We Know Mesothelioma

How much does mesothelioma cost to treat?

On Behalf of | Nov 1, 2022 | Mesothelioma |

Cancer is often a very expensive illness to have. Just the diagnostic process can cost thousands of dollars, as it may require genetic testing, surgical biopsies or advanced imaging tests performed by licensed professionals. If a doctor recently diagnosed you with mesothelioma, which is cancer of the organ linings, you may worry about your future.

After all, mesothelioma has a relatively poor prognosis. It has a low five-year survival rate, and no treatment is known to actually cure mesothelioma or put patients with this illness into remission. The treatments available aim to slow the spread of the cancer and improve someone’s overall quality of life, as well as how long they survive after diagnosis.

Those treatments can often be a major financial strain for someone facing a terminal diagnosis.

Mesothelioma costs a lot to treat

How much money you will invest in mesothelioma treatment will depend on the stage of your cancer at the time of diagnosis and other factors, like what secondary health concerns you have to factor into your treatment plan.

For someone simply undergoing the least care possible, there will be expensive pain management and the prospect of hospitalization when their symptoms worsen. Medical care costs have certainly increased since 2014, so it’s important to understand that this average figure skews low. However, in 2014, a single mesothelioma hospitalization costs roughly $24,000. Every time someone requires inpatient care, they will face tens of thousands of dollars in bills.

For someone attempting more aggressive treatment, the price tag could be even higher. Immunotherapies and similar cutting-edge medical options can carry a six-figure price tag per treatment, meaning the full treatment regimen may cost more than someone’s home.

How will you pay for mesothelioma care?

The newest and potentially most effective mesothelioma treatments often do not qualify for full insurance coverage. You may have to pay out of pocket for immunotherapy drugs. Additionally, if you are still employed when a doctor diagnoses you, the treatment that you endure will likely force you to leave your job, if your symptoms have not yet done so.

Making a mesothelioma or asbestos compensation claim could help you cover those expenses. Even if the company where you worked when you handled asbestos has since gone out of business, they may have an asbestos fund with resources set aside for people in the exact same situation as you.