On WebMD, NBCC’s Chief Programs Office Michelle Tregear writes:
Financial toxicity isn’t just about big hospital bills. It includes all the costs – medical and nonmedical – that pile up during cancer treatment, as well as indirect costs: lost income from missing work, out-of-pocket expenses for things insurance doesn’t cover, the cost of transportation and child care, even parking fees. And it brings more than economic hardship. There’s emotional trauma, shame, and fear that add to a patient’s suffering.
