Medical expenses borne by cancer survivors

(HealthDay) – According to a study published in the June 7 issue of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, annual medical expenses for cancer survivors are significantly higher than those for people without a history of cancer. Weekly report on morbidity and mortality.

Donatus U. Ekwueme, Ph.D., of the CDC of Atlanta, and his colleagues badyzed data from the panel survey on medical expenses from 2011 to 2016 to estimate annual expenditures and the financial hardships of cancer survivors, aged 18 to 64, compared with people with no history of cancer.

The researchers found that, compared to people without a history of cancer, the average annual per capita expenditures of cancer survivors were significantly higher ($ 1,000 versus $ 622). Financial difficulties were common: 25.3% and 34.3% of cancer survivors reported material difficulties (medical bill payment problems) and psychological difficulties (medical bill worries), respectively. Strategies to alleviate the disproportionate financial hardship faced by many survivors include systematic screening for financial difficulties at the time of diagnosis and throughout cancer treatment, integrating discussions about the potential negative financial consequences of treatment in shared decision-making, and establishing a link between patients and survivors and available treatment. Resources.

"The findings of this report could lead to increased awareness in all sectors of public health and the medical community that the rising cost of cancer care is a major obstacle to the well-being of survivors," write the authors.

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