Learning about a cancer diagnosis and seeking the necessary treatment is not easy. What makes the situation even worse is the piling of medical bills with the treatment. The thought of going through debts pushes people to shy away from getting treatment. Unfortunately, diseases like cancer need proper help or worsen the situation.
Understanding the treatment options of mesothelioma and ways to handle the costs can help patients deal with their condition far better. For your understanding, below are some aspects of looking after mesothelioma which can rack up the cost, followed by remedies for countering:
Table of Contents
1. What Are Mesothelioma Diagnostic Costs?
When you go in for a checkup, a doctor may subject you to lab tests to confirm their diagnosis. While these tests are essential, they don’t come cheap. While some tests may get covered by insurance, if you seek a second option, you may have to pay from your pocket:
- Imaging Test. X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs all come under imaging. Since your organs need studying, you can’t forgo these tests. You may need multiple images following doctor’s orders, and if you don’t have insurance expect a bill of almost $1,000.
- Blood Tests. You may need to get multiple blood tests to confirm a diagnosis. Most blood tests suggest that you may have asbestos in your blood. Some commoner tests are Mesomark, HMGB1, and Osteopontin. Depending on your insurance, you may get covered for these.
- Biopsies. Unfortunately, before your doctor can give you a mesothelioma treatment route, they need to know where the cancer is. The charges for screenings vary depending on how invasive your biopsy is. If the process is minimally invasive such as a needle biopsy, you won’t get a hefty bill. But if you get wheeled in for surgery and have to obtain a portion of your tissues removed, you may expect an expensive amount.
2. What Is The Cost Of Treating Mesothelioma?
When you know you have mesothelioma, you need to get treated. The cost you will deal with includes getting the treatment and recovering from it. You may need to consult your insurance company to understand your coverage plan. Cancer is not easy to treat and can get very expensive in the long run. So it’s best to prepare yourself for all possible costs:
- Surgery. Based on the location and size of the tumor, the surgery’s cost varies. If you’re getting treated for early-stage cancer, removing a small mass of cells localized in one area is more accessible. It is also easier to remove a lung if that’s where your cancer is. If your tumor is in the heart, not only does the operation become riskier, but it also raises the cost.
- Chemotherapy. There are different drugs doctors use while treating mesothelioma. You may get one drug or a mixture of two drugs to help tackle your illness. A single treatment of chemotherapy can cost thousands of dollars. Since you may need to sit through multiple rounds, you may have to pay anything from approximately $40,000 to $50,000. Some insurance companies cover these sessions.
- Radiation Therapy. Radiation helps target the leftover cells from surgery. It is also a treatment for those not eligible for the operation. Since it’s an integral part of cancer treatment, it is unavoidable. Radiation can get very expensive. Like chemo, a patient may need to sit through multiple sessions. The bill can almost pile up to approximately $40,000 with no insurance.
- Hospitalization. After your treatment, you may need to stay in the hospital for a while. If you go through invasive surgery, you may need to wait for a few days. These can quickly become a costing issue. Hospital rooms don’t come cheap. If you’re using a room for a long time, you get charged accordingly.
3. How Can You Manage Treatment Costs?
Patients have the option of branching out and finding help for their treatment. The financial position cancer leaves them in is not easy to handle. It can strain their relationship with their family and shatter their mental health. Some hospitals are incredibly considerate and care more about their patients than the bills. So these doctors take the liberty to waive a fee or reduce the billing. In addition, there are other options patients can look into to manage their illness:
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Health Insurance
Insurance plans are, by default, what most patients rely on. These plans can be private or from a government agency, depending on the patient. What sets these insurance apart is the type of coverage, including benefits.
If patients sign up for premiums, they get far more perks, such as coverage on their disease and follow-up prescriptions. Insurance companies also rely on the process of copay. After the insurance company pays its share, patients need to pay the deductibles. Certain companies allow cancer coverage, but patients need to speak with their provider to access the money.
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Veterans Benefits
Veterans may get their treatments paid for through benefit programs designed for them. These programs help veterans deliver their treatment, including aggressive cancers like mesothelioma. While the United States Department of Veteran Affairs specifies some medical centers, veterans get to choose other establishments for medicine too.
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Government Programs
Government programs work by considering a patient’s age and income level. Some programs are highly flexible and cover all extensive treatment options such as surgery and radiation. Others may charge patients a small percentage.
These programs also go through many policy changes, which often spark debate in the community. The population wants more government programs and proposes bills to make them more flexible while authorities express their reservations.
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Legal Compensation
Asbestos claims or mesothelioma lawsuits come under this banner. Mesothelioma patients are suffering from a disease that is not their doing. Often reckless companies with no regard for OSHA cause these cancers to happen. Patients can go down different legal routes to get their rights in such cases.
They may file a lawsuit, go for a settlement, go to trial, and submit a review to trust funds. Depending on the strength of their cases, most patients can win six figures quickly. However, some cases can easily yield a million, which helps patients with their treatment immensely. The legal route requires some due diligence. Patients need to sit with their lawyers to pick the best possible way. So the process does ask for time.
Wrap Up
Mesothelioma can get expensive for a patient. Like any cancer, diagnosis to treatment can get financially challenging. For most patients, this is not easy. Acquiring thousands of dollars in one go is impossible and requires patients to dip into their savings or depend on others for help. Patients have the option of using their insurance and sticking to government plans. But both aspects have their criteria that need fulfilling before they can help.
Some patients may go down the legal route. While this is a time-consuming process, it can help patients get money fast. The only catch is to find a good lawyer who can help with the case. So mesothelioma is not only an unmanageable disease to live with, but it can get expensive. However, you can pay your bills with the proper funding while getting treatment.