Over the years, the amount of money Americans pay for their health has increased. This article covers 5 medical treatments that can cost you tons of money.
5 Costly Medical Treatments
As an American, these are 5 medical treatments that can force you to break the bank:
Treatments in the Face of a Crisis
While specific experts compare the cost of treating hepatitis C to HIV, both have notable differences. Hepatitis C has majorly affected the Baby Boomer generation, while HIV only became very prevalent in the 1980s resulting in the rapid progression of the cost of treatment.
Steven Pearson, president of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, said the amount being charged for hepatitis C is not out of line when you consider fees for other diseases such as cancer. However, he said you could end up with a budget impact that is not viable in the short term.
HIV
HIV affects more than 1.1 million Americans. The majority of these citizens are on life-saving and expensive antiretroviral therapy. If not, they would develop AIDS and eventually die. With the therapy, they can live regular lives almost on par with the rest of Americans.
Most people in the U.S. can access these medications irrespective of their ability to pay. However, the cost of the medications keeps increasing as single-tablet regimens become available. For instance, a medication called Truvada used to prevent HIV costs $1,200 per month or $14,400 per year. Calculated over a lifetime, the cost is staggering.
Multiple Sclerosis
Medications for multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases are also at the top of drug costs. According to Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies in Northeast Florida, drugs for treating multiple sclerosis can reach upwards of $5,000 per month.
Cancer
According to San Francisco Bay area internist Dr. David Belk, biologics for cancer treatment can run as high as $32,000, excluding transfusion costs. He also said surgery and other forms of treatment may still be required, further driving up the cost.
Arthritis
An increasing number of biological drugs are now on the consumer market for treating multiple forms of arthritis. However, these medications do not save lives and can only improve them to different degrees.
According to the American College of Rheumatology, biologics for treating various forms of arthritis run upward of $12,000 annually.
Conclusion
Medical treatments can be costly depending on the conditions affecting you. However, you can consult your doctor for more affordable treatment options which align with your budget.
