How Am I Going to Pay for Cancer Treatment?

I have lung cancer. The thoracic surgeon called today and he says it is Small Cell lung cancer. Leave it to me to get the type that only a small percent of people get and the kind that is more aggressive and rapidly growing than Non Small Cell cancer.

The good news is that the cancer seems to be localized to the thoracic area. He has referred me to an oncologist and wants me to begin chemotherapy and radiation as early this week.

My thoughts immediately jump to.. how am I going to pay for this treatment? I don't have insurance. I've applied for Medicaid and I should qualify but how long will it take them to make up their minds if I am eligible? My thoracic guy gave me the distinct impression that my best chance is with swift treament.

Will the oncologist just go ahead with treatment before I know if I'll have Medicaid? Somehow I doubt it. My hospital has a payment plan but you only get 2 years to pay. Yeah, right. I can come up with large enough payments to get the entire bill paid off in 2 years on our fixed income of Social Security. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)

Apparently, the hospital has some type of Financial Assistance program but one needs to be first turned down by Medicaid to even be considered.

Image Credit: Serge Melki

So, yeah. I don't have enough to worry about. I get to make myself sicker wondering if I will find a way to pay or if I will have to give up before I've even begun. I hope I'm just having a panic attack but bad luck has dogged me my entire life so it's hard to be optimistic.