- Center on Health Equity & Access
- Clinical
- Health Care Cost
- Health Care Delivery
- Insurance
- Policy
- Technology
- Value-Based Care
Dr Alan Balch Shares How PAF Helps Shoulder the Burden of Their Disease
The Patient Advocate Program (PAF) serves patients with chronic, life threatening or debilitating diseases by providing direct financial support as well as case management support. Alan Balch, PhD, chief executive officer, PAF, explained that PAF guides their members through insurance systems when issues of access or affordability arise for the individual.
The Patient Advocate Program (PAF) serves patients with chronic, life threatening or debilitating diseases by providing direct financial support as well as case management support. Alan Balch, PhD, chief executive officer, PAF, explained that PAF guides their members through insurance systems when issues of access or affordability arise for the individual.
“We average on behalf of the patient about 20 contacts per case with or on behalf of the patient so it’s a very intense engagement with the patient,” Dr. Balch said. “We work directly with them in the process; we don’t give them a list of resources and say ‘Go help yourself.’ We actually get on the phone with the insurance company and try to advocate on their behalf to navigate through prioritization issues or coverage denial issues.”
Dr. Balch said that PAF concentrates a majority of their work on cancer patients, as there is an acute need for insurance access and financial support; however, PAF provides guidance and support to 300 different disease areas.
Could On-Body Delivery of Isatuximab Bring More Competition to Anti-CD38 Myeloma Treatment?
June 6th 2025Results for IRAKLIA show noninferiority for Sanofi's on-body delivery system for isatuximab, compared with IV administration. Patients overwhelmingly preferred the hands-free delivery option.
Read More
Exploring Racial, Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Care Prior Authorization Decisions
October 24th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the author of a study published in the October 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® that explored prior authorization decisions in cancer care by race and ethnicity for commercially insured patients.
Listen
Zanubrutinib Shows Durable Benefit for High-Risk CLL/SLL at 5 Years in SEQUOIA Trial
June 6th 2025Zanubrutinib showed long-term efficacy in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and deletion of the 17p chromosome, with progression-free survival similar to patients without high-risk disease characteristics.
Read More
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
Real-World Data Support Luspatercept vs ESAs for Anemia in Lower-Risk MDS
June 5th 2025Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who received luspatercept showed greater hemoglobin gains and transfusion independence compared with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in a real-world analysis.
Read More
