Does Health Insurance Protect Against Financial Catastrophe in Pancreatic Cancer Care? A Retrospective Review of Patients Undergoing Surgical Resection for Pancreatic Cancer at the University of Alabama

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US. Cancer patients are 3 times more likely to file for bankruptcy. Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancerrelated death in the US. It is estimated 10% of insured and 90% of uninsured individuals risk financial catastrophe as a result of PC treatment. We calculated the risk of financial catastrophe in PC patients undergoing pancreatic resection at a major academic institution.