This report highlights the severe challenges cancer patient may face in paying for life-saving care even when they have private health insurance.

Jointly authored by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the American Cancer Society, the report profiles 20 patients and illustrates the potential difficulties people diagnosed with cancer or other serious illnesses have in maintaining affordable health insurance and paying for their health care. The patients in the report and accompanying video were selected to illustrate typical cases from the many people who call the American Cancer Society’s Health Insurance Assistance Service, which helps families affected by cancer who encounter problems navigating the health care system.

The Kaiser Family Foundation also produced a separate video documentary, “The Cost of Cancer,” profiling three of patients featured in the report.

The report and video were released at a briefing on Feb. 5, 2009.

News Release

Report (.pdf)

Video: “The Cost of Cancer”

Webcast and Transcript of Feb. 5, 2009, Briefing

Please note: the video is no longer available. If you have an urgent need for the video, you may contact us (choose “problem with video” on the form) and we will try to locate the video. Include the URL for this page in your message to us.

For KFF reference: /health_cast/hcast_index.cfm?display=detail&hc=3105