ACCCBUZZ BLOG

The ACCC 39th National Oncology Conference opened with two pre-conferences, covering financial advocacy in oncology and the future of cancer care. Learn what care delivery may look like in 2040 and how ACCC is supporting cancer programs and practices through its Financial Advocacy Network.

On August 18, ACCC President David R. Penberthy, MD, hosted his second Tech Talk, as 40 ACCC members came together to brainstorm technology solutions to mitigate oncology workforce shortages. Learn about the day’s discussion and the variety of artificial intelligence (AI)- and business intelligence (BI)-enabled platforms that are available to support your workforce.

Dr. David Eagle shares why grassroot advocacy efforts are so important to furthering health equity and person-centered care in oncology, including how state-based efforts curbed harmful pharmacy benefit manager practices in New York.

ACCC Director Cancer Care Delivery and Health Policy Matt Devino, MPH, lays out the four key differences between the OCM and EOM that interested applicants need to consider.

Allen Beck and Rivka Beck were newly weds when Allen was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. A month before he was scheduled to complete a bone marrow transplant, he lost the insurance coverage provided by his university. Angie Santiago, CRCS, the manager of Oncology Financial Advocacy at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at the Thomas Jefferson University Health System in Philadelphia, Pa, made sure he was able to get the health insurance coverage he needed to complete his treatment.

Though managing and adapting to change can be two of the most stressful and intimidating elements of leadership, Dr. Schmidtman shares why leaders should embrace change just as their patients do.

Advocating on behalf of their patients and programs, ACCC members from 14 states participated in Virtual Hill Day, speaking with Congress and their staff on key legislation asks regarding access to care, telehealth, prior authorizations, and more.

Looking to the future, CMS is seeking to leverage the agency’s strength to advance health equity; drive high-quality, person-centered care; and promote the affordability and sustainability of the Medicare Program.

It is no surprise to financial advocates that accessing treatment cost assistance for radiation oncology patients is a major challenge. In response, ACCC’s Financial Advocacy Network held two small-group coffee chats to assist its members in identifying and addressing barriers to financial support for patients receiving radiation therapy.

ACCC has partnered with several of its oncology state societies to establish the Appalachian Community Cancer Alliance—a key effort to address disparities in cancer screening and care delivery in the region.

ACCC Board Member Wendi Waugh tells ACCCBuzz about her experience speaking at and attending the in-person Oncology Reimbursement Meetings this spring, covering topics from financial advocacy in oncology to formulary management and networking with colleagues to address workforce concerns at your cancer center.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.