Shocking upfront medical cost for cancer sufferers

CANCER patients are being slugged with exorbitant upfront medical fees with more than a quarter of those diagnosed paying more than $20,000 within the first two years of treatment.

CANCER patients are being slugged with exorbitant upfront medical fees with more than a quarter of those diagnosed paying more than $20,000 within the first two years of treatment.

The shocking new data shows the crushing financial burden faced by cancer patients already reeling from their life-threatening diagnoses. QIMR Berghofer Health Economist Associate Professor Louisa Gordon evaluated the out-of-pocket costs of more than 450 patients diagnosed with a range of cancers and found the total fees were highest for patients with lung cancer, a median cost of $22,011 and breast cancer, $21,581, and lowest for melanoma, $5248.

However the median out-of-pocket expenses were highest for breast and prostate cancer patients but lowest for lung cancer victims due to the poor survival rates following diagnosis.

The calculations were based on patients’ Medicare data.

“Paying high out-of-pocket fees is a huge burden on top of being told that you have cancer,” Prof Gordon said.

“It may not be that a patient is necessarily charged a great amount by one doctor, it may just be a few hundred here or a thousand there, but it’s the accumulated cost of their cancer over time.

“On top of that, many patients will be unable to work while they are receiving treatment or recovering from treatment, so it’s a double-whammy.”

Prof Gordon said while the study took into account the cost of doctor consultations, imaging, test, procedures and drugs, other fees including travel, parking, accommodation and lost income were not.

“Out-of-pocket costs are getting higher because we’ve got many more tests and procedures that are taking place, including genetic testing, imaging and other tools,” she said.

“The consequences can be devastating for individuals experiencing financial hardship, including serious impacts such as delays or non-adherence to therapy and increased morbidity.”

The study, which will be published in the Medical Journal of Australia today, concluded that changes could be made to reduce the impact on patients.

“Practical solutions for alleviating the financial burden on patients with cancer would include lower medical fees and greater transparency in charging,” Prof Gordon said.

“Often, it’s very difficult to know what costs you will be hit with because it depends on so many factors unique to your particular cancer and the treatments you have.”