Financial worries come up with all cancers. What happens to your income? How long can you be off work? What are the benefits you might receive? How will you pay for any expenses in your treatment that are not covered by your health plan?
Income coverage for each person is unique, based on contributions to various programs, on assets, and other options. Income resources can be separated into four categories:
- Contribution Programs: including Employment Insurance Benefits and Canada Pension Plan-Disability Benefits, both of these are federal programs.
- Asset-tested Programs: usually municipal and provincial programs, sometimes called Social Assistance, Welfare, or Disability Benefits. Each municipality and province operates under their own rules and legislation.
- Income Programs: from your employment that may include short-term and long-term disability.
- Personal Assets: these are unique to each person, and may include liquid assets such as savings, GICs, stocks, bonds, and RSPs, plus other assets such as investments, life insurance policy, and property.
Other valuable resources when coping with your illness include medical and drug coverage through:
- Extended health plans with your employer
- Personal health plans in which you have purchased your own coverage
- Municipal or provincial drug benefits programs
- Federal drug coverage programs for refugees and refugee claimants
More information is available in Ovarian Cancer Canada's You are Not Alone.
Additional Resources