Sometimes finding a way to pay for treatment can be just as hard as facing cancer itself. The debilitating financial burden of a cancer diagnosiscoined "financial toxicity"causes 62 percent of people with cancer in the United States to go into debt.
…and that’s even with insurance coverage.
Read MoreHere are a few ideas:
1. Connect With a Social Worker
Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist at the University of California San Francisco, told SurvivorNet that when it comes to the high costs associated with cancer treatmentsometimes called "financial toxicity"it can be helpful for patients to speak with social workers.
"The best way to look at this and find the resources that are available is to speak with the social worker associated with [your cancer center]," Dr. Shah said. "Because that person usually knows what resources are available and what you can do to access them."
RELATED: How a Social Worker Can Help Navigate the Costs of Treatment
2. Ask About Patient Assistance Programs
Dr. Shah also mentioned that, when it comes to the cost of a specific cancer drug or treatment itself, some pharmaceutical companies may offer to help patients pay for drugs they can't afford through their patient assistance programs. Most big drug companies have programs like these in place, but navigating approval criteria might be trickier at some companies than otherswhich is one example of a circumstance in which social workers can be a big help.
3. Get In Touch With Foundations
There are a number of nonprofit and advocacy organizations that have programs in place to financially support those who can't pay for the costs associated with their care. The Lazarex Cancer Foundation, for instance, reimburses patients for the costs associated with clinical trial participation, and other organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Support Community may help patients secure lodging and travel for their care.
Be Wary About GoFundMe — New Research Finds Crowdfunding Efforts Often Fall Short
Increasingly, patients have been turning to online platforms such as GoFundMe to crowdfund donations to help cover the costs of care. These websites give patients the opportunity to share their story widely in the hopes of encouraging people to donate money. But according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine, these efforts often fall short. The study, conducted by a team of researchers at the University of California San Francisco, found that the average "goal" that patients with cancer set on their GoFundMe pages is $10,000, but the average amount they succeed in raising is only $2,125less than a quarter of the goal "ask."
Some people, to be sure, do experience success with their crowdfunding efforts. We recently shared the story of a 16-year-old girl who set up a GoFundMe page to solicit donations to help pay for her lymphoma treatment. To her surprise, her favorite superstar, Taylor Swift (who happens to have very deep pockets), caught word of her page and donated the full $10,000.
But as the new study makes clear, those stories of patients who are able to successfully raise enough money through crowdfunding efforts to cover the cancer bills are few and far between.
Unlike the uncertain nature of online crowdfunding, people like social workers and nonprofit workers will advocate for you reliably (plus, they genuinely want to — it’s the job they chose after all).
RELATED: The Value of Using a Social Worker During Treatment
Dr. Allyson Ocean, a medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, spoke with SurvivorNet about the importance of finding someone who will advocate for you when it comes to paying for cancer care.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
