Patients shouldn’t have to struggle so much because of healthcare costs

For those of us living with myasthenia gravis (MG), the burden isn’t confined to the body. It relentlessly finds its way into the wallets of those who live with it. Checkbooks, retirement accounts, pensions, and daily expenses are all affected and often determine whether one lives with dignity.

In “David Copperfield,” Charles Dickens wrote, “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” The arithmetic of chronic illness is not so tidy, but the conclusion is much the same. When expenses outpace income, even by a little, the result is not simply inconvenience. It can be despair.

A story last year from Myasthenia Gravis News noted that people with the disease “face a mean annual healthcare cost of nearly $16,000, according to a survey of patients and their caregivers.” While living expenses increase for an MG patient, it is common for income to decrease. “Most MG patients had to forgo financial opportunities or seek financial assistance to manage MG-related expenses,” the story continued. “Their disease also impacted employment, with more than a third of patients or caregivers reporting missed work, reduced hours, lower work quality, and lost wages due to MG.”

Recommended Reading

April 9, 2026 Columns by Sarah Bendiff

The thought of not having myasthenia gravis does not bring me peace

What are our priorities?

I can testify to the negative impact these financial challenges have on MG patients and caregivers. Before my MG diagnosis, I was too proud to ask for financial assistance. Afterward, I had no choice. My family helps keep me afloat.

This isn’t where I envisioned I would be at this time in my life. I often express to others that I had no choice about which family I would be part of. I’m very lucky. But what about patients whose families don’t have the financial resources to assist them? It seems like a lottery drawing.

Scripture speaks to such circumstances: “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” This Bible verse is often misquoted, and its true meaning cuts deeper. It’s not money itself that corrupts, but the disordered priorities that place profit above people. When a society tolerates a system in which the sick are financially punished for their illness, one must ask whether its priorities have drifted dangerously out of alignment.

Think about this. The combined revenues of major American professional sports leagues exceed $50 billion annually. If even a fraction of that revenue were redirected toward comprehensive MG support, it would substantially change the lives of those who live with the disease. It could even save lives.

If that comparison feels uncomfortable, an even starker lens is the concentration of private wealth. The combined wealth of the 10 richest Americans exceeds $2 trillion. This is wealth on a scale that is difficult to grasp. It rivals the economic output of entire nations. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people living with MG and other chronic illnesses quietly navigate a far different reality. They are forced to choose between medications and groceries, delaying care in the process and stretching each dollar beyond reason.

Again, the point is not to single out individuals or to vilify success. It is to illuminate contrast. In a nation of immense wealth and productivity, where extraordinary fortunes are both created and celebrated, the persistent financial vulnerability of those with chronic illness raises a fundamental question: Is this disparity inevitable, or is it chosen?

There is also a pragmatic case to be made, one that even the most hard-headed economist should appreciate. Increased financial support for MG patients would not simply alleviate suffering, it would also stimulate economic activity. When patients are not crushed by medical debt, they spend. They participate. They contribute. Reduced financial stress improves health outcomes, which, in turn, lowers long-term healthcare costs and increases productivity. Targeted support would generate positive multiplier effects, boosting both gross domestic product and gross national product through increased consumption and workforce participation.

In the end, the questions are both moral and practical, philosophical and profoundly human. Do we accept a system in which illness carries a financial penalty so severe that it reshapes lives? Can we come together and create something more just, and perhaps surprisingly, more economically sound? The numbers tell a story and force us to confront difficult facts.

Note: Myasthenia Gravis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia Gravis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to myasthenia gravis.