Author(s):
ACCC spoke with Brittany McArn, OPN-CG, CPPN, a financial navigation manager and the recipient of the 2025 FirstHealth MLK Leadership Award, to learn more about her dedication to reducing the financial burden of cancer care.
With 3 out of 4 patients with cancer experiencing significant financial hardship within the first year of treatment, financial toxicity is undeniably one of the most pressing issues in the current oncology landscape. Patients with cancer are also 2.5 times more likely to file for bankruptcy, which further worsens their treatment outcomes. Unfortunately, the incidence and severity of financial toxicity have only increased in recent years due to the high cost structure associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
Born out of this critical need, financial navigation serves as a health system-level intervention to provide patients with assistance tailored to their individual challenges in areas such as medical copayments, employment, and nonmedical costs such as transportation and lodging. In addition to connecting patients with financial assistance, financial navigation has evolved to help patients better understand the financial aspects of their care, such as navigating disability benefits and optimizing insurance. This broader scope of financial navigation not only helps more patients utilize the resources available to them, but has been demonstrated to reduce anxiety about the financial burden of cancer care.
This month, ACCC is pleased to celebrate a member of the Financial Advocacy Network (FAN) Advisory Committee, Brittany McArn, OPN-CG, CPPN, financial navigation manager, outpatient oncology services, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, who was recently recognized by her organization as the recipient of the 2025 FirstHealth MLK Leadership Award for her tireless dedication to reducing the financial burden of cancer care.
McArn joined FirstHealth in 2016 as a patient assistance specialist in medical oncology before transitioning to a financial navigator in 2018—the organization’s first and only at the time. The department has since grown significantly, and today McArn manages a team of 7 financial navigators. “Our goal is to take ownership of all things financial from diagnosis to survivorship,” McArn said. “That could be anything from billing questions and authorization management to transportation, Medicaid, community resources, and grant copays.”
McArn expressed her enjoyment of treating and being part of a strong community. “I have always had a personal passion for fighting for equality and trying to make sure that all people are taken care of,” she said. “I make a conscious effort to educate myself and find resources that challenge me to think broader with more people in mind. We have to get to know one another to be able to best serve each other.”
As a financial navigation manager, McArn works with patients from a variety of backgrounds, each with different financial needs. “Some people have enormous support systems and some people come and they have no one,” she explained. “As a navigator you are required to care for each of those people and give them quality service, and that doesn’t necessarily look the same from family to family.” She emphasized that the scope of financial navigation is wide and that navigators can do a lot for patients beyond strictly financial assistance. “We have a unique opportunity to help everybody. Whether you come from a lot of money or you have absolutely nothing, there’s something we can do to financially help every patient.”
Sometimes, for McArn, that looks like walking a patient to the cancer center bistro to cover their lunch or making sure they have a cab to pick them up because their caregiver had to get back to work. Other times, patients depend wholly on the support of their financial navigation team. “I love that every day is different and that I can find something to help every single person that walks through the door,” said McArn.
“Being recognized at that organizational level is an honor,” McArn emphasized. “I just hope and pray that I do the award justice and make sure that everyone I touch receives quality health care and is seen, heard, and valued. Then I will have done what I’m supposed to do.”
