Out of the shadow of self-paid costs and into a new era of care: an innovative installment payment model powers the fight against cancer

Beyond your private insurance limits? How can middle-class families face steep treatment costs?

For families whose work and quality of life are upended by the long-term follow-up visits and treatment that come after a cancer diagnosis, most patients will face the challenge of paying out of pocket at some point in the treatment journey. Beyond the limited resources of government agencies, foundations, and hospitals, an innovative installment payment model has emerged in the pharmaceutical world in recent years. How might it upend the traditional healthcare and payment landscape, and help people balance treatment with quality of life?

When facing the strain of medical expenses, the options depend on each person's circumstances. Those with private insurance can review their coverage entitlements with their insurance agent, while disadvantaged families with government-recognized status can turn to social workers for help from government agencies, foundations, and other assistance organizations. But the middle class — Taiwan's largest population group — is left facing a gap on its own: unable to cover the full cost of a treatment cycle, yet ineligible for the subsidies reserved for disadvantaged status. Where does an ordinary salaried worker turn?

No more worrying about drug bills. Drug Installment offers a more flexible way to pay for care, so you can look after your family and your treatment — and live better.

Installment payment is common for consumer goods, yet rarely seen in medicine. As the PatientsForce patient assistance care platform points out, installment models carry a degree of financial risk — from a financial-industry perspective in particular, people with serious illness may be classified as high-risk because illness can disrupt their income and asset structure, so banks and insurers tend to be conservative about investing in this space. Meanwhile, as the public health education materials from Drug Installment explain, under Article 61, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Care Act, healthcare institutions may not promote or solicit patients by offering installment, loan, or financing payment options. Yet every day, tens of thousands of families still confront major illness and major medical decisions, and the payment squeeze continues to hit some households. Does medical care really have to be paid for before treatment begins?

Built by Media-WIND Health Group (MWHG) around the patient, PatientsForce brings together banks, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and other partners into a healthcare ecosystem, and pioneered the "Drug Installment" support program — giving people one more way to pay when facing steep drug costs, and helping families with cancer care for their loved ones while staying financially healthy through treatment. Drug Installment also offers zero-interest programs for medications treating certain specific diseases, using a buy-now-pay-later model to give modest-income families suddenly hit by illness more breathing room to balance treatment and quality of life. It can also serve as a short-term funding solution for those who have insurance but must present payment receipts before they can file a claim. That said, patients should still assess whether they can afford the installment payments on their medical bills.