If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, the last thing you want to think about is how much the cancer treatment will cost you. Unfortunately, this is not an issue you can ignore, even during a time when all you want to focus on is your health and the future. So, how much is cancer treatment with insurance? The answer to this question will depend on many factors that will be discussed below.
What you need to know is that there is help for you during this difficult time. You can contact The Law Offices of Scott Glovsky and receive honest, informative information and answers to your questions. Attorney Scott Glovsky will be the advocate in your corner who will fight for the treatments you need to survive when your insurer issues a denial. Scott understands the trauma involved with being diagnosed with cancer, and then being unable to afford the treatment because your insurance company is refusing to hold up its end of the bargain.
How Much Could Cancer Treatment Cost with Insurance?
The precise cost of cancer treatment will depend on several factors, including the type of cancer you have been diagnosed with, the treatment your doctor and you choose, the length of the treatment, and where you live. Add to those factors your specific health insurance coverage, and whether you have supplemental insurance. Depending on your unique situation, you may also have travel expenses, childcare expenses, household help expenses, the cost of assistive devices, counseling costs, and more. You may be unable to work and make a living while you are undergoing cancer treatments because the side effects of certain treatments can be severe, which can make paying your normal monthly expenses difficult or impossible.
According to asbestos.com, the treatment costs for cancer are more than four times higher than treatment costs for other common health conditions, with an average total of $150,000. Four of the five most expensive cancer drugs currently on the U.S. market are immunotherapy drugs and can cost as much per month as the average American makes in a year ($52,800). Chemotherapy—one of the most common cancer treatments—comes with an average monthly cost between $1,000 and $12,000. This means that a cancer patient who requires four chemotherapy sessions in one year could incur costs of almost $50,000 in one year. Depending on insurance coverage, after paying health insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays, a patient could still be responsible for $10,000 or more for chemotherapy costs.
If you live in a very rural area, you may be forced to travel to a larger city where you can find an oncologist that specializes in your type of cancer. These travel costs can significantly impact the overall cost of cancer treatment as, depending on how far you must travel, you may have the cost of gas, hotel, meals, and parking to deal with. Where you live can even have an impact on the cost of a PET scan—an imaging test commonly ordered for those with cancer or suspected cancer. The cost of a PET scan can range from around $3,000 to as much as $17,000. If you are paying a percentage of that cost, it can add up quickly.
Certain types of cancer medications are quite expensive including CRISPR treatments like Casgevy at $2.2 million, CAR T-Cell therapies like the prescription drug Kymriah that may treat B-cell lymphoma or acute lymphoblastic leukemia and costs $475,000 for one course, and Yescarta for some kinds of lymphoma with a price tag of more than $420,000. And even some of the cancer diagnosis tools like Guardant 360®, genomic tests, and PET Scans are pricey. And some cancer therapies such as high intensity focused ultrasounds and proton beam radiation therapy have higher price tags than other therapies such as radiation.
So, how much is cancer treatment with insurance? To answer this question, you need to know exactly what cancer costs your insurance will cover. This includes your initial deductible, as well as your maximum out-of-pocket costs, and your co-pays for specific treatments and doctor visits. Unfortunately, even if you are well-versed in what your insurer will and won’t pay for during your cancer treatment, you may still be hit with an unexpected insurance denial for a treatment you believed was covered under your policy. Insurance companies have one primary concern—their financial bottom line. If your treatment is affecting that bottom line, your insurer may do its best to avoid paying for much of the costs of your cancer treatment.
What Should You Do if You Believe Your Insurance Should Be Covering More of the Financial Burden Associated with Cancer Treatment?
If you feel as though you are drowning in medical debt since your cancer diagnosis and that your insurer should be covering more of the costs, it’s time to speak to attorney Scott Glovsky. This is what Scott does every single day—he fights for people just like you who are facing financial devastation because their insurer won’t hold up its end of the bargain. Scott can help you appeal any denials for treatment you have received or find out why your insurer is delaying payment. Always make the call to The Law Offices of Scott Glovsky sooner rather than later so that Scott can begin fighting for you and your future as quickly as possible.
How An Attorney Can Help if Your Insurance is Underpaying, Delaying, or Denying Your Cancer Claims
If you are tired of fighting with your insurance company at a time when you should be wholly focused on your health and your future, you need a strong, experienced attorney who will go toe-to-toe with your insurer on your behalf. When an insurer denies a claim, it must legally inform you why the claim was denied, and how you can appeal the decision, including the time limits you are bound by. Your attorney can help you first file an internal appeal, which essentially asks your insurer to reconsider its decision. A letter from your physician detailing why the treatment is essential to your health can help persuade the insurer to pay for the treatment or test.
If your internal appeal is denied, your attorney can help you file an external appeal. An external appeal involves a neutral third party who will examine all the information associated with the denial and make its own decision. If the external appeal is successful, your insurance company is bound by this decision. That said, depending on your individual circumstance and type of health insurance coverage, your attorney may counsel you to take legal action as opposed to filing an external appeal. Having an advocate fight for your rights while you focus on your health is an invaluable resource.
Contact the Law Offices of Scott Glovsky for Assistance
Regardless of the type of cancer you have, the treatment you will need, or where you live, the primary question in your mind should never be “How much is cancer treatment with insurance?” Whether you are diagnosed with breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, or any other type of cancer, The Law Offices of Scott Glovsky can help. Perhaps you need assistance finding the best treatment center—we can help. Maybe your insurer has denied a specific treatment that your doctor feels is your best option—we can help.
Attorney Scott Glovsky and his legal team are relentlessly tough where it matters—in all dealings with insurance companies—and relentlessly client-centered when it comes to clients who need assistance. Scott is an award-winning Pasadena insurance bad faith lawyer who is also a nationally recognized advocate for the rights of those whose insurance companies have abandoned them during their time of need. Contact The Law Offices of Scott Glovsky today.