Every Sunday

in church, I feel like more and more people are added to the prayer list because of cancer. I see cancer benefit dinners, fundraisers, and gofundme pages all the time because of this overbearing disease. Even the futures of some dear friends of mine are hanging in the balance because of that big “C” word. It seems that there is nothing that we can do to prepare for it, and little we can do if we are diagnosed–unless we have a great insurance plan or lots of money.

It seems that there is nothing that we can do to prepare for it, and little we can do if we are diagnosed–unless we have a great insurance plan or lots of money. I’ve known people to lose everything–their savings, their retirement, their houses to pay for this expensive disease. That’s not always the case, however. People have to go to hospitals within their insurance networks, which may not have the best cancer care. Or they may go outside their network for better care, but have no coverage from their insurance companies. Maybe we’ve been looking at this all wrong. Let me tell you why.

Misconceptions

Lower Cancer RiskWhen I talk to people about the fact that I have cancer plans available, I am usually met with a few standard responses or questions. These are misconceptions that may or may not pop into your mind. There are more, of course. But I wanted to focus on the top few.

1. My insurance will cover it. I hope so! But this isn’t always the case. I ask you to look at your health insurance policy. Look specifically at cancer coverage. If you are lucky enough to have cancer coverage on your health plan, will it cover 50% of the actual costs? Will it cover 25%? What is the actual cost? According to a U.S. News and World report post, newly approved cancer medications can cost $10,000 per month. This is just the medication. This doesn’t include any surgeries, hospital stays, or transportation.

Here’s another thing to consider. Your time off work, groceries, bills, and/or lodging of family and friends who travel with you to treatment centers are not covered by most health insurance plans. Cancer plans can help with this cost. The goal is to take care of these things while you concentrate on getting better.

2. It’s too expensive (or I’m insurance poor). Costs for Cancer plans can be lower than you think. I know that I cover my entire family for less than $30 per month. This gives us each $10,000 in lump-sum coverage  (among other benefits). For me, this is well worth the small investment. Considering the uprising odds of being diagnosed with cancer these days, I almost don’t feel like it’s a gamble, unfortunately. Combine that with the fact that you get money back each year when you use the plan (when you’re not even diagnosed–see early detection below) make this point even less impactful. For some people, this is too expensive. Of course, you know your own budget.

3. That type of insurance is too specific. This is one that I thought as well. However, there are cancer plans out there that also cover stroke, heart attacks, and bypass surgery. Also, consider the fact that this plan pays on top of whatever your existing plan pays. This covers more than the lump-sum benefit. This gives cash benefits to hospital room stays, transportation and lodging, surgery, skilled nursing, hospice, and even preventative care.

Early detection help

In the last point, I mentioned preventative care. A lot of cancer policies have provisions that pay cash for getting that annual screening. Mammograms, prostate exams, blood work, biopsies, pap smears, or whatever other preventative screening will work for this screening. This means that you are encouraged to use this plan each year. It’s less expensive for you and less expensive for your insurance company if you catch any developments early. This just makes sense.

Does Cancer run in your family?

Cancer Plans? Yes pleaseIf it does, then you should really consider finding a good cancer plan. According to the American Cancer Society, sometimes there are certain forms of cancer that tend to run in families. They talk about a “Family Cancer Syndrome.” If you’re not willing to pay for one, then consider getting policies for your children and grandchildren.

When I brought up the subject of cancer to my wife, she indicated that quite a few relatives (most of which I had never met) had passed away from cancer. There are a few that are alive that have cancer. She felt more comfortable knowing that she would be covered in the event that she’s the next one in line. NOTHING made me feel more at ease a few months ago when the doctors were searching for it in her.

She had lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. She wasn’t trying to, though! At first, she thought that it was good. She wanted to be a little lighter. However, it started to seem that every time she weighed, the scale showed a lower and lower number. The doctors worried and did all types of tests on her. Thankfully, they never found anything. If they had, I know that we would be covered. After that scare, I’m actually considering getting a second policy for all of us. If we had twice the benefits available, I know that we would feel even more secure should that situation arise again.

One last thing

In my own family, I have seen at least one case of cancer striking. Growing up, it was mainly my mother, father, sister, and I (along with one or two dogs). A second cousin of mine got diagnosed with cancer and had a rough time with it. She ended up passing away from it, sadly. She had two daughters survive her. Then their father went away for the same reason. My family ended up adopting them because of this disease! I’m reminded of this every time I mention my family. And when I think of them, I think of the times that I visited them as a kid. They had to rely on the free lunch program every day to eat. I don’t want my daughter to ever have to deal with that if something like this were to happen in our family.

In addition to the cancer plan, we’ve also done what we can to lower cancer risk. We have replaced lots of our household cleaners and supplements with more natural ones. Getting rid of cancer-causing chemicals won’t prevent cancer 100%, but I know that it will lower our chances. We decided to go with Norwex for our cleaning products and we joined an online wellness shopping club for essential oils, vitamins, and supplements. You can find more about these at our Norwex Facebook Page or email us about the shopping club. Be sure to include a phone number or other means to get in touch with you.

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https://simpleseniorhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/cancer-389921_1280-1024x678.jpghttps://simpleseniorhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/cancer-389921_1280-150x150.jpgRaphaelGeneralHealthy PracticesCancer,Cash benefits,Health insurance SupplementEvery Sunday in church, I feel like more and more people are added to the prayer list because of cancer. I see cancer benefit dinners, fundraisers, and gofundme pages all the time because of this overbearing disease. Even the futures of some dear friends of mine are hanging in the...Making Senior Health Simple