Affording Multiple Myeloma Care
Financial concerns are common among people living with cancer. There are many resources that can help you understand insurance and plan for cancer costs, and assist you in paying your medical bills. Talk to your insurance company, healthcare team, or the financial specialist at your doctor’s office about your insurance coverage and eligibility.
Understanding your coverage
It’s important to know what type of insurance you have. On your first visit, your doctor’s office will ask you if you have insurance. If you do, you’ll need to provide the office with your insurance card and prescription drug card, if you have one.
Do you have insurance?
If you don’t have private commercial health insurance through your employer or a policy that you purchased on your own, you may qualify for one of the programs below. Be sure to talk with your healthcare team or the financial specialist at your doctor’s office about your eligibility.
Medicare is the federal government program that provides healthcare coverage for people who are aged 65 years or older and certain younger people with disabilities.
Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, elderly adults, and people with disabilities.
Veterans may be eligible to receive healthcare through the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Prescription assistance programs
Ask the person in your doctor’s office who handles insurance and financial matters about available prescription assistance programs. These programs are usually offered by pharmaceutical companies to provide free or low-cost prescription drugs to people who qualify.
Finding help
The following resources may help you get a good start on handling the financial side of multiple myeloma:
Cancer Care’s A Helping Hand—Resource Guide for People With Cancer >
Cancer Care’s Sources of Financial Assistance >
Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition >
Cancer.net’s Navigating Cancer Financial Considerations >
For help managing insurance and financial matters, get in touch with:
Information about these independent organizations is provided as an additional resource for obtaining information related to multiple myeloma. It does not indicate endorsement by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company of an organization or its communications.
Your healthcare team is your best source of information.