The Costs of Cancer

The Costs of Cancer

As a leading cause of death and disease in the U.S., cancer takes a huge toll on the health of patients and survivors, and it also has a great impact on their finances. The costs of cancer do not impact all patients equally. Evidence consistently shows that certain factors – like race/ethnicity, health insurance status, income and where a person lives – impact cancer diagnosis, treatment, survival and financial hardship experienced by people with cancer and their families.

ACS CAN is making cancer – and the affordability of cancer care – a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels by creating awareness of the high costs of cancer and working to pass policies that make cancer treatment more affordable and reduce its financial impact on people with cancer, survivors and their families.


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The Costs of Cancer Resources

The costs of cancer don’t end when active treatment ends. This report explores the costs survivors face, as well as the lasting financial impacts of high costs during active treatment. It includes cancer survivor profiles to illustrate these costs over the course of an insurance year.

Read a summary of the Costs of Cancer Survivorship report and public statements from ACS CAN President, Lisa Lacasse.

Hispanic/Latino people facing cancer and survivors experience high costs, and are more likely than White counterparts to be uninsured and experience serious financial hardship.

Black people with cancer and survivors have high health care costs and experience considerable financial hardship. Black people are also more likely to have medical debt and experience aggressive debt collection practices.

People facing cancer and survivors who don’t have health insurance have high health care costs, poor access to care, poor cancer outcomes and experience a great amount of financial hardship.

People facing cancer and survivors who live in rural communities are more likely to have limited incomes and to die from cancer than their urban counterparts. They also experience serious financial hardship.