It’s unfortunate when cancerous tumors cause victims to turn away from legitimate means of financial compensation. Luckily, there are plenty of options available for those interested in exploring their chances at getting paid by legal measures like lawsuits or medical benefits programs.
It is essential to know what each aspect brings to the table as circumstances are different for every patient. Some patients may need to stay in the hospital longer while others get discharged early. So, with the correct information, they can comfortably pay. To help them, here is what they need to know:
1. Legal Compensation
The most common cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure. Unless you work with asbestos products, the chances of you exposing yourself are non-existent. So when you get diagnosed with mesothelioma, you get the opportunity to hold companies responsible. There are various legal routes that you can pursue depending on your lawyer’s advice and the severity of your case.
So it is highly recommended that you seek a lawyer specializing in mesothelioma cases to make your choice. Institutions like Simmons Hanly Conroy are your greatest asset while launching a lawsuit. Here is an overview of the legal options you should know to make your case:
- Lawsuit. You can demand legal compensation based on your diagnosis if you’re filing a lawsuit. These cases go to court and get decided by the jury. If you win your case, you may get sufficient funds to get treated comfortably. All in all, your lawyer handles the process of filing a lawsuit.
- Settlement. Companies that prefer settling out of court may push for a settlement. With your lawyer, you can negotiate different prices till you and the company reach a mutual agreement. The money you get from a settlement depends on various factors, including the mesothelioma prognosis.
- Trust Funds. Bankrupt companies have to set money aside to pay victims. When you submit a claim to a trust fund, they review your case and assign a percentage value to it. Similar cases are totaled, and each claim gets a percentage of the total. The timeline for a trust fund payout by far is the shortest.
- Trial by Verdict. If you take the company to trial, you let the jury decide your fate. Trials take a long time, often years. Unless you’re willing to wait that long, ask your lawyer for help.
2. Health Insurance
Health insurance is the type of insurance that covers the patient’s medical and surgical bills. Depending on the type of insurance, either public or private, the patient gets help. Health insurance is the most popular type of payment support. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2020, 91.4% of the population had insurance.
Most insurance covers hospitalization, prescriptions, and preventative medical procedures while patients copay. That means a certain percentage of the cost has gone from the patient’s pockets. Insurance companies can also deny coverage. If they find a medical procedure that the patient has to go through irrelevant, they will not shoulder the extra cost. So it helps if patients contact their insurance companies and discuss at length what they can get coverage for.
Some companies also offer cancer insurance which helps patients pay for cancer-specific bills. The only catch is that cancer insurance needs to get acquired before the patient gets diagnosed with cancer and not after. There are also types of health insurances such as:
- Managed Care Plans. Through managed care plans, the insurance company has contracts with a network of providers to help lower the cost of care. A list of these institutions gets provided to the patient. If the patient ventures out of the list of hospitals provided by the plan, they may have to pay additional costs and penalties.
- Point Of Service Plans. A point service plan allows the patient to make a choice. They can choose to get treated through a primary physician, using the network, or using a non-network care program.
- Fee-For-Service Plan. The patient can choose their preferred place of treatment. According to the patient’s choice, the insurance company pays about 80% of the cost while the patient pays the rest.
3. Government Programs
Patients with a poor income and advanced age are eligible for government programs. The two most common organizations which provide support are Medicare and Medicaid. Each government program offers coverage to a specific cancer program, such as covering for chemotherapy sessions.
The patient only pays 20% of the total cost, making it easier to get treated. Other cancer programs cover the cost of post-treatment drugs, painkillers, and treatment for side effects. Each program has information about the care program, including the details a patient needs to submit to access them. So, depending on what the patient needs help with, they can contact the relevant program.
4. Veterans Benefits
The United States Department of Veterans affairs makes healthcare possible for veterans. It provides them with benefits such as access to medical centers to help with cancer treatment. Many of these institutions have substantial experience working with mesothelioma, but veterans can choose another center.
The benefits include access to treatment options such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. The only factor a veteran needs to worry about is applying. So if you fall into this category, you should check out the process.
What Are The Types Of Expenses In Mesothelioma Treatment?
Here are some examples of the cost:
- Surgery. Surgery costs vary for each patient. Most surgical procedures are expensive, and with cancer as rare as mesothelioma, anticipate high costs. There is no exact figure since your cancer will determine how long the procedure needs to be.
- Testing. You will need to submit X-rays, CT scans, and other diagnostic tests that a doctor requires. As the medical professional moves along with your diagnosis, they may request several more tests. Chest X-rays alone cost thousands of dollars. Getting more than one and multiple tests can land you an approximate bill of ten thousand or even more.
- Hospitalization. When you start treatment, you can get hospitalized. You may experience severe side effects or need time to recover from surgery. If you choose to spend three days at the hospital, your bill can go up to $30,000.
Wrap Up
While getting treated for mesothelioma, your medical bills can total to a high amount. They can put you in debt, and even a gradual payoff is impossible. So it helps to tap into resources that can make payment more manageable. You should go for legal compensation if you’re sure you got ill from a company’s recklessness. There are also options for you if you use health insurance. In addition, government organizations and veteran benefits can help you. When you have a collection of resources, it is easier to get help.
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