Americans delaying cancer screenings over cost fears, lack of trust in healthcare

JACKSON, Tenn. — Routine cancer screenings can help prevent cancer or detect it early, but 73% of adults report they are behind.

“One of the top worries people have is costs. In fact, 35% of people said costs were their biggest worry,” said Jody Hoyos, CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Hoyos says this year’s early detection survey suggests many people may be skipping screenings due to uncertainty about cost and a lack of trust in the health care system.

“50% of people said, they would have more trust in our system if they had affordable and predictable costs. Although people may distrust the system overall, they do tend to trust their doctor,” said Hoyos.

Many people often misjudge their positive health as a sign to not get tested but health experts stress catching cancer before you experience symptoms is when treatment is most effective.

That’s not the only misconception.

“They think if they don’t have a family history of cancer, they don’t need to worry about the screening,” said Hoyos.

Less than 10% of cancer cases are considered hereditary, which means 90% of cancer diagnoses are not inherited from a family member.

“You need to make sure you get screened even if you don’t have a family history of cancer,” said Hoyos.

While cost confusion remains high, Hoyos tells us routine cancer screenings are often covered by your insurance, at no cost to the patient.

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