Survey Finds Nearly Half of People With Breast Cancer Report Serious Financial Burdens

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In June and July of 2022, Breastcancer.org conducted an online survey on the financial burdens faced by people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. We found that many people had expenses during and after treatment that were higher than they expected and not covered by health insurance. They had to make difficult choices to pay for their treatment, such as borrowing money, using up savings, or even taking less medicine than prescribed. 

The survey included 1,437 people who live in the United States and were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 10 years. The people answered questions about their experiences with out-of-pocket expenses and health insurance coverage, how they managed costs, whether their job situation changed after their diagnosis, and more. 

The number of respondents who…

• said their breast cancer-related out-of-pocket costs were a significant or catastrophic burden: 47%

• reduced spending on basic necessities, such as food or housing: 37%

• used all or part of their savings to pay for cancer care: 35%

• used credit cards to pay for cancer care: 28%

• took fewer pills than prescribed to reduce costs: 21%

• said their job situation changed for a reason related to their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment: 64%

• felt their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment had a significant negative effect on their career: 50%

• reported that their caregivers reduced their hours, took time off work, changed jobs, or had some other change in employment for a reason related to breast cancer: 36%

• applied for short-term disability insurance benefits, long-term disability insurance benefits, or both: 48%

• filed appeals for denied health insurance claims, often between two and five times: 33%

• purchased a supplemental health insurance plan at some point after their breast cancer diagnosis: 45%

• had other conditions besides breast cancer that carried significant out-of-pocket costs: 41%

Source: Breastcancer.org. (2022). Online survey: The financial effects of breast cancer.

1,362 women and 75 men.  

The average age of respondents was 46 years old.

89% had been diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer, and 11% had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

Two-thirds were in active treatment or receiving ongoing treatment, and one-quarter had completed treatment.

60% identified as white; 27% as Hispanic; 8% as Black; and 4% as American Indian or Alaska Native, Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Other Asian, or Samoan. Some respondents selected more than one ethnicity or race.

55% had children younger than 18 at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis.

51% were financially supporting adult children at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis.

There were respondents from all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

8% had a household income of less than $25,000.

17% had a household income of between $25,000 and $49,000.

29% had a household income of between $50,000 and $99,999.

24% had a household income of between $100,000 and $199,999.

15% had a household income of $200,000 or more.

And 8% did not know their household income or preferred not to respond.

• The online survey was conducted during June and July 2022 and offered in English and Spanish.

• Participants were recruited through social media posts, messages to Breastcancer.org email subscribers, pop-up and banner ads on Breastcancer.org, and a post on the Breastcancer.org homepage. 

• To qualify to take the survey, participants had to have been diagnosed with breast cancer by a healthcare professional within the past 10 years, be over the age of 18, and live in the United States or a U.S. territory.  

• Participants provided informed consent before they answered the survey questions by acknowledging they understood that taking part in the survey was voluntary, that they could exit the survey at any time, and that the survey was anonymous.

• The survey was reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the participants. An IRB is a committee made up of physicians, PhD-level scientists, nurses, lawyers, and ethicists who review the research plan but are not otherwise involved in the research.

• The survey was anonymous and the data was analyzed in a way that protected the privacy of the participants. 

Breastcancer.org conducts online survey studies that look at the evolving needs, interests, and experiences of people affected by breast cancer. Insights from our surveys help us to improve and create new educational content, and we’re sharing the data with healthcare providers worldwide through peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Our previous studies have focused on informed consent for breast cancer surgery, the use of cannabis among people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, how the COVID-19 pandemic affected breast cancer care, and clinical trial participation among Black and African American people diagnosed with breast cancer.