If you are like most people who have cancer, you will be worried about the costs of treatment and continuing care. You want the best care but are afraid of the costs and how they will be met. You may not have health insurance. Or insurance may not cover all costs. Some insurers will not cover certain costs when a new treatment is under study.

You will need to understand the coverage that your policies offer. Here are some tips for making the most of your insurance:

• Get copies of your insurance policies and find out exactly what is covered.
• Get help if you need it to understand the policy or how to file claims if you need to. Do not be afraid to ask friends, family members, or a social worker for help. Private companies and some community organizations also offer help to deal with insurance.
• Keep careful records of all expenses and claims. Store bills and insurance forms together to make it easier at tax time.
• File claims for all covered costs. Sometimes, people do not take full advantage of their insurance, either because they do not know about a benefit or are put off by the paperwork.
• If your claim is turned down, file again. Ask your doctor to explain to the company why the services should be covered under your policy. If you are turned down again, find out if the company has an appeals process.

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)
735 Thimble Shoals Boulevard
Newport News, Virginia 23606
(757) 873-6668
1-800-532-5274
help@patientadvocate.org
www.patientadvocate.org

A national non-profit organization that serves as an active liaison between the patient and their insurer, employer and/or creditors to resolve insurance, job retention and/or debt crisis matters relative to their diagnosis through case managers, doctors and attorneys.

Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA)
Department of Labor
Technical Assistance & Inquiries
202-219-8776
www.dol.gov/

The U.S. Department of Labor website.

Cancer Care
1-800-813-4673

Provides financial assistance and clinical trials.

American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329-4251
1-800-ACS-2345
http://www.cancer.org

Provides free literature and helps patients obtain financial and medical assistance; 24/7 information and resource telephone number available in English and Spanish