You have a right to know how much you will have to pay for treatment. Your doctors and other health care providers must talk to you about likely out-of-pocket costs before treatment starts. This is called informed financial consent.

It might seem like a lot of effort to get cost estimates before you start treatment, but it gives you the chance to discuss ways to reduce the costs or get financial support.

Before you decide whether to have treatment as a private or public patient, ask the doctor, hospital or service provider how much you will have to pay.

A gap payment is the difference between what a doctor charges you and how much Medicare or your health fund will give you back.

If you have private health insurance, contact your health fund to check that your treatment in hospital is covered and to ask about your gap cover.

Gap cover is the arrangement some health funds make with individual doctors about gap payments. It can insure you against some of the difference between what a specialist charges you and what Medicare will give you back.

Choosing to use the doctors and hospitals that take part in your health insurer’s medical gap scheme can help reduce out-of-pocket costs. You will have to pay these costs yourself. 

The way that cancer affects your income will depend on your situation. You may work on a casual, part-time or full-time basis, work from home or be self-employed.

Or you may be retired and living on a pension, income from investments or your superannuation payments.

• Time off work – cancer may mean a loss of income if you or your carer need to take time off work. If you are working, ask your doctor how much time off you may need. Many people can continue working during treatment, although having some time off for treatment and recovery is common.
• Leave – talk with your employer about leave entitlements and flexible working arrangements. The types of leave you may be able to take include paid sick leave, annual leave, long service leave and unpaid leave. If you have a partner or carer, they can speak with their employer about what leave they may be entitled to – they may be able to take carer’s leave or unpaid leave to look after you and/or your children, if you have any. If you are self-employed, you may need to find some other sources of income
• Insurance – if you have income protection insurance (also called salary continuance insurance), you may be able to receive a portion of your income while you are unable to work. You might have taken out a policy yourself, or it could have been included with your superannuation or provided by your employer.

See Cancer, work and you for more information.

The financial impact of cancer is different for each person and will depend on the cancer type, stage and treatment, as well as your financial situation before the diagnosis.

Whether you have treatment as a public or private patient can also make a big difference to your costs. If you are struggling financially, talk to your doctor about ways you could reduce your treatment costs.

Your doctor can help you connect with a social worker or welfare officer who can provide more information about what financial and practical support is available.

In some cases, if you have no other way to pay for treatment, you may be able to access your superannuation early.

• Make a budget – an important step in managing your finances is to fully assess your financial situation. A budget helps you understand how much money you have, how much you spend, and how much you need to cover your expenses.
• Take action – if you’re experiencing financial hardship, take action early to deal with the situation. The longer you wait, the more worrying the debts will become. Let the organisations you owe money to (your creditors) know about your diagnosis and financial situation. Often they will try to help you.
• Get help – dealing with financial issues can affect your wellbeing and your relationships (see page 10). Talking to a trusted family member or a professional adviser about your finances may help you understand your situation better and find solutions. Cancer Council provides some legal and financial support services. 

Money worries are the leading cause of stress for Australians. It is very common for people to struggle with the financial impact of cancer. It’s also common for people to feel too embarrassed to ask for help.

This may be the first time you have ever needed financial help or had difficulty balancing your budget and you don’t know where to start.

A good first step is to talk to a member of your treatment team or call us on 13 11 20 to find out about services that can help.

Financial stress can add to the worry of being diagnosed with cancer and may feel overwhelming. For some people, it can lead to depression, anxiety, and conflict with family members.

If you have continued feelings of sadness, have trouble getting up in the morning or have lost motivation to do things that previously gave you pleasure, you may be experiencing depression.

Depression is quite common among people who have had cancer. For information about coping with depression and anxiety, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, and for 24-hour crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Getting help with your finances can take a great weight off your mind, but if you are finding it hard to cope emotionally, there are several options to consider:

• talk to your GP, as counselling and/or medicine – even for a short time – may help. Some people can get a Medicare rebate for sessions with an accredited counsellor or a psychologist.
• check whether you can talk to a psychologist or social worker at your cancer care centre.
• call 13 11 20 to find out more about our nurse counselling program.
• manage your overall stress by doing regular physical activity,  eating healthy food, and listening to a meditation or relaxation recording.

When cancer affects your finances, seeing a qualified professional for advice can help. Whether you should see a financial counsellor or financial adviser will depend on your circumstances.

• Financial counsellors – provide practical suggestions to help people manage their personal budget and finances, especially those on low incomes. They can refer people for legal advice and other services. They provide a free service to their clients and cannot charge fees or commissions. A financial counsellor can also negotiate and advocate for people at financial risk. To talk to a financial counsellor, phone the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
• Financial advisers (also called financial planners) –  provide advice to help people manage their assets and financial affairs to achieve their personal and financial goals. Financial advisers must have an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) or work for businesses with an AFSL. Financial advisers usually charge fees – some receive commissions for selling financial products, and others do not receive commissions and are not linked with any specific products. To find a financial adviser, visit moneysmart.gov.au's financial advisers register.

If you are unable to look after your own financial affairs, you can legally appoint someone to make financial or legal decisions for you. This is known as an enduring power of attorney or the appointment of a substitute decision-maker.

Talk to a lawyer to get specific advice about your situation. Cancer Council may be able to connect you with someone who can provide legal advice. Call 13 11 20.

Asking your health care providers questions will help you make an informed financial choice. You may want to include some of these questions in your own list:

Treatment costs

• How much will I have to pay for consultations?
• How much will I have to pay for imaging scans or other tests?
• Can you give me a written estimate of treatment costs?
• Are there other effective treatments that cost less?
• Who else will care for me and how can I find out what their fees will be?
• Are there any out-of-pocket costs not covered by Medicare or my private health cover?
• Will there be any up-front payments?
• Do you bulk-bill?
• Can I be treated as a public patient?

Health fund

• Am I covered for this surgery?
• Do I have to pay an excess or co-payment?
• Do you have a gap scheme?
• Is my hospital or doctor covered by your gap scheme?

Financial impacts of treatment

• Are the costs negotiable? Can the cost be reduced if I can’t afford it?
• When will I have to pay? Do you offer flexible repayment plans? Do you charge interest?
• Will I be able to work while having treatment?

Financial help

• What Centrelink benefits am I able to claim?
• Who can I talk to about my financial situation and available financial support?
• What financial support is available to me?
• Am I eligible for patient travel assistance? How do I apply?

Keeping track of how much you spend for a couple of weeks will help you learn where your money goes. You can:

• jot down expenses in a notebook or spreadsheet
• look over bank statements, regular bills and receipts
• use an online tool such as Money Smart's budget planner
• download an app to your mobile phone – visit the App Store or Google Play to see what is available
• check if your bank has a budget planner included in their app or on their website.

Decide if your budget time frame will be weekly, fortnightly, monthly or yearly.

It can be helpful to choose the time frame that matches your pay period. If there are expenses you only pay once a year:

• divide by 52 to work out the weekly cost
• divide by 26 to work out the fortnightly cost
• divide by 12 to work out the monthly cost.

Your income is all the money you have coming in. Examples include:

• take-home (after tax) pay and bonuses
• income from investments, shares or property
• government benefits, such as Centrelink payments
• child support payments
• repayments from anyone who owes you money (debtors)
• any other income.

Your expenses are all the things you spend money on. Examples include:

• housing – rent or mortgage, council rates, strata fees
• food, groceries, alcohol
• loan repayments – car loan, personal loan, credit cards
• utilities – electricity, gas, water, phone, mobile, internet, pay TV, streaming services
• insurance – home and contents, car, private health, life
• health – medical, dental, optical
• transport – petrol, registration, repairs, fares, parking fees
• education – childcare, school fees, uniforms, textbooks, HECS–HELP repayments
• clothing and shoes
• personal care (e.g. haircuts)
• entertainment, holidays, gifts
• child support payments
• unpaid fines
• incidentals (pocket money)
• memberships (e.g. gym, clubs).

To work out the difference between your income and expenses:

• add up all your income (step 3)
• add up all your expenses (step 4)
• take away your expenses from your income.

If you spend more than you earn, that is, your expenses are greater than your income, see if there are ways you can increase your income or reduce your expenses.