How to Make Breast Cancer Easier on Your Wallet

Thinking of your finances when you have been presented with a breast cancer diagnosis can prove to be quite difficult. Your emotions may be running high, and preparing for the physical challenge ahead can drain you of your energy that is needed to prepare financially for the battle ahead. Many breast cancer patients either have no health insurance, or find that the health insurance they do have is very limited in payouts when regarding cancer.

Thanks to the tremendous advances in breast cancer medicine, a breast cancer diagnosis does NOT mean a death sentence. While breast cancer treatment can be extremely taxing on you both emotionally and physically, it is important to remember that there will be life AFTER breast cancer. Better financial preparation will help ensure that your life after breast cancer will not be spent digging out from a hole of debt.

Breast cancer patients with no, or limited, health insurance need to consider paying cash for as much of their treatment as possible. Having cash in hand is power when it comes time to negotiate the cost of your treatment. It is not uncommon to be able to negotiate a reduction in the cost of your treatment of as much as 50%. Being able to pay cash for a bulk of your treatment will also often afford you the opportunity to pay off the rest of your treatment in payment plans.

Outpatient facilities are also a good alternative to conventional hospitals. Outpatient services are usually less expensive due to the fact that outpatient facilities have less over-head and operating costs.

When it comes to medication, look towards discounted drugs. Also keep in mind that many pharmaceutical companies offer what is called "Compassionate Drug Use Programs". Together Rx Access is one company that offers such services. You can find more about them at: http://www.togetherrxaccess.com .

Your state government may offer programs that can save hundreds of dollars on your breast cancer treatment. By simply using the internet, you can type in the name of your state followed by "department of health" to learn about any money your state has set aside for cancer treatment.

There are two wonderful programs that can be found online that provide practical assistance and financial help for women with breast cancer. Take the time to check these two programs out to see if they offer anything that could help you with your personal battle with breast cancer.

CancerCare - www.cancercare.org
Circle of Hope - www.circleofhope.org

When speaking with your insurance carrier, or anyone regarding your treatment, be sure to make notes of conversations. Jotting down who you spoke with and the end result of the conversation can come in handy. With so much going on, it is easy to forget who said what, and having these notes to yourself can be beneficial.

During this time of being a breast cancer patient, remember that your life is not all about breast cancer. Prepare for your life AFTER breast cancer by handling financial needs during your treatment as effectively as possible. When the day comes that you are "cancer-free", it will be nice to be "debt-free", too.