• 17
  • June
    2011

This blog post is the third in a series that is discussing the increasingly common occurrence of cancer patients abandoning their medical care simply because they are no longer able to afford it. Surprisingly, this difficult decision is made by insured and uninsured patients alike, both of whom are finding themselves unable to pay for prescription drug costs and co-pays.

The increasing costs of cancer treatment have led to an influx of patients filing for bankruptcy due to high, unmanageable medical bills, according to a study by Dr. Scott Ramsey. The study examined and compared cancer records and bankruptcy records, seeking to determine whether a cancer diagnosis was a risk factor for personal bankruptcy.

Dr. Ramsey found that, indeed, cancer patients were more likely to file for bankruptcy protection than similarly situated individuals without a chronic illness. The study showed that 8 percent of lung cancer patients filed for bankruptcy, as compared to 0.3 percent of the general public in the same geographic area. "We looked at bankruptcy one, three and five years after a diagnosis," he said, "and the rate ranged from two to six times higher."

In addition, the poor economy is likely contributing to the increasing number of patients who are forgoing cancer treatment. According to a study by Dr. Ronald Ennis, there was a notable drop in cancer treatment during periods of high unemployment in Tennessee and throughout the country.

For every one percent increase in unemployment across the country, Dr. Ennis found, there was a 16.8 percent decrease in radiation treatment and a 23.9 percent drop in cancer surgeries. With the national unemployment rate hovering around nine percent today, it is likely that many cancer patients are making the difficult decision to skip cancer treatments, with deadly consequences.

Patients who are facing unmanageable medical debt are advised to seek the services of a bankruptcy attorney for information about their options. No one should have to choose between treating a deadly disease and buying groceries for their family.

Source: Reuters, "Cancer costs put treatments out of reach for many," Debra Sherman, 6 June 2011