Cancer Patients Access to Better Drugs If They’re Insured

2 April 2013

Cancer Patients Have Access To Better Drugs If They’re Insured

Many patients have a better chance of surviving cancer if they have insurance that funds access to a wider range of lifesaving drugs, according to an Auckland Hospital clinician. Dr Rob Young says it is generally accepted among health professionals that patients with personal risk insurance often have more options available to them than public sector patients.

“New Zealand’s Pharmac funded healthcare system does not always offer patients the most advanced drugs available. Some expensive treatments which are commonplace in other first world countries, for example, are not available to the average New Zealander.”

Dr Young says Pharmac is quite active in restricting the availability of some drugs in New Zealand. “This comes as a surprise to many patients who mistakenly believe the Government will always provide them with the best treatments available. Sadly, this can be devastating to families because by the time they find out unfunded chemotherapy drugs are available elsewhere, it is often too late.”

Asteron Life managing director David Carter says New Zealanders have a misguided belief that if they get sick the Government will look after them.

“We tend to be over reliant on ACC and think that hospitals will completely take care of us if we fall ill. But the reality is that hospital costs may only be a small part of the costs of a long term illness.”

According to a recent study of NZ households by the Financial Services Council, victims of serious illness will quickly plunge into serious financial trouble. About 20 per cent of households will be unable to meet their expenses within one week following a serious illness diagnosis. This figure increases to 55 per cent within one month.

Carter says few New Zealanders contemplate what will happen if they get cancer or have a heart attack. “One in three people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime. You are more likely to have your health and lifestyle put on hold from cancer than any other type of life threatening illness in New Zealand.”

Carter says 95 per cent of households do not own any form of income protection, meaning that their lifestyles are likely to be severely compromised if they get sick. “If you have insurance cover in place you should have more options available to you in terms of medical specialists, the latest drugs and treatments, as well as financial cover for time you have off work.”

About Asteron Life:
Asteron Life Limited is one of New Zealand’s leading life insurers and is part of the Australasian Suncorp Group of companies. In New Zealand, Asteron Life looks after the financial protection needs of over 200,000 clients.

ENDS

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