breast cancer patients share the cost of the disease

Nearly 60,000 women are affected by breast cancer each year in France. If most of the costs are reimbursed, there remains care after the operation which can be heavy.

Today begins “Pink October”, a month to promote breast cancer screening. Cancer being a long-term condition, it is 100% covered. However, a parliamentary report estimates the average amount of expenses for women who have breast cancer to be between 1,300 and 2,500 euros. These fees are used to pay for everything related to their illness: wig, adapted bra, psychologist session, moisturizing creams, etc.

Marie-Rose went there: “Everything is extremely expensive, she said. There are levels of support depending on the types of wigs. And then you have the turbans and then it’s all the bra covering.”she says.

“At first, I bought it in specialized stores, because that’s what’s best… On the other hand, for the wallet, it’s very painful. I had about 2 000 euros from my pocket.”

And Marie-Rose concludes: “So they tell us that each time there are mutual insurance companies that cover it, but mine has never covered anything in that regard.”

And again, this woman did not have to pay the excess fees of a surgeon in a public hospital or a private clinic, since she was treated in a cancer center, the Oscar Lambret center in Lille, directed by Professor Eric Lartigau. “We will not have any excess fees for patients as part of their care, for example surgery for breast cancer or in the aftermath, breast reconstruction, explains the professor.

“Certain costs may then arise when the patient has left the establishment for care such as cosmetic care or additional care, continues the doctor. There may indeed be some out-of-pocket expenses that the patient will have to assume, but which are very moderate.”

To avoid paying for this care, you need to know what assistance exists. Informing patients is the role of the social worker at the Lille anti-cancer center, Céline Claret. However, the task is not always easy, she admits: “People don’t necessarily know all the remaining charges either. It can be very surprising and destabilizing and it can actually put them more or less in difficulty. It may be care that they won’t be able to access.”

Before adding: “There are also measures that we can mobilize, that people do not know about for these out-of-pocket expenses. And if we can support them to ensure that people can access these rights…”, positive Céline Claret. Valuable help provided in the 18 cancer centers that exist in France.