Living With Cancer Can Cost A Fortune

Americans Will Spend $78 Billion This Year Fighting The Disease

(CBS)  Joan Deignan counsels breast cancer patients at New York's St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital. Deignan knows all about the cost of cancer, CBS News correspondent Anthony Mason reports: She spent more than $50,000 in her own battle with the disease.

"All our money went to keeping me alive on breast cancer, even though I had insurance," Deignan says.

Her money went first to surgery, then chemotherapy and then drugs. It can cost a fortune to stay alive. Last year, patients spent $78 billion fighting cancer.

Drugs are the fastest-rising cost. Five years ago, cancer drugs accounted for just 13 percent of what we spent on medication. This year, that's expected to nearly double — to 22 percent.

The colorectal cancer drug Avastin, for example, costs $4,400 for a monthly dosage.

"Some patients really have to fall on a patchwork system of charity cases," says Jane Levy, who oversees financial assistance for the charity Cancer Care.

"And indeed, we know that care is delayed and that patients do suffer," Levy says.

Drug companies say research costs are what's driving up the prices, but Dr. Gina Villani of New York's Queens Cancer Center says ultimately, we'll all pay.

"What's going to happen is all of our premiums are going to rise. So it really does effect everyone, even those people who don't have cancer," Villani says.

But Deignan says her life savings was a small price to pay for saving her life.

"You want to get the cancer out of your body," she says. When it's life or death, you'll pay anything. "We all would," she says.

Doctors and hospitals are increasingly aware of the burden patients face, reports Mason, and many now have counselors who will try and work out payment schedules. Some hospitals also have financial-assistance programs to help patients manage their bills while they fight the cancer.

[crcrocker38]

Our prayers go out to Elizabeth Edwards and Tony Snow. I admire their willingness to fight on and live their lives, as best they can. Those of us who can't afford insurance; however, must fight two battles, the disease and our tattered healthcare system. We must, as a country, find a way to provide for all our citizens' healthcare needs. CEO's, Insurers, Pharmaceutical Company's and we, as individuals of our nation, must work together to find solutions to make our healthcare system work for all our people; rich, poor and in between. It's high time our Politicians became leaders, gentelmen, gentle ladies, quit their bickering and proceeded with the jobs they're elected to perform.

[cathaleen]

Where is the billions of dollars of research going? Private jets, bonuses, stocks, trips for congressmen and senators, etc. etc.

[leidhold]

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE CANCER EVERYDAY WITHOUT HAVING IT.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE RENAL FAILURE.

DR'S DID THIS TO ME!!!

DR's ARE EVIL ...................................

ALL MY OPINION!!!!! ALWAYS......................

LEIDHOLD

[leidhold]

WHAT ABOUT OTHER CHRONIC CONDITIONS?????
I HAVE INTERSTITAIL CYSTITIS AND MY SON GOT CP FROM A RECKLESS OB/DOCTOR.
WE ARE PAYING OUT OUR AZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

LEIDHOLD

[autobdy]

Please also think of all the children that suffer with the disease each year. They to should be reported on not just the adults. Children who are cancer survivors have it tough for the rest of there lives. They have had to poison there bodies to stay alive to fight off this dreadful disease and cause to experience late effects the rest of their lives. Not only that the parents have to make sure they have insurance coverage on these children if they can afford it. Most insurance companies have pre-existing disclaimers if you have not had continuious coverage with a waiting period. I think that CBS should do a story on the reduced research funding that Children's cancer receives each year. That's news.....More over a story on Children's cancer in general. I am sure that would be hard to swallow for many. Kids with bald heads from chemo treatments. But it would bring the topic to the front of the line instead of taking a back seat to adult cancer research.

[lochlan-2009]

"Americans Will Spend $78 Billion This Year Fighting The Disease."

Well, I guess we know why they havn't found a cure yet.

[barbaraf4]

Medical treatment for any illness should be affordable. It is unfortunate that pharmaceutical companies have to charge so much for their product. The concept of recovering their research costs just doesn't float. They have a 12 to 13 year window to get filthy rich plus recover costs (which were probably written off for taxes against profits anyway). I think most drugs can go generic after 12 - 13 years, which guarantees the price will go down, but I never hear about generic cancer drugs.

I do sympathize with Elizabeth Edwards and Tony Snow; however, they have access to resources most of us do not.

[cathaleen]

It is very sad that in this country today with all it modern technologies, there are so many people uninsured and dying from cancer because they cannot afford the cancer drugs.

The poor have medicade and the rich (well they can afford any meds) are taken care of but the middle class with either no insurance coverage or very little are screwed. The middle class keeps this country going. If you have a building and take out the middle section - it shall collapse - so shall this society if it continues to fail the middle class.

[annestacey]

This whole ordeal about Washington politicians with cancer... this is just stupid.
If WE (the public) are just finding out that cancer has always been curable, then you know that these people have known it forever. So these stories must be some kind of disinformation plan. They are probably being cured of cancer with the healing herbs mixed in with their nightly lavish dinners(if they actually have cancer), yet trying to convince the public of their terrible suffering. And If I'm wrong... and they really are suffering... then screw em all, because they must be too stupid to realize that cancer is curable and they're being played like puppets.

Source: TONS of articles that prove that cancer is curable:
(NewsTarget Cancer Articles) http://www.newstarget.com/cancer.html

[drinuk]

There is no need for people to suffer hardship and Cancer. The Government should instruct the FDA to free up restrictions on Natural Cures such as "Laetrile" from the Apricot Kernal. This wonderfully cheap natural medicine was Banned following BOGUS information from the Pharmaceutical Companies and not on any unbiased, independent research. Why ? because Big Pharma could not synthasize it or patent it.

[hypnotoad72]

My sincerest condolences to the Snow and Edwards families for the suffering they are enduring, not to mention Tony Snow and Elizabeth Edwards who are afflicted with this terminal illness. It is tragic and unfortunate for ANYBODY who gets it, period.

However, please think of all the folks who CAN'T afford the insurance or health care.

Or is it wrong to care for anyone who isn't related to a person of power and prestige, noting how emotionally sick our society is in general? After all, look at the Hollywood celebs and sports figures who can get away with just about anything (especially the MN Vikings, and now we have to give them our money for a stadium too - so much for responsibility, in many ways*), but the rest of us make one very minor slip and *BLAMMO*, we're treated worse than Satan's bed buddy! And we both know, that can't be good!!

* I apologize for digressing to an off-subject topic.

Oh well.