For many Black Americans with multiple myeloma, socioeconomic status can stand in the way of even standard care, especially for those who live in rural areas, according to Calloway-Campbell.

Youre not close to an academic center, she says. And local doctors may not have even heard of multiple myeloma. Getting to a doctor can be near-impossible for people who dont have a car or other means of transportation, as well, and even gathering information can be challenging without easy access to Wi-Fi.

Treatment for myeloma is exorbitantly expensive too. According to a study published in JAMA Open Network in July 2021, the average lifetime cost of treating multiple myeloma was upwards of $185,000 an intimidating price tag for most people, much less for those who may be unemployed or underpaid, lacking health insurance, or inadequately covered.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI)reports that while 67 percent of white Americans under 65 and 44 percent over 65 have private health insurance, only 51 percent of African Americans under 65 and 28 percent over 65 are insured. And private health insurance is key to quality myeloma care.

According to the NCI, for instance, non-white recipients of Medicaid or Medicare are less likely to be prescribed new drugs or treated with stem cell transplants compared to non-white patients who have private insurance. This is significant, given a quarter of Medicare and Medicare Advantage recipients are African American.

Financial assistance for myeloma treatment is available though. On the IMF websites Financial Assistance page, for instance, are a list of options ranging from small stipends, which can be put directly toward treatment, to sources of help for non-medical expenses, such as transportation and childcare. The organization also has a page with information about drug reimbursement and help with copays.

Other sources for financial aid for people of all ethnicities living with multiple myeloma include:

Originally posted here:
Multiple Myeloma in the Black Community - Everyday Health