My fellow cancer advocate and friend, Trish, recently posted a Reel on Instagram about how much it costs her monthly to get her medication. And it got me thinking about my own costs of survivorship. This topic is particularly relevant, as September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, and I just so happened to be on my way to pick up my prescription of Synthroid, the daily synthetic thyroid hormone replacement medication I’ve been on since my thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2013, when I saw her video.
As an 11-year thyroid cancer survivor, my survival quite literally depends on me getting my synthetic thyroid hormone replacement pill each day. Without it, I couldn’t function, and after enough time, well, that would be the end of me since I no longer have a thyroid. But for survivors, our life-saving monthly medication needs are just one part of the equation. I regularly see my endocrinologist for follow-up care, routine blood work, and to get the prescription for my yearly neck ultrasound. Now that I am more than a decade out from my diagnosis, the frequency of my routine visits has dwindled, yet the out-of-pocket costs seem just as high.
In April 2024, I had to get off of my COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) health plan that I had been on for 36 months since leaving my full-time employment and embarking on my entrepreneurial journey. While some may know, COBRA is exorbitantly expensive, as you cover 100 percent of the premium (plus an administrative fee) sans employer. However, it was nothing compared to the months I spent to find a broker who eventually helped me get a comprehensive medical plan. But even it has limitations, which I realized when bills started coming my way after seeing my providers and going for my routine scans.
Trish’s video where she shared the costs of survivorship got me thinking of my own expenses. While I am fortunate that my thyroid hormone replacement medication is relatively cheap per month (~$45 or $134.54 for a three-month supply), my insurance company does not cover any of the cost. On top of that, the scans and comprehensive blood work I still go for come to thousands of dollars after my insurance covers their part. In total, I calculated my medication costs at about $540 per year, and then I have a few thousand dollars in out-of-pocket expenses for scans. This realization inspired me to remix Trish’s Reel (with permission, of course), and I thought I would share it with you here, if you haven’t seen it yet on my Instagram.
The cost of care in this country, outside of basic healthcare, is staggering. For cancer survivors, it becomes a regular part of their daily existence. But as Trish pointed out, why are we being penalized for joining a club we didn’t ask to be in?
If you’re a cancer survivor or a person with a chronic illness, I’d love to invite you to join this conversation in the comments below or on Instagram!
I have not one, but two chronic illnesses. The costs are staggering for me, too. For me, the issue was also with my insurance company constantly denying my claims for life-sustaining medications, routine exams and treatments (including a recent surgery)! It is exhausting and I’ve cried on the phone with them many times. We shouldn’t have to make the decision to stay alive or put food on the table!
I can totally relate, Lindsay! The fact that my insurance company determines which thyroid meds I should take is crazy to me. We really shouldn’t have to make these kinds of decisions. Wishing you luck on your survivorship journey!