When someone is diagnosed with cancer, the emotional impact is overwhelming but the financial impact must also be addressed as soon as possible so that the patient and the patient’s family can make important decisions in an intelligent and organized way. The following financial tips from cancer survivors and their families will help you know where to start. Just know that putting one step in front of the other is the best way to begin this journey.

The following financial resources may be available to you and should be studied:

1.  Social Security Disability – If the patient is likely to be out of work for an extended time frame and is not presently collecting retirement benefits from social security, disability benefits from social security may be available. If you have questions about social security benefits you can call the disability offices at 1-800-772-1213 toll free. If the patient’s diagnosis is so severe the social security office may push the application through quicker than usual which is known as a Compassionate Allowance Program. This link will give you a list of the diagnoses which are already approved by the government as illnesses which can be “fast-tracked” through the application process.
2. Medical Outreach Assistance – Call us toll free at 800-215-9896 if you need help with travel expenses or lodging discounts. Our patient advocates very often deal with specialized mesothelioma facilities so you may get assistance from speaking with them  with these and other expenses. These are a great many  benefits that are often available to patients suffering from mesothelioma that are known to our patient advocates by their experience in working with hundreds of patients. Many cancer facilities team up with hotels and other housing options for patients and their families at rates that are discounted to help people. We want to help you so you are not totally overwhelmed. Get help now by speaking with our patient advocates.




3. Medicare and/or Private Health Insurance – You should make sure you understand your health insurance policy and what it covers. If you are unsure you should set an appointment with your insurance agent to go over the policy whether it is your primary health insurance coverage or your medicare supplement coverage. If you are on Medicare, to determine what it covers and what it does not cover,  refer to The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare.
4. Life insurance/Disability insurance programs –  Obtain the important paperwork to confirm insurance is  in existence and what it offers you or limits you to. If you have an agent, they should be happy to assist you in this quest. The National Cancer Institute also suggests other programs that are available to help individuals with asbestos-related diseases which you should look into. American Cancer Society Assistance Health Insurance and Financial Assistance can be available to you through this important website from the American Cancer Society. While this important website will help you greatly understand the financial impact and what you can do about it, we highly suggest that you should the mesothelioma section of this website as an excellent overview on mesothelioma and understanding the disease and we highly suggest a reading of this section for that purpose.

5. Legal Options – Many patients do not know where to turn but we help our patients find reputable and experienced National Law firms that will advise you of all legal options available to you. After many years of experience and research, we are able to provide you with contacts to National Law Firms who are specializing in mesothelioma. When you contact us, our patient advocates will have them contact you the same day to help you. There are two ways to obtain compensation and we recommended both methods. Asbestos trust finds are the first option and traditional lawsuits against asbestos defendants is the second option. In order to achieve the best result, you should have legal assistance in both types of financial recovery. Powerful corporations who continue to use asbestos well after the dangers of it were documented chose to put their profits ahead of the health of their employees and the public. They should be held accountable. We will have a National Law Firm specializing in mesothelioma contact you the same day to get you the help and information you need. We can even give you several firms for you to choose from.  Our goal is to assist you as much as possible during your time of need.
6. Types of Compensation – Compensation differs for mesothelioma claims from small sums to millions of dollars. An experienced specialized Law Firm can help you understand your eligibility and the value of your case in terms of compensation.  Our patient advocates can help you find the Law Firm that is the best for you no matter where you live or where you may have been exposed to asbestos. Choosing a Law Firm to represent you is as important to you and your family’s future. You have a right to seek just compensation and to get the best help in doing so. Don’t feel overwhelmed, get help now.

Sources:

https://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet