FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 7, 2021 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 33
health
Americans get cash to help pay down medical debt
When Katy Carroll Moncus learned she
had breast cancer, like many Americans,
she was devastated. A young professional
dreaming about her future family,
Moncus was fi lled with uncertainty -
how would she fi ght this, what would her
future look like and how would she aff ord
the treatment needed? She is not alone.
Every year, millions of people are hit
with unexpected medical bills that their
health insurance isn’t designed to cover.
Whether it is an unexpected illness, a
long-term diagnosis or an accident, many
hardworking Americans are negatively
impacted by medical debt. In fact,
more than half of Americans are living
paycheck to paycheck - and most
don’t have the fi nancial means to support
themselves or their families should the
unforeseen occur.
Initial diagnosis
Moncus was 29 and a newlywed of just
three months when she noticed a lump
in her breast. To this day, the diagnosis
of it being a malignant tumor was the
shock of her life. To complicate matters,
she was told her treatment to combat the
cancer would compromise her fertility. A
family was something Moncus had always
dreamed of.
Fighting
“Fighting cancer is a full-time job,” said
Moncus, a real-life Afl ac policyholder and
employee. Not only was she now fi ghting
breast cancer, but she was also fi ghting
for her future family. Aft er speaking with
her doctor, Moncus learned about injections
she could take to protect her ability
to have children.
Th e next hurdle was fi nancial. For
patients like Moncus who are struggling
with illnesses that not only aff ect their
physical health, but their mental health as
they struggle with losing their self-identity,
the last thing they want to think about is
navigating the healthcare system and bills.
With American medical debt ballooning
to nearly $140 billion in 2020, lowincome
families and people of color are
disproportionately impacted. In fact, 55%
of Black and 44% of Latinx adults reported
medical bills and debt compared to
32% of white adults, according to a recent
Commonwealth Fund survey.
Relief
Moncus was able to help pay for the
injections to protect her fertility with the
cash received from her Afl ac supplemental
cancer insurance. Th e policy gave her
a sense of relief that she could help protect
her ability to have children and start
the life she always dreamed of. Moncus
has conquered breast cancer and has two
beautiful daughters with the help of the
additional fi nancial coverage her policy
provided to help cover her care.
Helping others
To help patients like Moncus with
unexpected expenses due to a medical
event, Afl ac is giving away $1 million
in CareGrants — funds for families
and communities to help close the
health and wealth gap — through the
end of 2022.
In October, during Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, $100,000 will be given
away to individuals experiencing medical
debt. To show support for those battling
this disease and all forms of cancer, illnesses,
and injury, individuals will receive
$5,000 to help them focus on recovery,
not fi nances. To submit for a CareGrant
or to nominate someone who may need
support, visit Afl ac.com/Care Oct. 1-31 to
share your story.
“Medical bills can be suff ocating for
millions of Americans,” says Shannon
Watkins, Afl ac Chief Brand and Marketing
Offi cer. “No one should have to make the
impossible choice between food and shelter
or paying medical debt. We want to
help close the gap for Americans facing
this challenge - by showing them what
it’s like to have Afl ac when the unexpected
occurs - to help them focus on their
recovery, instead of worrying about their
expenses.”
Katy was paid for her time in telling
her story. This article contains the opinions
of an Aflac policyholder and is not
intended to portray any specific benefits
or details of Aflac cancer insurance
policies, which may vary based on state
and plan options. For more information
about Aflac insurance policies, contact
your Aflac agent or visit aflac.com.
Coverage is underwritten by Aflac. In
New York, coverage is underwritten by
Aflac New York.
— Courtesy of BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
/Care
/aflac.com
