Helpful Breastcancer.org Links About Employment & Finances

Moderators

Some information helpful on the main Breastcancer.org site regarding employment, insurance and other financial issues:

• The Paying for Your Care section includes good tips on lowering your cost of medication, navigating your health insurance, and what to do if you have no insurance.
• The Breast Cancer and Your Job section offers great advice on working during treatment, taking time off from work for treatment, finding a new job, talking to your boss and co-workers about your diagnosis and more!

Hope this helps!

--The Mods

hollygolightly

Hello!

I was formally diagnosed with Stage I IBC in February after a diagnostic mammogram, several biopsies, and two MRIs. I had a bilateral mastectomy on May 12th. I have not worked since then. I also decided to have reconstruction, and I just had my exchange surgery on Monday, August 18th. The nature of my work renders it impossible to perform required tasks. I work in nursing with paralyzed veterans. I have been waiting for over two months for a reply from the Pink Fund. Fortunately, my medical bills are covered from a state-funded program for cancer patients in Illinois. Unfortunately, my daily bills are not. That is why I appealed to them. The Pink Fund had decided that they are unable to assist me because they do not consider "reconstruction" "Active Treatment". I believe that I have already been through "Active Treatment". Isn't a cancer diagnosis, a biopsy and finally surgery and recovery considered "Active Treatment"? Anyway, the passage BELOW is taken directly from their website, and "reconstruction" is not mentioned. Fine. If they do not want reconstruction as part of their grant program, so be it. All the rest of the qualification guidelines are clear. And I qualify. Has anyone else had a problem with the Pink Fund? I personally received a phone call from the founder to discuss this discrepancy. Still, I was denied. I am looking for financial assistance for cost of living bills only. I have a return to work date of September 15th. Any ideas anyone? Thank you!!

Do I Qualify?

Please read carefully. The following information will help determine if you meet our qualification guidelines.

The Pink Fund distributes short-term financial aid, for basic living expenses, on behalf of breast cancer patients who have lost all or a part of their income during active treatment. Payments are made directly to the patient’s creditors. Aid may be available for patients during recovery, up to 90 days post active treatment.

1. Short term is defined as a period of up to three consecutive months.
2. Basic living expenses consideredare health insurance premiums, mortgage or rent payments, car payments, car insurance, or utilities. The Pink Fund does not make payments for any medical treatments, prescription drugs (including hormone therapy), medical co- pays, insurance deductibles, prostheses, wigs, food, gasoline, or car repairs.
3. Active treatment is defined as the period after a positive diagnosis of breast cancer has been made (with a diagnostic biopsy), and during which therapies are being administered, including surgical procedures (e.g., single or bi-lateral mastectomy, lumpectomy, axillary dissection or sentinel node biopsy), chemotherapy or radiation. For the purposes of The Pink Fund, active treatment does not include long-term hormonal therapies (including Tamoxifen, Fareston, Arimidex, Aromasin, Femara, Zoladex/Lupron, Megace, and Halotestin).
4. Recovery is defined as a time period determined by your physician and includes a return-to-work date