisions that negatively affect your health, as too many do. A 2021 Cancer Action Network study found 24 percent of people with cancer delayed or didn’t fill a prescription because of the cost, and 11 percent cut pills in half or skipped doses.
So how much does cancer treatment cost? Here’s what may be ahead, and how you can mitigate some of the expense.
The cost of breast cancer treatment varies based on a number of factors. Chief among them is whether or not you have health insurance. Without insurance, your total costs may be $10,000 to $200,000, but if you’re insured, your portion can be 10 to 15 percent of it, according to CostHelper.com.
What stage your cancer is in is another primary factor in the cost.
Early intervention is not only best for your physical health, it’s better for your finances as well. After a lump is detected it may start with breast biopsy costs, but it certainly doesn’t end there.
So what’s in store? Here are the most common breast cancer treatments and their average costs:
Clearly, all of these breast cancer treatments can add up. Handling them on your own is prohibitive for all but the very wealthy. Having good health insurance certainly helps, but no insurance plan covers all the related costs. So it’s important to find out what is covered.
Depending on your plan, you may be financially responsible for between 10 percent and 30 percent of the total medical costs, reported BreastCancer.org. Check your plan’s copays and deductibles, as well as what medications and procedures are covered.
Initial and basic medical care are only part of the costs many breast cancer patients face. There are a whole host of others, and these expenses can also add up quickly. For example:
In addition to all of these costs, you may also have to consider time spent not working, or have to leave your job altogether. In that case you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance.In most cases it will be less than what you’re accustomed to, however.
After finishing your treatment, you may continue to have extra expenses related to having breast cancer. You may need more doctors appointments, different tests, and continued mental health care. Because each person’s situation is unique it is difficult to estimate what it might be for you, but try to project, then build your budget around it.
Even with good health insurance, managing all of the associated costs of breast cancer can be overwhelming. Because of this you will want to save in ways that will not hurt your care but will lower expenses.
If you don’t have health insurance, HealthCare.gov can help. Everyone is eligible through the Marketplace, and you may even qualify for subsidies to help pay your premiums.
Make sure you know what is and isn’t covered by your health insurance company, in order to avoid unnecessary surprises. Connect with your healthcare provider’s oncology financial counselor, too, and explain your economic position. You can discuss billing concerns with your counselor, and set up a payment plan if needed.
Always communicate with your doctor about ways you can save money on prescriptions. Generic versions can be a small fraction of the brand name’s drug. Ask for free samples of your medications, and look for coupons for the drugs you need, from reputable companies like GoodRX.
In some cases, a credit card can also help cover medical expenses. If you can manage the payments, a credit card that does not charge interest for a long period of time might be useful. With a 0 percent APR credit card, you can pay off your medical costs over a year or even longer with no financing fees during that time. Here are some of the best credit cards for medical expenses.
Don’t be reluctant to reach out for peer and professional assistance. Contact the Susan G. Komen Breast Care Helpline to find a support group. When you connect with people who are going through what you are going though, ask how they managed their financial affairs. Other large national organizations to connect with are CancerCare and the American Cancer Society.
A breast cancer diagnosis is scary. As you go through your treatments and concentrate on recovery, you will be dealing with medical bills and expenses that you never had to pay before. They can accumulate quickly, and turn into debt that can cause even more stress. Remain in contact with your doctor and hospital so they are aware of your financial situation, which can prevent bills from going into collections, and use all of the resources that are available to you. When you have a decent idea of the potential costs, you can take steps to prepare so they don’t come as too much of a shock.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Bankrate.com does not include all companies or all available products.
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