The Everyday Costs & Burdens of a Medical Journey
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When a patient is first met with a major medical crisis such as a cancer diagnosis or serious injuries from an accident, their first financial concern is probably related to the cost of care. Understandably so. The financial cost of cancer treatment or a medical emergency can create tremendous stress for a patient. However, the everyday costs of living through treatment and other financial responsibilities can often be just as overwhelming.
One of the things that we hear from patients is that “life doesn’t stop with a diagnosis.“ The patient (and their caregivers) still must handle their usual day-to-day responsibilities. However, these tasks and responsibilities can often get put on the back burner because of all the time, mental focus, and resources spent on the medical journey itself. In some cases, a patient needs to stop working during treatment and doesn’t have disability insurance to provide an income stream.
At CaringWays®, we wanted to create a dedicated way to help alleviate all the financial stress related to the medical journey. Our CareCard is a secure debit card that patients can use to pay for health-related expenses that become difficult to manage during treatment.
Below are just a few examples of the everyday expenses, and the anticipated costs, that patients can cover with funds raised from their CaringWays® campaign.
In addition to paying medical bills and covering out-of-pocket costs, here are a few examples of the everyday expenses that often become difficult to cover during a medical journey:
The cost of traveling to receive treatment can add up quickly for patients. Some patients have to drive to a different city 30-40 miles away, multiple times per month for chemo treatment, radiation, or physical therapy. They also might need to pay for parking. Taking today’s travel expenses into account, this could cost a patient anywhere between $100 – $200 per month. This expense is not covered by insurance.
Patients or caregivers still have to put dinner on the table every night for their families. However, a normal task like this can often be physically demanding for patients who are going through treatment or recovering from a medical crisis. As a result, many families rely on takeout or food delivery services during their medical journey. For a family of four, ordering takeout as little as two times per week could add as much as $350 to their monthly food budget.
Everyday responsibilities like cleaning the house or taking care of the yard can often be taxing during a medical journey. Some patients may not physically be able to take care of these tasks and need to pay someone to help. This can add another $100-200 per month.
These are just a few of the everyday expenses that can add as much as $500-750 per month to the bottom line of covering a cancer diagnosis or medical crisis.
At CaringWays®, we know firsthand that fighting for your or your loved one’s health is hard enough. Financial stress shouldn’t add to your worries. In addition to helping patients raise funds for medical expenses, we also provide them with a secure CareCard — a debit card that supporters can directly contribute to through the donation site. This card can be used to buy essentials such as food, gas, and home-care services, but is safely controlled by an MCC code.
Learn more about the unique ways CaringWays® is designed to support a patient during their medical journey or use our free CareCalculator to estimate how much financial support your loved one might need during their medical journey.
