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Financial Advocacy

The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) is committed to building the confidence of oncology financial advocates, connecting them with much-needed solutions to improve the patient experience. Through the Financial Advocacy Network’s tools and resources, ACCC empowers cancer programs and practices to proactively integrate financial health into the oncology care continuum and help patients gain access to high-quality care for a better quality of life.

For more information on this project, please contact the ACCC Provider Education department.

Featured Programs

These guidelines were created using a collaborative, consensus-based process to promote and guide the implementation of critical financial advocacy services in cancer programs and practices across the nation.

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

The ACCC Financial Advocacy Network brought together experts in financial advocacy to create this Playbook—a comprehensive tool to support onboarding and continuous learning for staff who deliver financial advocacy services.

ACCC is developing an educational program that will foster discussions on how to ease provider burden and ensure the best quality care for the patient when dealing with the utilization management technique known as prior authorization.

Learn the fundamentals of biomarker and diagnostic testing as it relates to financial navigation. Gain confidence in your ability to guide patients through the complex insurance process, practice clear communication strategies, and access helpful financial resources.

ACCC, its members, and partners have collected new and updated resources to help you develop, implement, and continue to deliver effective financial advocacy services in your cancer program or practice.

Access the most up-to-date anti-cancer medication assistance and reimbursement programs that are available to help alleviate the financial burden of cancer treatment. Search for applicable Oncology-Related Products and Companies and apply optional Coverage and Assistance Type filters to streamline your results.

The Financial Advocacy Network Community is a private forum for ACCC members to ask questions, share resources and experiences, and offer support for delivering financial advocacy services to your patients. You will need to login to your ACCC member account in order to access this benefit.

Featured Publications

Financial Advocacy Services Guidelines
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Financial-Advocacy-Network-2023-Census-Survey-Results-250x315 Financial Advocacy Network 2023 Census Survey
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Value of Financial Advocacy
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PAG-2021-200x269 Patient Assistance and Reimbursement Guide
Access

Improving-the-Prior-Authorization-Process-200x269 Improving the Prior Authorization Process
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Fighting Financial Toxicity
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FAN-2019-2020-Census-Survey-100x134 Financial Advocacy Network 2019-2020 Census Survey
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Making-Case-for-Hiring-Financial-Navigator-100x130 Making the Business Case for Hiring a Financial Navigator
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On-Demand Webinars

Oncology Reimbursement Meeting | Seattle

The ACCC Oncology Reimbursement Meetings help you navigate the annual changes in oncology reimbursement and regulations, provide tools to strengthen your program’s operations, and accelerate your knowledge on which measures you can take now—and down the road—to succeed in this rapidly changing landscape. This meeting will benefit all cancer care team members who deal with oncology business and reimbursement.
Oncology Reimbursement Meeting | Shreveport

The ACCC Oncology Reimbursement Meetings help you navigate the annual changes in oncology reimbursement and regulations, provide tools to strengthen your program’s operations, and accelerate your knowledge on which measures you can take now—and down the road—to succeed in this rapidly changing landscape. This meeting will benefit all cancer care team members who deal with oncology business and reimbursement.
Utilizing Biomarkers in Cancer Care: Who Has It, Who Needs It, and How To Access It

In this final webinar, hear from our experts Jordan Karwedsky, Financial Counselor, Green Bay Oncology, Wendi Waugh, BS, RT(R)(T), CMD, CRT, Administrative Director of SOMC Cancer Services & Ambulatory Infusion, Southern Ohio Medical Center, and Dr. Michael R. Gieske, Director of Lung Cancer Screening. Join us as we discuss prior authorization challenges in biomarker testing, importance of providing access to biomarker testing for underserved populations, how biomarkers are shaping the future of medicine, as well as what can be done at the policy level to allow for more access.

More Financial Advocacy Webinars

Cancer Buzz Podcasts

Disparities in Accessing Care for AML Patients: Challenges and Solutions – [Mini Podcast] Ep 145 Mar 25, 2024

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Linda Hayward, patient financial advocate at the University of Maryland, Kaufman Cancer Center at Upper Chesapeake Health, about the challenges of treatment and strategies to address disparities in access and care for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
LIVE from AMCCBS: Financial Advocacy Resources — [MINI PODCAST] Mar 11, 2024

Live this week from the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS), CANCER BUZZ interviews Wendi Waugh, ACCC financial navigation committee member, about resources for financial advocacy.
NOC Preview: Financial Advocacy Guidelines to Mitigate Financial Toxicity - [MINI PODCAST] Oct 10, 2023

Hear Dr. Margaret Liang, of Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center, Los Angeles, talk about ACCC’s Financial Advocacy Network (FAN) and the Financial Advocacy Services guidelines to help cancer programs address the growing issue of financial toxicity.

More Financial Advocacy Podcasts

From Oncology Issues

How Do You DISCO?
Lauren M. Hamel, et al.

Leveraging the Discussions of Cost App to reduce financial toxicity and improve treatment cost communication.
Compliance: 2022 Oncology Coding Update
Teri Bedard, BA, RT(R)(T), CPC

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the American Medical Association's (AMA's) finalized coding updates for calendar year 2022.
Compliance: 2022 Physician and Freestanding Facilities Update
Teri Bedard, BA, RT(R)(T), CPC

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for calendar year 2022.
Compliance: 2022 Hospital Regulatory Update
Teri Bedard, BA, RT(R)(T), CPC

The Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) for calendar year 2022.
Views: Put Yourself First Words to Live By
Dr. Cheyenne Bryant

Put yourself first: this mantra is especially important today as we continue to grapple with the implications and fallout from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

More Financial Advocacy Journal Articles

From the ACCCBuzz Blog

AMCCBS Virtual, Day 4: Managing for Success

February 18, 2021

While the word “unprecedented” has been used in excess this past year, we are still swimming in uncharted waters in 2021. As we continue to navigate the unknown in healthcare and beyond, the lessons learned in 2020 can give us tools to anticipate and confront new and ongoing challenges in cancer care. The ACCC 47th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS Virtual) on March 1-5 will gather leaders in oncology from community cancer centers, academic medical centers, think tanks, industry, and patient advocacy organizations to share insights about how COVID-19 has changed and will continue to change cancer care in the near and distant future.

Guest speakers at AMCCBS Virtual will examine timely, real-world case studies from organizations that used the opportunity created by the pandemic to forge a new path forward. They will demonstrate how to lead your cancer program or practice through today’s rapidly changing circumstances by accelerating your digital health capabilities, transforming your business operations and care processes, and enhancing the patient/provider experience.

AMCCBS Virtual sessions on Thursday, March 4, will focus on practical strategies for better managing your organization. There is no specific roadmap to success for your cancer program or practice, but AMCCBS Virtual can help by hosting sessions that will share new perspectives and ideas for expanding your service line portfolio to better meet the needs of your patients. Scheduled sessions include:

Hosting a Successful Men’s Health Screening: Strategic Alignment of Health Communication via Culturally Tailored Media, Marketing, and Community Engagement Efforts: As conversations about health equity have grown more pronounced in the wake of COVID-19 and the racial reckoning that grew out of the events of summer 2020, Duke Cancer Institute has prioritized taking on health disparities. Hear effective strategies about how to target your outreach and prevention efforts to underserved patient populations and how to engage community leaders in your health program initiatives. Learn how to leverage stakeholder insight and expertise to develop effective recruitment campaigns, social media messaging, and marketing efforts.

Progressive Employers Addressing Disparities in Cancer Care for Their Employees: Unlock Access to Leading-Edge Cancer Expertise: Learn how City of Hope established AccessHope^TM, a wholly owned subsidiary that provides a first-of-its-kind cancer clinical decision support model to employers and their healthcare partners. Instead of requiring patients to travel to City of Hope, AccessHope exports leading-edge insights from subspecialists to employees, regardless of where they are located, to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life.

Experience of a Large Cancer Center Adjusting to COVID-19: Experts from a leading oncology consulting firm and a nationally recognized cancer program will share practical strategies to help you adapt traditional in-person visits and services to the virtual setting. Attendees will better understand the impact that a virtual care model can have on their operations, policies, billing, and reimbursement.

Leveraging Data and a Virtual Rideshare Hub to Decrease Disparities and Drive Ambulatory Strategy: Transportation often poses an obstacle to cancer care for patients in all types of care settings. Learn how to develop and implement a transportation program tailored to your practice’s at-risk patients so you can meet the individualized needs of the underserved patients in your catchment area.

Thursday will close with the “Issue of the Day: Managing for Success Networking Event,” where attendees can network with their peers and share the challenges and successes they’ve had in managing their cancer practices and programs during COVID-19. Be sure to read about the sessions on Day 2 (telehealth, virtual care models, and remote monitoring) and Day 3 (cancer service line efficiency and revenue optimization). Register and learn more about the opportunities being offered at the virtual ACCC 47th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit.

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IntegraConnect is the AMCCBS Virtual Premium Sponsor on Thursday, March 4, 2021.