An article from April 10, 2023 on Kaiser Family Foundation entitled For Uninsured People With Cancer, Securing Care Can Be Like Spinning a Roulette Wheel details the experiences of people who do not have insurance and who are diagnosed with cancer. They face barriers to public health of cost of care and access to care and sometimes have to wait for long periods due to financial constraints in order to get cancer treatment. The article states:
“Adcox had first met with physicians at the academic medical center in late 2020, after a biopsy diagnosed basal cell carcinoma. The operation to remove the cancer would require several physicians, she was told, including a neurosurgeon, because of how close it was to her brain.
But Adcox was uninsured. She had lost her automotive plant job in the early days of the pandemic, and at the time of her diagnosis was equally panicked about the complex surgery and the prospect of a hefty bill. Instead of proceeding with treatment, she attempted to camouflage the expanding cancerous area for more than a year with hats and long bangs.”
People without insurance often forgo treatment due to the cost of care. This can lead to life-threatening illnesses.
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