|
|
|
Cancer Financial Consultants
November 21, 2008 |
A diagnosis of cancer can be scary and stressful. In this financial climate, many
patients are wondering if they have the funds to undergo therapy that could save
their life.
“Chemotherapy medications are outrageously expensive and getting a diagnosis of
cancer is hard enough on the patient but then to be presented with a medication
that may work and then to see the price of it and having to make a decision on whether
they get treatment because of the price of a drug is outrageous,” says Tina Gegeckas
who is the Director of Pharmacy Services at Lee Memorial Health System’s Regional
Cancer Center.
The staff at the center is hoping to ease that burden as much as they can. There
are financial consultants on-site to help patients look into different programs
that could assist in footing the bill. “We try to take away that concern by looking
at different indigent programs that are available through the drug companies to see if these patients are eligible for them. We work with the patient filling out
applications and going through the process,” Tina says.
The program is expected to expand more in the coming months and years. Tina believes
the helping hand can provide a great relief for many patients. “It’s a huge relief
when they know about these programs and are accepted into these programs and their
medication is provided to them at little to no cost.”
In recent years the program has helped area patients save more than $1 million on
cancer treatment. Some chemo therapy regimens involve several medication treatments
and each treatment can cost upwards of $5,000. |
|
|
|
|
|
