For many lung cancer patients, the cost of treatment can be overwhelming. However, rest assured that there are people to assist you in navigating financial resources. It is best to explore options with one (or all!) of the following treatment team members:
- pharmacist
- social worker
- lung cancer navigator
- nurse
- patient advocate (Call us and we are happy to help guide you in the right direction!)
- cancer center financial navigator
When your medical team asks how you’re feeling, be sure that you bring up your financial concerns as well as any physical side effects you’re having. Many treatment centers have financial teams, and community partners who can help assist. It’s better to stay on top of things, rather than getting behind on bills.
Resource List
These are all helpful resources for people facing cancer:
- Fund Finder – Create an account and search for lung cancer funds to assist with co-pays. You will need to search for “non small cell lung cancer” or “small cell lung cancer.” Once you click on they disease type, then you can see what funds are available. Even if none are open, you can scroll down to the bottom and “follow” to get email updates when things open up.
- Patient Advocate Foundation – The Patient Advocate Foundation has funds (which you can find on the Fund Finder mentioned above), and they also have advocates you can talk with to assist you.
- Triage Cancer has a list of resources for navigating finances during and after cancer. They are a great resource for all throughout the cancer journey. They can provide info on clinical trials, navigate employment ( how to ask for reasonable accommodations), insurance counseling (SSD, Medicare, Part B issues, etc.) and finances-estate planning, managing medical bills, caregiver rights.
- Pharmaceutical Assistance Funds – be sure to check with your pharmacist or advocate to see if there are any medication assistance funds available for your medicine. You can even search for medication assistance funds yourself by looking at rxassist.org.
- If you don’t live in our local area, you can call the national American Cancer Society line to find out what’s available for assistance in your area. 800-227-2345.
If you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
