Ellen D. Kiehl

As the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer continues to increase, so does the cost of treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer care cost the American public $13.9 billion last year. The average cost per patient ranges from $100,000 to $400,000, leaving many women unable to afford the treatment they desperately need. This is the cost of a home, college tuition and tragically for many, the cost of a life.

As breast cancer is an epidemic that continues to plague women, treatment should not be so expensive. According to the American Cancer Society, women in low-income brackets, when they find or suspect a lump, tend to not have it checked because they do not have the financial resources to follow through with treatment.

This is heartbreaking and wrong. Something must be done to decrease the cost of treatment and help women pay for it. Many women suffer because their income is too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford insurance, preventing treatment from even being a feasible option. Thus, many opt to do nothing.

Plastic surgeon Dr. David A. Caplin experienced this tragedy first-hand with a woman named Suzanne (who preferred her last name not be used). While treating her husband for a hand laceration, Caplin learned Suzanne died as her breast cancer went untreated and it was too late to help her. Suzanne was the sole breadwinner but had no insurance. So when she found a lump in her breast, she ignored it for two years
because she knew that even if a mammogram confirmed a breast cancer diagnosis, she wouldn’t be able to afford the subsequent medical care. She left behind her disabled husband, who was unable to work, and her two young children. There are many women like Suzanne, who similarly died because they couldn’t afford treatment.

The government should step in and mandate that breast cancer treatment costs be reduced or Medicaid coverage increased to include these women, who fall through the cracks in the healthcare system.

A lot of time and money in America is spent researching breast cancer and raising awareness. But, not enough is done to support individuals once diagnosed. In 2010, the National Cancer Institute spent $631.2 million on breast cancer research, yet no funds went to diagnosed patients. It’s wrong that so much money is spent researching a cure when we aren’t doing all we can to save the lives of those who are unable to fight, simply because they lack the financial means. Something needs to be done to bridge the gap for women who make too much to be eligible for Medicaid, but not enough to afford insurance.

Until this tragic problem can be resolved, we need organizations like Gateway to Hope, located in the St. Louis area. The organization provides free, comprehensive care to women diagnosed with breast cancer who are uninsured or underinsured. According to Gateway to Hope staff, a patient's income must be more than twice the federal poverty guideline levels but not more than 350 percent of it in order to qualify for the organization’s services. For example, a single mother with two children must have an annual income between $39,060 and $68,355. Even for those who do not qualify, Gateway to Hope staff members provide guidance and recommendations for other options women could pursue.

If more organizations like Gateway to Hope were created throughout the United States, the lives of many more women could be saved. Breast cancer impacts the lives of many women. The cost of treatment should never cost a woman her life.