The financial burden of cancer: estimates from a study of insured women with breast cancer.
J Support Oncol
; 2(3): 271-8, 2004.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-15328826
ABSTRACT
The financial impact of cancer can be large, even among persons with comprehensive health insurance policies. Prior studies have found that women with cancer are especially likely to suffer financial hardship. Although controversial, cancer insurance policies are designed to reduce the financial burden of cancer. In this study, we provide estimates of the costs incurred by a cohort of breast cancer patients who were covered by private, Medicare, or Medicaid health insurance. In all, 156 women were interviewed about cancer-related out-of-pocket costs and their knowledge and use of cancer insurance policies. Out-of-pocket expenditures and lost income costs averaged $1,455 per month and varied widely. The majority of out-of-pocket costs were for co-payments for hospitalizations and physician visits. The financial burden of breast cancer accounted for a mean of 98%, 41%, and 26% of monthly income among female breast cancer patients with annual household income levels of < or = $30,000, $30,001-$60,000, and > $60,000, respectively. Cancer insurance policies provided reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenditures for 3% of the women in our study. Our data indicate that even among women with comprehensive health insurance policies, the financial burden of breast cancer can be substantial. Affordable programs that provide reimbursement for medical and nonmedical costs incurred following a diagnosis of breast cancer should be developed, especially for lower income women.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
1_ASSA2030
Problema de salud:
1_financiamento_saude
Asunto principal:
Neoplasias de la Mama
/
Costo de Enfermedad
Tipo de estudio:
Evaluation_studies
/
Health_economic_evaluation
Límite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Support Oncol
Asunto de la revista:
NEOPLASIAS
Año:
2004
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos