The Financial Hardships of Cancer

One in four cancer survivors aged 18 to 64 had problems paying medical bills, according to a CDC analysis of the material hardships of those who have battled cancer. Behind the hardships is the fact that out-of-pocket medical costs are higher for people with a cancer history than for those with no history of cancer.  Average annual out-of-pocket medical costs in the 2011–16 time period amounted to $1,000 for people aged 18 to 64 with a history of cancer. Their peers with no history of cancer had average annual out-of-pocket medical costs of $622.

Twenty-five percent of cancer survivors reported material hardship due to their cancer, its treatment, or the effects of treatment. The CDC defines material hardship as needing to borrow money, going into debt, declaring bankruptcy, or being otherwise unable to pay out-of-pocket health care costs.

Percentage of cancer survivors who experienced material hardship
Total survivors aged 18-64: 25.3%
Any private health insurance: 21.9%
Only public health insurance: 33.1%
Survivors with no health insurance: 36.5%

Having private health insurance did not prevent cancer survivors from experiencing material hardship. "Even many cancer survivors with private insurance coverage reported borrowing money, being unable to cover their share of medical care costs, going into debt, or filing for bankruptcy," notes the report. "Mitigating the negative impact of cancer in the United States will require implementation of strategies aimed at alleviating the disproportionate financial hardship experienced by many survivors," the report concludes.

Source: CDC, Annual Out-of-Pocket Expenditures and Financial Hardship among Cancer Survivors Aged 18–64 Years—United States, 2011–2016