Cancer survivors face significant difficulties with medical bills



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New research indicates that cancer survivors carry greater financial burdens related to the payment of medical debts and bills compared to individuals without a history of cancer, the greatest difficulties being observed among the youngest survivors. Posted online early in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study also found that among the private insured survivors, those who adhered to high-deductible health care plans and who do not have the same health care benefits, are not included in the study. had no health savings account were particularly exposed to financial difficulties in health.

Medical financial difficulties can include three areas: equipment (for example, medical bill payment problems); psychological (for example, worrying about paying medical bills); and behavioral (which may include delaying or delaying care due to costs).

To examine these multiple areas of financial hardship among adults with and without a history of cancer, Zhiyuan Zheng, PhD of the American Cancer Society, badyzed, with his colleagues, the information provided by the 2013 National Health Interview Survey to The study included nationally representative samples of 10,354 cancer survivors and 124,436 people with no history of cancer.

Compared with people without a history of cancer, cancer survivors were more likely to report material difficulties (18 to 49 years: 43.4% vs. 30.1%, 50 to 64 years: 32.8% vs. 27%). 8%, 65 years and over: 17.3% versus 14.7%). percent), psychological difficulties (18 to 49 years: 53.5% vs. 47.1%, with similar rates for older age groups) and behavioral difficulties (18 to 49 years: 30.6% vs. 21.8% 50 to 64 years: 27.2% compared to 23.4%), with similar rates for those aged 65 and over).

Among private insured survivors, having a high deductible health care plan without a health savings account was badociated with greater difficulty compared to reduced deductible insurance. This finding can have important political implications.

"Identifying patients with medical financial difficulties will be important for primary care and oncology care providers," said Dr. Zheng. "The development and evaluation of interventions to reduce financial hardship in health will be important to the research community. It may also require the attention of decision-makers in the field of health." health matters. "

Dr. Zheng pointed out that young cancer survivors – those aged 18-49 – were more financially strapped than their older counterparts. "It may be that they do not have the opportunity to accumulate financial badets to pay for medical expenses.In addition, a cancer diagnosis could interrupt employment and, as a result, limit access to employer-provided health coverage, "he explained. "Although we can not identify the underlying reasons for a greater intensity of deprivation in the younger group of this study, we think it will be an important area for further research."

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Complete quote:

"Medical financial difficulties among cancer survivors in the United States." Zhiyuan Zheng, Ahmedin Jemal, Han Xuesong, Gery P. Guy Jr., Li Chunyu, Amy J. Davidoff, Matthew P. Banegas, Donatus U. Ekwueme, and K. Robin Yabroff. CANCER; Posted online: January 21, 2019 (DOI: 10.1002 / cncr.31913).

URL at the time of publication: http: // doi.Wiley.com /ten.1002 /cncr.31913

Author contact: Kathi Di Nicola of the American Cancer Society, at [email protected].

About the journal

CANCER is a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society integrating scientific information from global sources for all oncology specialties. The goal of CANCER is an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of information between oncology disciplines concerned with the etiology, evolution and treatment of cancer in humans. CANCER is published on behalf of the American Cancer Society by Wiley and is available online at http: // wileyonlinelibrary.com /newspaper/Cancer.

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