Table 3.

Survivor cost conversation preferences

Theme	Subtheme	Code	Quote
Survivor cost conversation preferences	Preferred cancer care team member to discuss costs	Financial advisor	Maybe a financial advisor [that] handled the insurance companies and the payment processes, that would be good
		Cancer care team	The nursing staff that works with the doctor, because I feel like the doctors have better things to do than worry about who’s paying for what, you know?
		Front desk staff	I have no problem discussing it with the oncologist or the front office. It doesn’t matter to me
	Optimal timing for cost conversations	At diagnosis	I think that it is at the time of diagnosis. It’s a really scary moment, which is made much more scary by the unknown financial element
		Before treatment	I don’t know if the time of diagnosis is the right time… I think it should be after the diagnosis. But when determining a course of treatment
	Inclusion of friends or family in cost conversations	Familial support	It would be nice for my husband to be involved in the conversation [about cancer costs]
	Oncologist responsibility in discussing cost	Awareness and transparency of costs	I think they should just be able to give a couple of different treatments so it’d be good for somebody that was worried about out-of-pocket cost
		Balancing insurance and treatment cost	Honestly, if there’s something equally as good that’s a lot cheaper, then certainly, that would be a consideration
		High out of pocket costs	If you can’t afford it, you contact us and we will find a way to get it paid
		Oncologist role	I just want to hear the treatment options from the doctor. I just want them to tell me what they think is best for me. I don’t even want them to worry about what they cost or what the insurance is going to be
	Take-home cost informational materials	Personalized materials and digital tools	Personalized notes of discussion for the actual person, their actual insurance, their finances