While bile duct cancer is considered relatively rare, around 8,000 people are still affected in the U.S. annually.
As we know, cancer care costs aren’t cheap– so it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that 62% of bankruptcies filed in the U.S are a direct result of medical debt. And guess what? 78% of those patients filing for bankruptcy due to medical debt HAD health insurance!
On the surface, these statistics may seem grim, but they don’t have to be. You don’t have to compromise your financial security to afford treatment for bile duct cancer.
We at American Life Fund regularly work with bile duct cancer patients to help them financially, so we put together this comprehensive list of financial assistance and free money available for bile duct cancer patients.
Here are 6 of the best resources for bile duct cancer patients to get free money and financial assistance.
Financial Assistance For Bile Duct Cancer Patients Type #1: Your Life Insurance Policy pays YOU (through a Viatical Settlement)
Anyone struggling with a severe medical condition knows that health insurance doesn’t cover all costs. In the United States, you may still face significant out-of-pocket expenses even with government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
However, most people don’t know that a life insurance policy is considered an asset that you own, meaning insurance policyholders can sell their life insurance for a lump-sum cash payment, also known as a viatical settlement.
With a viatical settlement, the funds are tax-free and non-regulated, meaning YOU decide how they are spent.
Not only can you pay towards your medical expenses, but also towards the cost of living expenses or even a luxurious vacation with your loved ones. As the settlement holder, the freedom and the choice are uniquely yours!
In some cases, individuals can receive 70% of their life insurance policy in as little as 2 weeks with a viatical settlement!
How it works: Unlike life settlements, viatical settlements are designed for life insurance policyholders with life-threatening illnesses, reduced life expectancies, or chronic health issues.
Bile duct cancer patients with life insurance policies can enter agreements with third-party buyers to sell their life insurance policy in return for a lump-sum payment (more than the cash value of the life insurance policy but less than the death benefit).
The life settlement company takes over by paying the monthly insurance policy premiums and receives the death benefit after the seller’s passing.
If you’re considering selling your life insurance policy, American Life Fund is here to help. For us, the most important thing is alleviating the financial burden associated with bile duct cancer care, reducing stress, and enabling you to spend more time on the things that matter.
Through our hassle-free application process, American Life Fund will help you get an immediate cash offer for your insurance policy.
Read More >> What Is A Viatical Settlement
Financial Assistance For Bile Duct Cancer Patients Type #2: Bile Duct Cancer-Specific Financial Grants
There is a multitude of organizations that offer free money to bile duct cancer patients. This type of financial assistance is a bile duct cancer-specific financial grant.
While some grants are generalized and open to applicants with all cancer types, others are specific to bile duct cancer. The best place to search for financial grants you may qualify for is online and through your local nonprofit organizations.
When looking online, try searching for “bile duct cancer financial grants” and the more general but still applicable “cancer financial grants.” The best part about cancer financial grants is that they are free money and don’t come with strings attached.
Although it can be time-consuming to locate grants, the time invested can pay for itself. Regarding financial grants, the most challenging part is locating an organization with funding available. Don’t be discouraged–persistence is key, and resources are out there.
The following organizational funds offer financial assistance in the form of grants to bile duct cancer patients in need:
- PAN Foundation Bile Duct Cancer Fund (available to Medicare patients only)
- PAF Copay Relief Fund for Bile Duct Cancer (available to patients with Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare only)
- CancerCare Co-payment Assistance Fund (available to patients with Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare only)
- The Jadyn Fred Foundation Fund
- American Cancer Society Fund
- National Cancer Assistance Foundation Fund (patients in the following states are not eligible: AR, IA, MI, OR)
Also, check out these great resources:
- Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (this is a tool that connects cancer patients with financial assistance resources based on geographic location and diagnosis)
- Triage Cancer (this organization maintains a long-running list of financial assistance resources for cancer patients)
Financial Assistance For Bile Duct Cancer Patients Type #3: Utility Assistance
When juggling finances to pay for cancer care, every little bit helps.
Utility assistance is payment provided to help cover the utilities within a home, including payment for home energy costs, bills, and any necessary energy repairs.
Utility assistance helps bile duct cancer patients by taking some of the financial burdens off of your shoulders and allowing you the ability to focus more on investing in your treatment.
Programs such as the LIHEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program) offer utility assistance to low-income households as well as to those experiencing crises. The contact information for this resource differs from state to state, so be sure to check the website.
Additionally, Family Reach and Stomp the Monster provide emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, and home repairs, and Cleaning for a Reason offers 2 free home cleanings to bile duct cancer patients.
You can also call “211” to locate additional local utility assistance programs for bile duct cancer patients in need.
Financial Assistance For Bile Duct Cancer Patients Type #4: Prescription Assistance
With the cost of cancer medications rising, many patients feel concerned about how to afford treatment.
Thankfully, programs like PPA (Partnerships for Prescription Assistance) and Rx Outreach can help by providing free money to bile duct cancer patients in the form of free or reduced-cost prescriptions.
Their easy-to-use online websites list multiple prescription assistance programs that you may qualify for as a bile duct cancer patient.
Another resource offering financial assistance for bile duct cancer patients is Needy Meds. Needy Meds offers a free Drug Discount Card, which provides savings of up to 80% on prescription medications.
If a medication is not covered by your insurance, or if your insurance has a high deductible, fear not–you can use your Drug Discount Card to help pay for prescriptions.
Also, the Medicine Assistance Tool can help bile duct cancer patients to locate additional resources for prescription assistance.
Financial Assistance For Bile Duct Cancer Patients Type #5: Gift Certificates, Gas Cards, and More
When dealing with bile duct cancer, the last thing you should have to worry about is the price of gas; however, as trips to treatment centers increase, so does the cost of transportation. Gas can be EXPENSIVE (especially if you live somewhere like California)– so why pay for it if you don’t have to?
Tenaciously Teal is a great organization that helps bile duct cancer patients by providing gift cards for both gas and groceries. The Cancer Card Xchange also provides gift cards, so keep an eye out for their open application period.
Additionally, NeedyMeds and Mercy Medical Angels offer financial assistance for medical transportation and necessary travel expenses.
Oh, and if you like freebies, Phil’s Friends and Radiant Hope are two organizations that offer financial assistance in the form of a care package, which contains self-care freebies for those battling bile duct cancer.
Financial Assistance For Bile Duct Cancer Patients Type #6: Fundraising
One of the quickest, easiest ways to supplement financial assistance for bile duct cancer patients is fundraising. With a little upfront investment of your time and a good social network, fundraising can be an effective tool for harnessing financial funds.
Online fundraising platforms, such as GoFundMe, allow you to post your need/cause and share that need/cause with others. However, the downside is that you only receive a portion of the funds raised.
The second method of fundraising worth considering–and from which you’ll get to keep all profits– is known as a personal fundraiser. With this type, you, your friends, and your family raise funds by offering something to the community, such as a bake sale or car wash. Feel free to check out MedGift Advocacy Services for a whole list of fundraising ideas.
What Bile Duct Cancer Patients Can Expect Financially
A bile duct cancer diagnosis is never easy, especially when that diagnosis turns into a financial burden.
In order to try to avoid financial distress, it is important to understand the costs associated with treating bile duct cancer.
When battling with bile duct cancer, some of your largest expenses are likely to come from the following: doctor visits, treatment, medication, and transportation/travel.
Doctor Visit Costs: If you’re insured, you’ll likely only have to pay a copay per visit to your doctor; the copay is usually a small fraction of the total overall cost for the visit. If you’re uninsured, you’ll pay more.
Treatment Costs: The primary method of treatment for patients with bile duct cancer is surgery to remove the cancerous tissue; if cancer has progressed further along, radiation and chemotherapy are the likely methods of treatment. For this reason, the duration of your treatment will have a direct impact on the financial costs incurred–in other words, the more treatment needed, the more it is likely to cost you.
Medication Costs: While being treated for bile duct cancer, there are certain medications you’ll need to take. Also, if you’re actively undergoing chemotherapy, that’s another crucial cost you’ll need to consider when opting for financial assistance for treatment.
Transportation/Travel Costs: If you’re being treated for bile duct cancer at a facility that is not near your home, you’ll be faced with the added financial stress of paying for gas and/or the costs of public transportation to get to and from your appointments.
Sound like a lot? The good news is that help is always available–and you deserve it, no matter your financial situation. To learn more about how we help bile duct cancer patients financially, contact us at American Life Fund today!
Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Assistance for Bile Duct Cancer Patients
What benefits are bile duct cancer patients entitled to?
If you are an American citizen struggling with bile duct cancer, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits. The more aggressive cancer, the more qualified you are likely to be.
Can you get financial help if you have bile duct cancer?
Yes, you can get financial help if you have bile duct cancer. You can get everything from help with prescriptions, lower utility bills, free wigs, grants, viatical settlements,, and much more.
How can I get money for bile duct cancer treatment?
Grants, crowdfunding, and disability benefits are some other ways you can get money for bile duct cancer treatment. Additionally, viatical or life settlements (where you sell your life insurance policy for a lump sum of cash) can be a great option to get money for bile duct cancer treatment.
Does stage 4 bile duct cancer qualify for disability?
Stage 4 bile duct cancer patients typically will be approved for Social Security Disability benefits. If you have stage 4 bile duct cancer, there is also a good chance you will qualify for a viatical settlement.
>> What Is A Viatical Settlement
>> Diagnosed With Cancer: What To Do Next
>> Vatical Settlement Calculator
>> 30+ Organizations That Help Cancer Patients Financially
>> Financial Help & Free Money For Cancer Patients
>> Paying For Cancer Treatment: Resources, Budgeting & Costs
>> End Of Life Planning: Everything You Should Do (with checklists)
>> Is Stage 4 Cancer Terminal?
>> Alternative Cancer Treatments: What The Research Says
>> Can You Sell Your Life Insurance Policy?
>> The Best Alternative & Holistic Cancer Treatment Centers
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