A new report from the Canadian Cancer Society estimates the average cancer patient is expected to incur $33,000 in costs, including out of pocket-expenses and lost income due to treatment and recovery priorities during their lifetime.
The report, Canadian Cancer Statistics: A 2024 special report on the economic impact of cancer in Canada, was developed by the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee, in collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, Statistics Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and is based on data provided by provincial and territorial cancer registries.
It notes that the financial burden on caregivers and people with cancer is expected to be $7.5-billion in 2024. This represents about 20 per cent of total cancer costs in Canada. Given the rising cost of living, the cancer society’s researchers also say the $7.5-billion figure is expected to climb to $8.8-billion within the next decade.
The researchers found that those in lower income households, those on fixed incomes and those in rural and remote communities were most disproportionately affected.
“Over the lifetime of each person, an average of $11,199 in time costs, $16,018 in out-of-pocket costs and $5,560 in indirect costs are expected to be incurred by people with cancer and their caregivers,” the report states. “In total, and averaged across all cancer types, an individual is expected to incur $32,778 in costs related to cancer over their lifetime.”
First year of care
The total cost of cancer to society is expected to be $37.7-billion in 2024, they add. They also say the first year after a cancer diagnosis is the costliest for people with the disease. “Costs for people with cancer and their caregivers for the first year of care are projected to total $5.2-billion in 2024, which is just under half of the costs borne by health systems for this phase of care.”
The report also looks at the cost of cancer drugs, at new treatments and therapies, the costs to health care systems, the projected economic impact by cancer type (lung cancer is reportedly the costliest diagnosis for caregivers and patients; lung cancer costs are also projected to increase the most in the coming decade) and costs by phase of care.
A growing burden on insurers
It also notes the growing burden on insurers, saying private health insurance accounts for approximately 13 per cent of spending on health services not covered by public insurance programs.
“Not all cancer drugs are covered by provincial programs,” they note. “Varying considerably by province, the national average is approximately 96 per cent of in-hospital drugs are covered while only 70 per cent of take-home medications for cancer are covered,” the report states. “However, only about 60 per cent of people in Canada are covered by private health insurance, most often as a benefit of employment. Comprehensive national drug coverage could help address the disparities in access to take-home cancer drugs.”
Dr. Stuart Edmonds, executive vice president, mission, research and advocacy with the Canadian Cancer Society, in a statement about the release of the publication says the issue is complex, systemic and can’t be resolved in isolation. “We live in a country with universal healthcare, yet people with cancer are still footing a big bill,” he adds. “We know there are choices that governments of all levels can make to reduce out-of-pocket costs.”
