Receiving a triple negative breast cancer diagnosis when you are uninsured or underinsured is stressful. Know that you still have options and opportunities. The following resources can help:
Your work. If your job (or your spouse’s job) offers health insurance, talk to HR about your options for enrolling. If you have recently lost your job (within the last 60 days), you may be eligible for COBRA. COBRA allows you to keep your health insurance for over a year but requires you pay for that insurance yourself.
Your school. If you are a student, your school may offer health insurance.
Medicaid. Medicaid offers healthcare coverage for low-income individuals and families. You can check your eligibility and apply by visiting www.healthcare.gov. State-specific Medicaid programs may offer additional coverage—search for “[your state] Medicaid” online to learn more.
Medicare. Medicare provides health insurance for people ages 65+ as well as some younger people with disabilities. Visit www.medicare.gov to apply.
Your state’s health insurance marketplace. Every state has their own health insurance marketplace where you can buy insurance coverage. These marketplaces take into account your income and can offer financial aid to lower the monthly cost of your insurance plan. Usually, these marketplaces have open enrollment (meaning the marketplace is open for you to buy health insurance) between November and January. That being said, you can buy health insurance at other times during the year if you lose your job, get married, have a baby, move to another state, or other life change exceptions. For more information, visit www.healthcare.gov.
Some hospitals offer charity care, or free care, to patients with financial need. You can ask your nurse navigator or social worker, who should know the details of any services offered.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) supports Hill-Burton facilities and community health centers that offer free or reduced cost health care to people in need. Patients are charged based on a sliding scale.
Essential hospitals are hospitals that are committed to supporting patients regardless of their ability to pay. Whether you have Medicaid, Medicare, or are uninsured, these hospitals will work with you to get you the best care possible.
State health departments provide information on local resources and state-specific financial assistance. Just search for “[your state] Department of Health Services” online.
When you receive a medical bill, start by calling the billing department of your hospital or cancer center and asking for an itemized version of that bill. This way, you can make sure that you actually received all of the services and treatments that they are billing you for.
Once you’ve checked the itemized bill for any errors, you can call the billing department of your hospital or cancer center and negotiate what you can pay of the bill.
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The Black Triple Negative Breast Cancer Sanctuary exists to be a haven in the storm for those impacted by Triple Negative Breast Cancer and their loved ones.
We provide access to personalized resources and clinical trials to aid in your fight against TNBC.
