Financial Help For Cancer Patients | Cancer Financial Assistance

Cancer is no more a burden to needy people as a few organizations provide financial help for cancer patients. Life-taking disease cancer has become a common threat across the world. According to the estimated calculation by the ACS or the American cancer society, by the end of the year, around 1.7 million dwellers can be diagnosed with cancer.

A survey in 2017 by Duke Cancer Institute states that, on average, cancer patients are spending a total of 11% percent of their total income. According to several sources, it is found that an individual needs to spend approximately $150,000 for fighting cancer.

However, the expense of the treatment is undoubtedly huge, and the financially distressed families fail to afford the treatment cost. As a result, many people are losing their life without getting proper treatment. However, there is nothing to do as the gradual developing assistance programs in the United States are offering their helping hands to stand by the cancer sufferers. Therefore, if you are facing any hard circumstances regarding cancer, makes sure to avail yourself of the help for cancer patients to pay bills.

Some organizations provide financial assistance for cancer patients. For that, you need either discuss your financial disability with your doctor who could help you to reach these cancer financial assistance programs. Or you can even try to consult directly with these organizations. To know more about these organizations that help cancer patients financially, continue reading.

Financial Help For Cancer Patients From the State and Federal Health Agencies

Both the State and the Federal Health Agencies serve needy cancer patients with direct aid. The dwellers who have low income can take assistance. Each of the programs asks for different requirements. Therefore, before receiving financial help for cancer patients from these organizations, you need to meet those requirements. Some of the assistance programs include:

1. Medicare

One of the organizations that help cancer patients financially is Medicare. Federal health agencies generally run the program. The older citizens of the United States who are 65 years old and above are eligible for this program. Along with them, disabled adults under 65 years are also suitable for this program. Medicare even provides financial support to those people with a damaged liver. This particular assistance event grants coverage for the hospital services as well. If you are willing to avail of the support of Medicare, contact your local assistance events.

2. Medicaid

Another government assistance that enables you to get support for cancer treatment is Medicaid. It is a combined program of state and federal health events. Medicaid chiefly assists cancer patients to reimburse the medical expense of the treatment. However, in some cases, the state-federal joint assistance program provides housing assistance for cancer patients. The coverage that Medicaid offers to cancer patients involves home care assistance service, part-time nursing service, and medical equipment. There are several local health departments and state welfare organizations that supply you with the service of Medicaid. Apart from that, a few Medicaid offices are started rising in the United States; you can even ask there for financial help for cancer patients.

3. Children’s Health Insurance Program

The state government and the federal government of the United States have opened a special assistance program in a partnership called the Children’s Health Insurance Program. CHIP extends its financial support for the welfare of cancer affected children.  Depending on the income standard these organizations offer low-cost treatment and sometimes bear half of the treatment expense. Moreover, CHIP allows low-income family to receive their support even without any insurance. Similar to the other government assistance programs, the local helpline events would guide you about the eligibility criteria and requirements for CHIP.

4. Hill-Burton

The assistance program called Hill-Burton supports low-income cancer patients in a roundabout way. Hill-Burton does not sanction monitory assistance directly to cancer patients. Instead, the program sponsors a huge amount of money to the government hospitals. Then, those hospitals provide free services to those who cannot afford the cost of cancer treatment.

5. Social Security Administration

Only the older and disabled citizens of the United States are eligible to obtain the service of the Social Security Administration. The SSI or Social Security Income assistance programs grant a monthly income to eligible applicants. With the help of federal grants for cancer patients, the patients can go for cancer treatment.

6. Veteran Administration

Similar to the Social Security Administration, one of the other administrational agencies that stand by low-income cancer patients includes Veterans Administration. Along with other medical assistance, VA enables suitable veterans to relish the aid for cancer treatment.

Also Check: Financial Help For Seniors

Non-government Organizations that Help Cancer Patients Financially

Apart from government assistance programs, there are a few non-government assistance organizations that help cancer patients financially. They include:

1. CancerCare

The oncologists who are engaged with social work help to run a program for needy cancer patients, which is known as CancerCare. It is a national and non-government assistance program that offers free financial aid to needy cancer patients to pay their medical expenses. The members of CancerCare stretch their support to the needy in three different means. You can either seek their service through their online website, over the phone call, or even in person.

2. American Cancer Society

Another national non-profit program that serves financial assistance for cancer patients is the ACS or the American Cancer Society. Washington Dc mainly operates the AC program. Therefore, if you or any of your friends or family members need financial assistance for cancer treatment, do not hesitate to contact the ACS organization. This particular assistance program is available for the wellbeing of cancer patients 24/7.

3. AvonCares Program for Women Facing Cancer

This mentioned program is again operated by the CancerCare organization, which is specially constructed for poor women suffering from cancer. The program requires no insurance; thus, women with no insurance can also apply for the program. Keeping aside the financial support of the cancer treatment, this program enables you to get the facilities of child care, cost of transportation, and even home care service throughout the treatment period.

Also Check: Financial Help For Single Moms

4. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

LLS or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society mainly grants medical expenses for individuals who suffer from Leukemia and Lymphoma cancer.  Apart from that, there are several other means of cancer assistance programs such as CCCF or Candelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, PAF or Patient Advocate Foundation, and PAPs or Patient Assistance Programs.

Other Financial Assistance For Cancer Patients

Along with the state government programs, federal government programs, and non-profit organizations, the United States offers help to cancer patients, they are:

1. Pharmaceutical Companies

The prescription Assistance programs work in partnership with multiple renowned pharmaceutical companies. To meet the criteria for the mentioned financial assistance for cancer patients, you might need the help of the doctors. Based on the prescriptions, pharmaceutical companies offer financial support by allotting several discounts on medical expenses. In fact, in some cases, if the pharmaceutical companies are unable to stand by the needy patients, the companies would refer them to other copay-relief programs.

2. Community service associations

Organizations such as Lutheran Social Services, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Lions Club, and Jewish Social Service raise different funds and provide help for cancer patients to pay bills and other medical expenses. To come across these organizations, make sure to check out the phone directory of your locality.

3. Income Tax Deductions

This program might not offer you direct financial help for cancer patients. However, the income tax deductions programs will allow you to terminate the additional cost of the tax on several medical payments. The program mainly involves the coverage of medical supplies, the expense for checkups, and purchasing prescribed medicines. It even allows you to deduct the income tax of transportation to a distance place to receive the treatment for cancer.

4. Crowdfunding Assistance

 You might be unaware of the fact that several good-hearted residences in the United States offer their support and financial help to cancer patients after knowing the critical situation of cancer patients. They contribute a large amount of money to low-income families through online campaigns that help cancer patients monetarily.  The best-known community fund-raising program among all is GoFundMe. Therefore, you can conveniently seek support from these online campaigns.

The United States authority has always provided different means to support the low-income families whom deadly cancer has touched intensely. Whether for bearing the treatment cost, transportation expense, or for nursing services, or home care services, both the government and non-profit organizations have given their best. The procedures are extremely simple; therefore, do not afraid to avail of their services.

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