You may be worried about the costs involved with having cancer treatment.
Ask your specialist nurse to refer you to a medical social worker. They can do this if your hospital has one.
A medical social worker can help you if you have questions about personal finances or applying for a medical card.
You can also get information from:
Benefits and schemes you can apply for
There are benefits and schemes that help with healthcare costs which you may be able to apply for.
Applying for a medical card
Your care team can talk to you about applying for a medical card.
Usually you will have to apply for a medical card.
If you do not qualify for a medical card
There are other schemes you can apply for to help with healthcare costs if you do not qualify for any medical card.
Drugs Payment Scheme card
Having a Drugs Payment Scheme card means you or your family do not have to pay more than €80 a month for approved prescribed medicines.
Apply for a Drugs Payment Scheme card
GP visit card
If you have a GP visit card, you do not have to pay to see your GP. You will have to pay for medicines and other services.
HSE allowances
You may be able to get help from the HSE for the cost of certain products.
If you have alopecia (hair loss) from cancer treatment
If you have hair loss after cancer treatment you may choose to get a wig or hair piece. These are also known as hair replacement products.
The HSE will pay €770 a year towards the cost of a wig or hair piece. You do not need to have a medical card to get this allowance.
This allowance is only for people who have hair loss from cancer treatment. There are separate supports if you have another type of alopecia.
How to get help with the cost
- Talk to your care team or GP - they can prescribe these products.
- They give you details of hair replacement product suppliers in your area and a prescription or letter to bring to your fitting appointment.
- Contact a supplier to make an appointment for a fitting.
- Bring your prescription or letter to your fitting appointment.
- Either you or the supplier can send the prescription and invoice to the HSE.
- When the HSE approves your order, you can collect your products.
If the cost of the wig or hair piece you choose is:
- below or the same as the grant you pay nothing - this is usually the case
- more than the allowance, you pay the extra cost
If you have a mastectomy (surgery to remove a breast)
If you have a mastectomy to treat breast cancer you can get a bra or swimwear insert to replace the breast that has been removed. This is called a breast prosthesis.
The HSE will help you with the cost of:
- a breast prosthesis
- specialist bras and swimwear
You do not need to have a medical card.
How to get help with the cost of prostheses and bras
Getting cancer treatment abroad
If your public hospital consultant refers you for treatment that is not available in Ireland you may be able to apply for the Treatment abroad scheme.
The scheme is for:
- public healthcare in the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland
- proven forms of medical treatment - not experimental or test treatment
Your cancer team will guide you on this, if they think this is an option for you.
Pay and benefits
If you have a job but cannot work because of your illness, you may be entitled to sick pay from your employer.
Sick leave and sick pay - citizensinformation.ie
Benefits
You may be entitled to benefits if you:
- do not have a job
- cannot work because of your condition
Benefits for people who are sick or have a disability - citizensinformation.ie
Health, disability and illness supports - mywelfare.ie
If you're caring for someone with cancer
Your local cancer support centre has free supports and services to help you if you're a carer. More than 2 in 5 people they support are partners or children of people diagnosed with cancer.
If you're caring for someone with cancer, you may be entitled to Carer's Allowance.
