Why the Cost of Treatment Should Not Decide Who Gets Care

When you or someone you love faces a medical emergency, the last thing you should worry about is money. Yet for many families, treatment decisions depend on finances instead of medical need. The cost of treatment has become a gatekeeper, leaving people to choose between health and survival on one side and debt or loss on the other.

This should not happen. Care must be about patients, not price tags.

The Real Cost of Being Sick

Illness is not only a physical challenge. It often becomes a financial crisis. In the United States, medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy, affecting nearly two-thirds of families who file. Even with insurance, patients face out-of-pocket bills for tests, surgeries, and prescriptions that can add up to thousands of dollars.

Imagine starting chemotherapy only to stop midway because your insurance coverage runs out. Or needing surgery but delaying it because you fear the debt. These stories are not rare. They happen daily. And each one reflects a healthcare system that weighs a person’s worth against the size of their wallet.

How Cost Shapes Treatment Decisions

The cost of treatment influences medical decisions in troubling ways. Patients often:

1. Delay or skip care. A survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that many adults skip needed care because of cost. Waiting can make conditions worse, sometimes beyond repair.
2. Choose less effective treatment. People may accept what insurance covers, not what their doctor recommends, leading to lower chances of recovery.
3. Carry emotional stress. Worrying about debt piles on top of the fear of illness. Stress weakens recovery and affects family life.

These choices are not made out of preference. They are forced by financial barriers. And the result is unequal care, where those with means live while others suffer.

Why This Is a Public Issue, Not a Private One

When the cost of treatment dictates access, it hurts more than the patient. Families face years of debt. Communities lose valuable members. Employers lose skilled workers. Society carries the burden of untreated illness through higher emergency care costs and lost productivity.

Healthcare is not like buying a car or a phone. It is a basic human need. No one should be denied care because they cannot pay.

The Role of Support Programs

Organizations like WishBig exist to bridge this gap. Based in Wilmette, Illinois, WishBig supports patients and families facing the crushing weight of medical bills. Through programs such as:

1. Pre-treatment support. Families receive help before treatment starts, reducing the stress of upfront costs.
2. Post-treatment support. When bills remain after insurance or payment plans, assistance covers the gap.
3. Medical debt relief. Families can start fresh, free from debt that follows them for years.
4. End-of-life support. When recovery is not possible, financial help ensures dignity in closure and reduces the burden on loved ones.

You can learn more about these programs directly at WishBig’s Programs.

Donors as Part of the Solution

Donors are central to changing the story. When you give, you do more than cover a bill. You provide time, dignity, and peace of mind. You help families focus on healing instead of calculating what they can afford.

Support does not have to be massive to be meaningful. Even small donations create ripples of impact. Together, they build a safety net where cost no longer decides who gets care.

What Needs to Change in Healthcare

While nonprofits like WishBig step in, larger reforms are needed too. Experts and policymakers suggest:

1. Expanding insurance coverage to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
2. Increasing transparency so patients understand bills before they arrive.
3. Encouraging partnerships between nonprofits, hospitals, and communities.

For example, research from Harvard Public Health shows that community-based programs reduce debt and improve long-term health outcomes. Solutions exist. What’s needed is the will to act.

A Future Where Cost Does Not Decide Care

Picture a world where a cancer diagnosis does not come with a financial warning. Where heart surgery is not postponed until families gather funds. Where end-of-life care is about comfort and dignity, not bills.

This future is possible. Each donor, each supporter, and each voice calling for fairness moves us closer to it.

Take Action Today

The cost of treatment should never decide who gets care. Patients deserve dignity, hope, and healing, not financial despair. You can help change this by supporting organizations that fight for fair access.

Visit WishBig to see how your support can transform lives. Together, we can build a future where medical need, not financial means, guides care.