Oncology Patient Financial Navigation What is Financial Toxicity? According to the National Cancer Institute, financial toxicity (also called financial stress, financial hardship, or economic burden) describes problems a cancer survivor has related to the cost of treatment. Research has found that cancer survivors are more likely to have financial toxicity, and usually report higher out-of-pocket spending, than people without cancer. The impacts of financial toxicity vary from person to person as cancer treatment can affect one’s ability to work and pay bills. Some cancer survivors report spending more than 20% of their annual income on medical care. 1 How can an oncology patient financial navigator help? Oncology Patient Financial Navigators help to simplify a complex journey. We know that a cancer diagnosis is scary and emotional. You might be feeling overwhelmed with new information about your diagnosis, tests, treatment options, medicines, symptoms, office visits. Many patients tell us they are also worried about how much their treatment will cost and how they will pay for it. We are here to help: You will have the opportunity to connect 1-on-1 with an Oncology Patient Financial Navigator. They will help by: • Answering your insurance questions and explaining your benefits and out-of-pocket costs • Setting up payment plans • Connecting with the billing teams to deal with questions or issues • Applying for additional financial resources, including medicine cost assistance, Social Security benefits, and Medicaid coverage How much does this cost? This is a completely free service for you and your loved ones. To Connect with an Oncology Patient Financial Navigator: Call 207-661-0161 or 207-661-0160 to speak with one of our Oncology Patient Financial Navigators. 1. PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Financial Toxicity (Financial Distress) and Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated 9/20/2019. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/managing-care/track-care-costs/financial-toxicity-pdq. Accessed 2/8/2023. [PMID:
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