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 (see the list of Questions for your doctor).
For more on this, see Cancer care and your rights or visit What will I have to pay for treatment?
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Rania Tannous, Head of Legal, Corporate, Legal and Governance, AMP; Patricia Troll, Senior Legal Counsel, AMP Financial Services Legal, Legal and Governance, AMP; Lynette Brailey, Program Coordinator, Financial Assistance Service, Cancer Council NSW; Stephen Bray, Financial Planner, FM Financial, TAS; Angela Daly, Senior Social Worker, Cancer Services, The Adem Crosby Centre, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, QLD; Sandra Hodge, Consumer; Sandi Johnson, Consumer; Antony Mitchell, Financial Counsellor, Financial Counselling Program, Cancer Council VIC; Lucy Pollerd, Social Worker, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Heather Richards, Consumer; Deb Roffe, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
