October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Each year in the US, approximately 264,000 women and 2,400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. Different people have different symptoms; some don’t experience symptoms at all. Many factors, including family history and simply getting older, can increase the risk of breast cancer, but these risks can be mitigated with regular self-exams and annual screenings.
Breast cancer treatment is expensive, especially if your medical insurance has high deductibles and/or high out of pocket maximums. According to WebMD, average treatment costs for the different stages of breast cancer follow:
- For women diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer (small, localized tumors), these medical costs totaled $48,477, on average, 6 months after diagnosis. The total rose to $71,909 after 2 years.
- For stages I and II (tumors had not grown deeply into nearby tissues), the range was $61,621-$97,066
- For stage III (larger tumors that spread to nearby areas), $84,481-$159,442
- For stage IV (affecting other parts of the body), $89,463-$182,655
While these costs are mitigated by insurance, the financial toll of treatment can still wreak havoc on your bank accounts.
The Critical Illness Champion from First Responders Benefit Trust can truly come to the rescue. The plan pays up to $50,000 upon diagnosis of 13 different illnesses/events. Cancer is just one of those diagnoses. We understand how important annual screenings are to your overall health, so the Critical Illness Champion also pays you to go see your doctor. Each person covered under the plan is eligible for a $50 annual wellness benefit after you’ve had your plan for just 30 days. We’ll cover your children (to the age of 26) at no additional premium cost, and they’re eligible for the wellness benefit, as well!
To view the brochure for this policy, click (here). If you’d like a premium quote, please reach out to FRBT Account Manager, Yvonna Lex, at yvonna.lex@frbt.us.