When patients and caregivers carry the fear of not being able to afford medical care or everyday bills, it adds stress to the already challenging experience of living with cancer. While this isn’t limited to pediatric cancer, The Standards of Psychosocial Care for Children with Cancer and Their Families created by an interdisciplinary group of psychosocial experts alongside the Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation developed an assessment that found families experience stress and confusion about finances during treatment.²

With this in mind, it’s important for healthcare professionals to help improve this standard of care by bringing cost conversations to the forefront of treatment. This kind of supportive care can ultimately lead to better patient outcomes.

Starting cost conversations with your patients

The first place to start, especially if you’re new to bringing money conversations into the infusion room, is to simply listen and create a welcoming environment. It can take a lot of strength for a patient to admit they need financial help, but knowing that they’re in a judgment-free zone can make it easier to speak up.

You may also be able to read between the lines to delve into the crux of a problem. For instance, if a patient is often late to treatment or misses appointments, what could be the reason? Perhaps they are relying on public transit that runs late or their car unexpectedly broke down and they don’t have the money to fix it.

Remember, it’s okay to ask people about their finances. It can feel taboo, but these conversations are important. You can start gently with a simple question or two that gives someone the space to talk about what’s really worrying them. For example:

• Are you worried about the cost of your treatment?
• Have you been missing work?
• Do you have heat/air conditioning in your home?
• Do you have someone to take care of your kids while you’re at treatment?
• How long does it take you to get to the hospital?

If needed, you can then follow up with open-ended questions that invite them to share more if they want to. For example:

• Can you tell me more about that?
• What bills are the most stressful this month?
• Who is in your support network?
• Would you like to talk with a social worker here on the team?
• Is there anything you want me to know before you leave the office today?

If your patients are worried about money, you could refer them to a financial navigator if they are on staff at your care center. Another good place to start could be walking patients through Family Reach’s free financial tip sheets, which cover ways to save, manage, and talk about money during cancer treatment.