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I Am A Financial Navigator

ACCC recognizes the crucial role financial advocates play in helping their patients navigate the burdensome cost of their cancer treatment.

We are pleased to offer a selection of curated resources to facilitate the difficult conversations surrounding the economic burden of treatment and support your work in providing patients with the guidance they need to overcome financial hurdles.

Featured Financial Advocacy Programs

The ACCC Financial Advocacy Boot Camp
Whether you are an experienced financial advocate or new to the field, the ACCC Financial Advocacy Boot Camp will prepare you to help your patients and your program address the growing issue of financial toxicity.
Learn More

Education Resources

From Oncology Issues

Collaborative Care: A Solution for Increasing Access to Psychosocial Care in Cancer Programs and Practices
By Carrie C. Wu, MD, et al.

The Collaborative Care Model uses the stepped care approach, enabling a flexible and personalized treatment approach that aligns with each patient’s specific needs.
Increasing Clinical Trial Accrual Through the Implementation of a Clinical Trials Navigator
By Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, et al.

Virginia Cancer Research Institute successfully implemented a cutting-edge clinical trials navigation program that improved the patient and provider experience and demonstrated a significant return on investment.
The ACCC 49th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit

Highlights from the ACCC 49th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit.
Delivery of Psychosocial Cancer Centers Care in Oncology Summit

Backed by strategic partnerships, ACCC held a multistakeholder meeting focused on exploring the current state of psychosocial support in oncology.
An Interprofessional EHR Collaboration Optimizes Oncology Navigation Efficiency and Value
By Lauri Ledbeter, Whitney Daws, Lindsay Shimizu and Rebekah Hart

The interdisciplinary team at Providence Health & Services leveraged its electronic health record to improve the efficiency, transparency, and productivity of their oncology navigation program.

ACCCBuzz Blog Posts

FROM THE ACCCBUZZ BLOG

Study Highlights Need for Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Reform
By Matt Devino, MPH
May 24, 2022
ACCC is supporting the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, which would require Medicare Advantage plans to standardize and streamline prior authorization processes and increase the transparency of their requirements to prevent unnecessary denials and delays in patient care.
NOLA + Pathways Partnership: Meeting Patients’ Needs Locally
May 11, 2022
The final post in a three-blog series, ACCCBuzz spoke to Megan Morava, PA-C, and Alexandra Greenawalt who share how one independent oncology practice and local community center are taking action to improve equitable cancer care delivery at the local level.
Local Action Improves Access to Key Oncology Services
April 28, 2022
The second post in a three-blog series, ACCCBuzz shares how Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates' NOLA initiative is addressing access to care, clinical trials, biomarker testing, and more.
Tips for Assisting Uninsured Patients with Treatment Costs
March 24, 2022
Jeanie Troy, a financial navigator at Lake Region Healthcare in the Cancer Care and Research Center, discusses how to help uninsured patients access their anti-cancer treatment if they are not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.
Recap: ACCC’s 48th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit, Part 2
March 15, 2022
After convening its members, sponsors, and industry partners in Washington, DC, for the first time since the dawn of COVID-19, ACCC Buzz shares a glimpse of the activities and insights the final day at ACCC’s 48th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit.
ACCC Updates Financial Advocacy Services Guidelines
February 28, 2022
In response to the ever-changing landscape of healthcare and financial advocacy, the ACCC Financial Advocacy Network is collaborating this year with its partners to update ACCC’s Financial Advocacy Services Guidelines.
The Year in Review: ACCC Financial Advocacy Network
January 18, 2022
The new year brings with it new goals and plans for ACCC’s Financial Advocacy Network. But before talking about the innovations to come in 2022, let’s look back at the accomplishments of 2021.
Spotlight on Financial Advocates
December 16, 2021
As we approach the end of 2021, ACCCBuzz is recognizing the individuals who have been featured in our Financial Advocate Spotlights and the incredible stories they have shared with us.
Offering Free Patient Services Can Be Rewarding and Compliant
By Rachel Marquez, MPH
December 09, 2021
Because transportation disruptions can result in missed appointments, treatment delays, and potentially adverse health outcomes, we must help ensure that our patients have access to safe and reliable means of transportation.
Oncology Staff Share Staffing, Morale Concerns
November 10, 2021
Discussions about staffing shortages, burnout, and heavy workloads have taken center stage during recent meetings with ACCC members. Learn what financial advocates and others are experiencing in their cancer program or practice and leadership are doing or plan to do to rebuild morale and team connections.
Preparing for Open Enrollment
By Jordan Karwedsky
October 25, 2021
While we talk to patients about insurance coverage and answer their related questions throughout the year, the health insurance Marketplace and Medicare open enrollment seasons provide the best opportunity to educate patients about their insurance options.
ACCC Unveils New Tool for Financial Advocates
September 28, 2021
To help cancer programs and practices establish and maintain robust financial navigation programs, ACCC's Financial Advocacy Network recently developed the “Ready, Set, Go! Financial Advocacy Playbook” for all members of the cancer care team—particularly those who provide any level of financial advocacy services.
Despite Setbacks, Biosimilars Market Share Continues to Increase
By Matt Devino, MPH
September 10, 2021
With total spending on U.S. cancer care projected to rise 34 percent from 2015-2030 to $245 billion, biosimilars can play a role in helping reduce those costs. Learn how Biden’s executive order on promoting competition in the American economy will require the FDA's biosimilars approval framework to be clearer and easier to follow.
Legislation Aims to Ease Patient Access to Oral Oncolytics
By Matt Devino, MPH
August 10, 2021
The enormous out-of-pocket cost difference between well-covered traditional chemotherapies and often-uncovered oral oncolytics can result in levels of financial toxicity from which many patients struggle to return. To address this issue, the U.S. House of Representatives has this year reintroduced the Cancer Parity Act, which seeks to resolve unequal cost-sharing for oral oncolytics.
Using Medicaid to Help Uninsured Patients Afford Their Care
July 27, 2021
ACCC worked with members of the ACCC Financial Advocacy Network to provide guidance on how to help patients access much-need financial assistance regardless of their insurance status. Here, a financial navigator at Kettering Cancer Care in Kettering, Ohio, discusses how to help patients afford their cancer care if they are uninsured or underinsured and if they are eligible to participate in their state’s Medicaid program.
Mobile App Eases Patient Cost-of-Care Conversations
June 29, 2021
Financial toxicity in oncology is a long-standing issue for patients with cancer. As increasing costs related to cancer care put financial strain on patients, so too do the indirect costs of a cancer diagnosis and treatment—travel, childcare, and other daily living needs. Learn how 2021 ACCC Innovator Award winner Dr. Lauren Hamel at Wayne State University School of Medicine; Karmanos Cancer Institute has set out to address current trends in treatment-related cost discussions between patients and their care team members through a mobile app to make these conversations a vital part of patients’ treatment plans.
Tips for Helping Relieve Patients of Financial Burden
June 25, 2021
Knowing what co-pay assistance each patient needs and where to find it—often in short order—is key to successfully securing funding and ultimately enabling access to necessary treatment. These four key steps can help financial advocates obtain patients co-pay, premium, or travel assistance from independent patient foundations.
New Louisiana Law Bans White Bagging
By Matt Devino, MPH
June 17, 2021
On June 1, 2021, the Governor of Louisiana signed legislation that banned “white bagging” in the state, ensuring that health insurers cannot refuse to pay for approved physician-administered drugs and related services to covered patients. It is the first such law in the United States.
ACCC Virtual Hill Day Brings Together Members, Lawmakers
June 04, 2021
“For me, this experience was excellent, and I felt prepared with the preparation ACCC offered,” said Jared Kast, RT(T), MHA. The successful ACCC Virtual Hill Day—held May 12, 2021—brought together ACCC members and state lawmakers. Learn more about what issues were discussed and members' experiences in this new virtual format.
Extending Telehealth Beyond the Pandemic
By Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA
May 17, 2021
Many patients with cancer now enjoy the invaluable benefits and flexibilities that telehealth makes possible. Patients have more convenient access to appointments, increased support from family caregivers who can attend virtual visits, and more time to focus on their work and families. Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA explains how the Telehealth Modernization Act can make this expanded healthcare access available beyond the pandemic.

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