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Cancer treatment is covered by most health plans
The majority of public and private health insurance plans are required to cover cancer diagnosis and treatment; copays, coinsurance and deductibles often apply. Patient costs and coverage for specific doctors, facilities or treatments may vary based on your health plan.
Even with health insurance, many people encounter significant out-of-pocket expenses for cancer treatment. You have a right to know what your costs will be. Your doctor's office and treating medical facility should work with you and your insurance company to help you plan for the cost of your care.
Fertility Preservation
Some cancers and cancer treatments affect fertility. This is particularly true for individuals with cancer caused by an inherited genetic mutation because these are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier age, before family-building is complete.
National guidelines recommend that young men and women diagnosed with cancer explore fertility preservation prior to starting treatment. Patients and their oncologists are encouraged to discuss family-building preferences, plans for having children and options for fertility preservation prior to any treatment or surgery.
See the Financial Assistance section for resources to offset the costs related to treatment and/or fertility preservation.
Related Resources
- Alliance for Fertility Preservation has a map of states where there are laws requiring insurance coverage of fertility preservation for patients with cancer, and in some cases, for those who may face medically-induced infertility due to surgery.
- Cancer Legal Resource Center provides information and education about cancer-related legal issues through its national telephone assistance line.
- Medicare Rights Center is a national nonprofit organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities under the Medicare program.
- Patient Advocate Foundation provides case managers who help identify financial assistance programs and resources for those facing challenges.
- Triage Cancer has a wealth of cancer-related information including legal, insurance, financial and employment resources.
Open Clinical Trials
- Visit the FORCE Research Study Search tool for information on hereditary cancer research studies for new or evolving treatments as well as fertility preservation.