Costs Force Some Cancer Survivors to Pass on Health Care

► Costs Force Some Cancer Survivors to Pass on Health Care


Economic considerations are forcing an estimated 2 million cancer survivors to go without medical care, such as prescription medications, particularly survivors who are Hispanic or African American, NCI researchers report.

According to the results of a study presented last week at the American Association for Cancer Research Science of Cancer Health Disparities conference, nearly 1 in 10 cancer survivors don’t get prescriptions filled, nearly 8 percent pass on what they believe to be necessary general medical care, more than 11 percent skip needed dental care, and approximately 3 percent forgo mental health services because they are too costly.

That may mean going without, or significantly delaying, such care, explained the study’s lead author, Dr. Kathryn Weaver, a cancer prevention fellow in NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. The results were not solely explained by access to health insurance. “There are significant out-of-pocket expenses, even for those with insurance,” Dr. Weaver said.

To conduct the study, the research team used 2003–2006 data from the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). They identified more than 6,600 cancer survivors, the large majority of whom were white, and compared them with more than 104,000 people who had no history of cancer. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic and African American survivors were significantly more likely to forgo dental care and prescription medications, although, after adjusting for several variables, the disparity was reduced or eliminated. The NHIS is constructed to be representative of the U.S. population, allowing the researchers to arrive at the larger estimate of 2 million survivors who may forgo care due to cost concerns.

While data are not yet available for 2008, said Dr. Weaver, the recent economic downturn will likely make things worse.

“We know that one of the strongest predictors of forgoing care was not having health insurance coverage,” Dr. Weaver said. “If people lose their jobs and, as a result, their health insurance coverage, then the proportion forgoing care is likely to increase.”

Confronting the Cost of Cancer: Two New Reports
To assist people with cancer as they navigate the difficult and often emotional issues associated with the high costs of their health care, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) last week released Managing the Cost of Cancer Care. This booklet has information about what patients can expect and offers suggestions for communicating effectively with their doctors about the costs. There is also a list of organizations that help patients facing financial challenges and a section on health insurance.
Managing the Cost of Cancer Care | Cancer.Net
Managing the Cost of Cancer Care | Cancer.Net

A second report out last week, Spending to Survive: Cancer Patients Confront Holes in the Health Insurance System, concludes that too often the health insurance system fails people when they need it most—when they are sick. The study, by the American Cancer Society and the Kaiser Family Foundation, profiles 20 patients and illustrates their difficulties in maintaining affordable health insurance and paying for their health care. An accompanying video can be viewed here. open here to see the report: http://kff.org/insurance/upload/7851.pdf

http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/021009/page3