Financial Support
If your risk for inherited breast cancer is potentially high, the Right Actions might be to involve extra testing, like mammograms and MRIs, at an earlier age. You may choose medical or surgical preventive actions. Learn more about Right Action for Potentially High Inherited Risk here.
How will you pay for all of this? Many of the expenses are regularly covered by most insurance plans. Often it helps to get your doctor's office and/or genetic counselor to lobby the insurance company on your behalf. If your insurance still denies coverage, if you don't have insurance, or if you're worried about letting your insurance company know about your increased risk for breast cancer, you'll find important information in this section.
Right Action Financial Assistance Program
Right Action for Women is dedicated to making sure all young women have access to the best screening available, including regular MRIs. An important step toward achieving this goal is the recent launch of the Right Action Financial Assistance Program. In partnership with Right Action for Women and the Cancer Support Community (www.cancersupportcommunity.org), Patient Services, Inc (PSI) is offering a national financial assistance program to help young women who are at high risk for breast cancer gain access to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening. For more information about Patient Services, Inc. and the financial assistance program, visit https://www.patientservicesinc.org/illnesses-and-conditions/breastcancerscreeningprogram.aspx.
Insurance & Legal Issues
If you tell your insurance company you're getting genetic testing, will they use the information against you? Is genetic risk considered a pre-existing condition? Are there laws protecting you from discrimination based on genetic testing? All good questions.
Support Organizations
There are some strong support organizations that can help finance screening and preventive treatment for women at high risk who can't afford it or whose insurance will not cover it.
Here's a list of support organizations.
Public & Government Programs
Public and government programs are also available to help cover screening and treatment for young women with high breast cancer risk.
