Coronavirus (Covid-19) and cancer patients: How the sickest are affected

Jeanne Pinder April 24, 2020

Coronavirus (Covid-19) and cancer patients: How the sickest are affected

“The COVID-19 pandemic and responses to help prevent its spread have had far-reaching impact on all Americans, and particularly on cancer patients and survivors. Risk of infection, overloaded health care systems, shortages of food and supplies, and economic challenges all create unique barriers to achieving and maintaining health while fighting cancer and after,” according to […]

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Top 10 most expensive chronic diseases for healthcare payers: Healthpayer Intelligence

Jeanne Pinder January 4, 2019

Top 10 most expensive chronic diseases for healthcare payers: Healthpayer Intelligence

“Chronic diseases are on the rise in the United States, leaving healthcare payers with the challenge of covering care for patients with these expensive, long-term conditions,” Thomas Beaton writes over at Healthpayer Intelligence. “Healthcare spending reached a total of $3.2 trillion dollars in 2015, based upon estimates from CMS. Spending is expected to continue to […]

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Sometimes patients simply need other patients: The New York Times

Jeanne Pinder July 9, 2018

Sometimes patients simply need other patients: The New York Times

“When Jodie Ofosuhene learned she had breast cancer at age 29 in 2016, she got more than standard medical care,” Aaron E. Carroll and Austin Frakt write over at The New York Times. “She was connected with Noel Peters, a former patient who serves as a mentor to new ones. ‘Noel helped me tremendously,’ Ms. […]

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Cancer hotline: Ask about treatments, diagnosis and costs

Jeanne Pinder April 24, 2017

Cancer hotline: Ask about treatments, diagnosis and costs

Summary: An American Cancer Society person told me the other day about this hotline number for information on cancer diagnosis, treatment and costs: 800-227-2345. She said the information comes from experts who can help not only with parsing information on a recent diagnosis, but also with finding treatment, costs and prevention. I have not used […]

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18% of cancer patients can’t afford medication, study finds

Jeanne Pinder June 24, 2016

Summary: “Financial pressures kept cancer patients from filling prescription medications and attending their doctors’ visits, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers found in a new study,” according to a press release from the center. “More than one-in-four cancer patients surveyed reported they had to pay more for medical care than they could […]

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A doctor writes: Price transparency, a Rosetta stone

Jeanne Pinder May 24, 2015

Summary: This essay by Dr. Robert Fogerty, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, appeared originally in MedPage Today, where it launched our pricing transparency partnership with MedPage Today. Re-posted with permission. By Robert Fogerty MD I tossed and turned during many sleepless nights as a cancer patient. Some nights from nausea, some from […]

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The most expensive bills for employers: Cancer, kidney disease, leukemia, birth problems

Jeanne Pinder June 8, 2014

Summary: Cancer and kidney disease are the most costly conditions employers deal with by asking their stop-loss insurers to cover them, and an increase in health problems present at birth, and also premature births and associated problems, have cost stop-loss insurers an increasing amount of money, according to a new study by Sun Life […]

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Cancer Insurance Checklist: What to ask as you think about insurance

Jeanne Pinder October 1, 2013

“The Cancer Insurance Checklist is designed to help you when shopping for insurance on your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace/Exchange if you have cancer, a history of cancer, or are at risk for cancer.” How This Checklist Can Help | Cancer Insurance Checklist. The partners are heavy hitters. Thank goodness we are not contending with this, but […]

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Women’s health resources: Where to get a free or low-cost mammogram

Jeanne Pinder May 31, 2013

SUMMARY: When we did our project crowdsourcing the price of mammograms with the Brian Lehrer show at WNYC, we heard from some of you that you couldn’t afford a mammogram. We want to make you and others aware of free or low-cost mammograms.

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Washington state cancer patients at risk for bankruptcy: Health Affairs

Jeanne Pinder May 24, 2013

“Much has been written about the relationship between high medical expenses and the likelihood of filing for bankruptcy, but the relationship between receiving a cancer diagnosis and filing for bankruptcy is less well understood. “We estimated the incidence and relative risk of bankruptcy for people age twenty-one or older diagnosed with cancer compared to people […]

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Tag: cancer