Financial and Insurance

At Byrd Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation, our aim is to serve as a guiding light, offering access to cancer resources. We’re here to help navigate the financial aspects of your cancer journey, ensuring you have the support you need.

Discovering Financial Aid Options

Apart from guidance provided by social workers and healthcare professionals, numerous national and local service groups offer assistance to individuals with cancer encountering financial difficulties. Reach out to these organizations directly to explore the range of programs and services tailored to your needs and those of your family.

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board

Financial resources in the USA:

Coping with a cancer diagnosis can be emotionally and financially overwhelming. In the United States, there are numerous financial resources available to support individuals and families facing the challenges of cancer. One significant avenue of assistance is through government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, which provide vital healthcare coverage for eligible individuals. Additionally, nonprofit organizations like the American Cancer Society and CancerCare offer a range of services, including financial aid, transportation assistance, and lodging support for those undergoing treatment.

Managing Your Health Insurance and Medical Bills

Securing health insurance is crucial when dealing with cancer, either personally or within your family. Equally important is understanding how to effectively navigate and manage your coverage. Gain the essential knowledge you need right here.

Financial assistance for patients with cancer: National and local Twin Cities resources

A list of organizations and free services that may be able to help pay medical bills, contribute to home utility bills, cover travel expenses and provide gas cards, or provide healthy meals and home cleaning services. Some organizations also provide services for people with specific types of cancers, including breast cancer, leukemia and colon cancer.

CFAC is a coalition of organizations helping cancer patients manage their financial challenges

CFAC is a coalition of financial assistance organizations joining forces to help cancer patients experience better health and well-being by limiting financial challenges.

Many hospitals and cancer centers also have dedicated financial assistance programs or patient navigation services that can help individuals navigate insurance claims, understand medical bills, and explore options for reduced-cost or free medications. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies often offer patient assistance programs that provide medications at reduced or no cost for eligible individuals. These programs play a critical role in ensuring that patients have access to the medications they need without facing excessive financial strain.

Beyond healthcare-specific aid, cancer patients in the USA can access a variety of general financial resources. Nonprofit organizations like the Patient Advocate Foundation and Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition offer a wide range of support services, including help with co-payments, transportation costs, and living expenses. Moreover, individuals and families affected by cancer can explore local resources, such as community-based support groups, which may provide practical assistance and guidance on accessing available financial resources.

American Life Fund Provides Financial Resources for Individuals with Life-Threatening Illnesses. The American Cancer Society’s Costs of Cancer report found that the average cost of cancer treatment per person ranged from $6,000-$10,000 annually—and that doesn’t include additional fees for out-of-network physicians and treatments, nor does it take into account individuals who are uninsured.

Global Cancer Resources

Angel Foundation™ is a Twin Cities-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to provide support to local adults with cancer and their families. For more than twenty years, our programs have ensured that individuals and families have the resources they need throughout their cancer journey.

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) is a national 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization which provides case management services and financial aid to Americans with chronic, life threatening and debilitating illnesses

Fox Chase Cancer Center, part of the Temple University Health System, is committed to clinical excellence, research expertise, and community health. These initiatives earned us a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as one of the first comprehensive cancer centers in the country and one of only 51 in the nation to earn this full designation by the federal government’s principal agency for cancer research and training.

 Pink Lemonade Stand Challenge (PLSC) is a 501(c)(3) on a mission to #BeTheEnd of breast cancer by raising funds for breast cancer research that will lead to the prevention and cure for breast cancer before the next generation has to face it. PLSC also aims to raise awareness about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the #1 breast cancer charity according to charity watchdogs, to inspire kids, families, communities, and corporations to engage in community service and to educate others about breast cancer.

White House Cancer Moonshot Engagement, the Cancer Moonshot is mobilizing efforts toward achieving two clear goals that the President and First Lady set: To prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 and to improve the experience of people who are touched by cancer.

Pinky Swear Foundation is a children’s cancer charity whose mission is to help kids with cancer and their families by providing financial support.

My Density Matters mission is to empower women to find out their breast density, learn their screening options, and insist on essential additional screening. Their vision is a world where breast density no longer hinders the early detection of breast cancer.

CancerCare is the leading national organization providing free, professional support services and information to help people manage the emotional, practical and financial challenges of cancer.

The HealthWell Foundation is a leading independent non-profit dedicated to improving access to health care for America’s underinsured. HealthWell is recognized as one of America’s most efficient charities. 

My Faulty Gene is a nonprofit organization which provides information and assistance to underrepresented, uninsured, and underinsured individuals whose family medical history suggests genetic testing might be helpful in identifying an increased risk of disease due to a genetic mutation.

The Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was created in 1986 as one of the most significant outcomes of the landmark 1985 Secretary’s Task Force Report on Black and Minority Health. The mission of the Office of Minority Health is to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities.

Governor Shapiro Signs the First Bill of His Administration: Landmark, Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Breast Cancer Screenings for Free in Pennsylvania. Read More

Women of color and women from underserved communities are twice as likely to die from breast cancer – cancers that, if detected early, are survivable and manageable with minimal disruption to their lives, families, and careers. Nearly 80% of lower income women in the U.S. do not get screening mammography, and women of color have the lowest participation rates in traditional breast cancer screening.

That’s why Bexa Equity Alliance  work with a growing tribe of Allies and Partners to provide our life-saving Bexa Breast Exams at no cost to women who are at most at-risk of dying prematurely from breast cancer – women of color and underserved women in economically disadvantaged communities across the world.