Research published in the Medical Journal of Australia using data from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study has revealed the high out-of-pocket costs incurred by cancer patients in Australia.
More than half of people diagnosed with cancer in the previous two years had annual out-of-pocket costs higher than $1000, and almost one in ten had costs over $10,000.
The Daffodil Centre, a joint venture of Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney, led the research which analysed data from over 45,000 participants from the 45 and Up Study.
Overall, out-of-pocket spending on healthcare over the previous year exceeded $1000 for 43% of participants. After adjustment for health and socio-demographic factors, people diagnosed with cancer in the previous two years were twice as likely as people without cancer to report expenses of over $1000.
People with breast or prostate cancers were the hardest hit with high out-of-pocket expenses. Around two-thirds of prostate cancer patients reported out-of-pocket costs of more than $1000, and the odds of prostate cancer patients having expenses of over $10,000 were eight times higher than for participants without cancer.
Higher out-of-pocket costs were also found to be more likely for people with blood clots, osteoarthritis and heart disease.
Reported out-of-pocket expenses included for specialist care, medications, hospital and outpatient care, and practical and travel expenses. Although insurance premiums weren’t included as costs in the study, the researchers still found that people with private health insurance tended to have higher out-of-pocket expenses than those without.
The researchers say their findings “indicate that out-of-pocket costs are potentially a barrier to equitable health care access”.
They write that “evidence of financial toxicity in cancer care is growing; that is, the inability to pay for health care affects a person’s physical and psychological health, influences their health care decisions, and potentially leads to poorer outcomes”.
An editorial in the Medical Journal of Australia penned by researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research says that increasing out-of-pocket expenses for people with cancer are “clearly concerning, especially if they compromise the care of those who are unable to pay”.
The research follows previous work using 45 and Up Study data on out-of-pocket expenses for people with chronic conditions.
Access the full paper here.
