COVID-19 has wreaked havoc with cancer patients. The healthcare system has been overrun throughout the ongoing pandemic. Diagnosis of cancer and treatment of the disease has become an issue that we will not understand for several years.
Now, with the availability of a vaccine, cancer patients should consider comorbidities – the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient (cancer and COVID-19, in this case).
The first two vaccines approved by the United States FDA, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, are Messenger RNA (mRNA) – a single-strand RNA molecule complementary to a gene’s DNA strand. mRNA vaccines teach cells to make a protein to trigger an immune response. The immune response produces antibodies, which protect the body against infection.
(Fun fact: Cancer researchers already use mRNA to trigger immune responses targeting specific cancer cells.)
Cancer patients’ concern lies within potential defects in lymphocyte function, which may require unique initial vaccine dosing and booster schedules. (Lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell, including T cells – natural killer cells – and B cells, essential to the immune system.) The vaccine’s triggered immune response should be considered, depending on the patient’s therapy cycle.
More than 60 coronavirus vaccines are in various human clinical trials; 17 have reached Phase 3, the final test stages. Beyond that, more than 80 preclinical vaccines are being tested in animals.
Other COVID-19-centric vaccines being tested, including:
- protein-based vaccines
- viral vector vaccines to use the body’s cells to produce antigens
- inactivated or attenuated vaccines
Inactivated or attenuated vaccines may not be good choices for cancer patients. You can learn more about the various types of vaccines at www.vaccines.gov.
While the healthcare system has been under siege, people have faced a seldom-discussed crisis. During the pandemic, many cancer patients lost their jobs and insurance, which affected their access to care and a treatment plan.
Congress has signed off on two stimulus packages; the latest includes a policy statement regarding the succession or reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, $2 billion for Space Force, and a “three-martini lunch” tax deduction for business meals.
The package does not include hazard pay for essential workers, but lawmakers will tout a ban on “surprise medical bills.” The bill mandates health providers to negotiate with insurance companies for a fair price for patients, rather than charging the full cost. … The provision begins in 2022. It also does not cover ambulance trips.
However, Capitol Hill continues to fail to grasp the realities of Main Street, USA.
But those who need immediate care may have an asset already on hand to help alleviate angst and avoid the financial toxicity side effect.
Treatment costs – plus the often-underestimated out-of-pocket costs – can be covered with a life insurance policy. LifeGuide Partners can help you evaluate and monetize assets – like insurance policies – to produce immediate cash flow to pay for health care or unexpected expenses.
A life settlement involves selling an insurance policy for a one-time cash payment. The cash payment is less than the death benefit (but more than the surrender value) and provides immediate cash to pay for financial needs.
It is that simple: Sell the insurance policy and use that money for financial needs. A third-party buyer will assume payment of the premiums and will receive the benefit. Meanwhile, you walk away with the money to live life.
LifeGuide’s experts help those diagnosed with cancer explore every financial option available. Reach out at 833-2-CANCER or complete a short online application.