For U.S. Residents Only

Financial Issues

A diagnosis of lung cancer may represent a tremendous financial burden for you as well as for your family, even if you are well insured. If you are uninsured or underinsured, the burden can be even more significant. To help reduce the financial consequences of your disease, one of your top priorities may be to make sure that your health insurance coverage is adequate and that you will be reimbursed for all covered services. To learn how to maximize the benefits available under your health insurance plan, please visit the Health Insurance section of this site.

The financial strain lung cancer can bring may not end with your hospital and doctor bills. The medical treatments you undergo can often result in other expenses not covered by insurance, including transportation, extra home-care costs, or child care fees. Lost wages may compound the situation. If bills start piling up, you may want to take action before things get completely out of hand:
  • Speak to a financial counselor in the business office of the hospital where you receive treatment. If you need assistance meeting medical expenses, he or she may be able to develop an affordable monthly payment plan.

  • Talk directly to your creditors before you are unable to pay mortgage/rent and utility bills. If you are up front about your financial situation and take the initiative to call your creditors before you fall behind with your payments, they may work with you to develop a payment plan.

Financial Support Is Available

You may never have had to ask for financial help before. Maybe you've even been the one to help others by giving to worthy causes on a regular basis. You may find the following tips helpful:
  • To learn more about disability and Medicare benefits provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA), click here.

  • For information about Medicaid, the state administered health insurance program for those in need, click here.

  • To learn about other benefits for people in need, such as public assistance, senior services, energy assistance programs, or food stamps, talk to your local Department of Human Services or Welfare Unit.

You also may want to consider the following sources for assistance:
  • Your hospital social worker can direct you to sources of support in your community. Your local chapter of the American Cancer Society also may offer financial assistance for medication and other needs.

  • If you need treatment in a distant city and cannot afford transportation, certain organizations will provide free or discounted air travel for cancer patients. For details, click here.

  • If you are over 60 and disabled, you may be eligible for benefits specifically for older patients. Ask your hospital social worker about them or contact your local or state agency on aging.

  • Consult the yellow pages of your local phone directory under "Social Service Organizations," "Human Service Organizations," or "Community Organizations."


A special note: It often takes time for many agencies to process paperwork such as enrollment forms and applications for assistance. Take care of these details as soon as possible, and call to follow up if you don't hear anything within 30 days.

Sources of Information

For information regarding financial issues, you may wish to contact these organizations and Web sites:
  • Cancer Care, Inc.
    275 Seventh Avenue
    New York, NY 10001
    1-800-813-HOPE (1-800-813-4673)
    http://www.cancercare.org
    Provides financial assistance, support, and education to people with all types of cancer.

  • CancerLinks
    http://www.cancerlinks.com
    A search engine, updated daily, listing hundreds of cancer sites on the Worldwide Web.


  • National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
    1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 770
    Silver Spring, MD 20910
    1-301-650-9127
    http://www.canceradvocacy.org
    A patient-led advocacy organization that works on behalf of people with all types of cancer and their families and is dedicated to ensuring quality cancer care for all Americans.

  • National Partnership for Women & Families
    1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 650
    Washington, DC 20009
    1-202-986-2600
    http://www.nationalpartnership.org
    A nonprofit organization that promotes fairness in the workplace, quality healthcare, and policies that help people meet the dual demands of work and family.

  • Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
    1100 15th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    1-202-835-3400
    http://www.phrma.org
    A Web site offering information about pharmaceutical manufacturers' drug assistance programs for those in financial need.

  • Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)
    700 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Suite 200
    Newport News, VA 23606
    1-800-532-5274
    http://www.patientadvocate.org
    PAF provides education and legal counseling to cancer patients concerning insurance and financial issues.

Additional Resources

You may find the financial information in the following book helpful:

The Activist Cancer Patient: How to Take Charge of Your Treatment
Beverly Zakarian
John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 047-112026X, 240 pages
May 1996