The financial cost of metastatic breast cancer

For many people living with metastatic breast cancer, the financial costs associated with treatment and care can be substantial. General day-to-day expenses continue, and you may also have to pay for specialist appointments, medications, treatments and tests, counselling, massages, travel and other costs related to your breast cancer treatment and care.

If you’re unable to continue paid work, or work in the same capacity as before you were diagnosed, the loss of income can also contribute to financial pressure on you and your family.

Costs of tests and treatments

As your treatment may be ongoing, your healthcare costs can add up considerably. Asking your treating team up front about the likely costs of medical tests, treatment and support services will give you a clearer idea of what to expect.

You will also be able to plan for your ‘gap’ expenses, i.e. the amount that you will have to pay after any rebates or refunds from Medicare or your health insurance fund (if you have private health insurance).

If you don’t feel comfortable talking about money, it can be helpful to think of healthcare as a service like any other that you pay for, where you would often ask for a quote first.

When you have so many other things to deal with, it can help to not have to spend time thinking and worrying about unexpected bills.

Your costs will depend on whether you:

• have your treatment in the public or private system
• are working and need to take time off, or need to reduce your work hours
• live in a rural area and need to travel for treatment
• have a Centrelink Health Care Card or receive a Centrelink pension – you can find out more by reading about federal government assistance – Centrelink payments
• have insurance such as disability, income protection or trauma insurance – you can find out more by reading about superannuation and insurance when diagnosed with breast cancer.

Support available

There are a number of financial support schemes available through federal and state governments to reduce the financial impact of ongoing medical treatment.

You can find out more by reading about:

• the Medicare Safety Net
• the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Safety Net
• Centrelink payments
• state government and community assistance
• GP chronic disease management and mental health treatment plans.

Cancer Council also offers support for people experiencing financial hardship as a result of their cancer diagnosis. In addition, Cancer Council’s pro bono program may be able to provide advice about how to access superannuation and insurance. For more information, contact Cancer Council on 13 11 20.

Work

If you are working, looking for work, or volunteering, there is a range of information and support available to assist you on our work and breast cancer hub.

Resources

• Webcast: Managing the Cost of Breast Cancer Tips and Resources.
• Managing the Financial Impacts of Breast Cancer factsheet.
• Cancer Council - Practical and financial assistance.
• Services Australia - Financial Information Service.
• Superannuation support and metastatic breast cancer.
• Podcast: Money and the Australian healthcare system.
• BCNA's Financial Tracker. This will help you to keep a record of expenses related to your treatment. Make sure you keep any receipts that you may want to claim through Medicare and/your private health insurance.
• Cancer Australia Statement - Influencing best practice in metastatic breast cancer.