Clara Lambert: Health-Related Financial Challenges Go Beyond Insurance Coverage

While physicians are becoming more aware of the financial hardships facing patients, they are mostly still focused on insurance, said oncology financial navigator Clara Lambert, BBA, OPN-CG, chair of the ACCC Financial Advocacy Network Advisory Committee.

Transcript

Do patients and providers have the same idea of what financial hardship is and means?

I think we’re getting to that now. I’m finding that the providers are definitely becoming more aware, and they’re becoming more aware of even what insurance benefits are for the patients. But, the financial journey isn’t just the insurance for a patient. They’re taking time off of work. Sometimes they’re traveling to a cancer center and it’s affecting their living. So, there’s living expenses, as well, that they need help with navigating. So, I think, probably, the physicians, they’re concerned with the insurance, the coverage. Is the patient going to be able to get their treatment? Are they going to adhere to their treatment?

And, then, in addition to that the patients are like, “Well, I have to take 2 days of work off to get my chemo treatment, and then I’m not feeling well, and I’m not going to be able to work. So how do I buy groceries? How do I make my house payment?” So, that is in addition to what the physicians are probably thinking about.