COA Advocacy News
 
February 3, 2014
Rose Gerber Director of Communications and Patient Advocacy
 
Advocacy Updates

I am pleased to share exciting outcomes resulting from our patient advocacy efforts. A key advocacy initiative is collaboration with oncology practices. Our most recent event,  "How to Become a Cancer Care Advocate," was held in collaboration with Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) on January 31. This signature event introduces our patient advocacy efforts while also strengthening our relations with oncology practices across the country. The collaboration with FCS is particularly significant as FCS (which has 81 sites) is the largest privately owned oncology/hematology practice in the United States. Dr. Jennifer Cultrera, Dr. Michael Diaz,  Dr. Maen Hussein, Shelly Glenn, Jeri Francouer and I were speakers. Attendees included cancer survivors, oncologists, members of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), industry partners, family members, caregivers, and members of the community. This follows our successful event held at North Shore Hematology and Oncology in New York. NSHOA has been providing cancer care for more than 35 years and has seven locations throughout Suffolk County Long Island. We are honored to collaborate with these practices and thank them for their support. Our January launch event planned in Cincinnati (at Ohio Hematology Care) had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather. It will be held in the spring.  

Read more.  

 

 

Ted Okon
COA Executive Director
Report From Capitol Hill

The Good and the Bad Impact of Obamacare on Cancer Care

 

Healthcare reform - or as both sides of the political aisle called it, "Obamacare" - is now the law of the land. While it does have some important benefits for Americans with cancer, it has some troubling negatives. In some respects, the negatives may outweigh the positives, but it's too soon to tell.

 

On the benefit side, Obamacare will eliminate the annual and lifetime insurance caps that often are a problem for Americans with cancer, given the relative high cost of treating the disease. 

Read more.


Bo Gamble
 Director of Practice Initiatives
Oncology News Updates

What is an Oncology Medical Home?

 

As part of the move by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)-the agency that administers the Medicare program-there has been much talk about payment reform in an effort to control health-care costs. As one of the most expensive illnesses to treat and one of the most common conditions for which Medicare recipients are treated, controlling the cost of treating cancer is particularly important.

 

Community oncologists have been proactive in this area. For the last 3 years, COA has been developing the Oncology Medical Home (OMH) model. Cancer patients are often dealing with other conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, at the same time they are fighting cancer. Care for these conditions as well as cancer care and its side effects must be coordinated. The coordination of that care is known as a medical home. During active cancer care and often even when in remission, the physician best suited to coordinating care is the oncologist. Thus, the OMH was developed. 

Read More.



Health Insurance Exchanges & the Cancer Patient

 
Mary Kruczynski Director of Policy Analysis

If you or someone you know has cancer, then you realize how important it is to have a good health insurance policy. With the introduction of the Health Insurance Exchanges or Obamacare, as it has affectionately become known, many now have the opportunity to secure a health insurance policy that may have previously been unavailable to them.

 

In order to be certain that the essential benefits within those plans offered on the Exchanges are sufficient to meet the needs of a patient living with cancer, one must look a bit more closely before purchasing a plan.  Read more.



Advocate News Updates

New CPAN State Chapter Report

 

North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates, PC, (NSHOA) has teamed up with COA's Patients Advocacy Network (CPAN) to launch a New York-based chapter for community cancer patient advocacy. With tremendous support from the practice, a kick-off meeting was held on November 19, 2013, at one of the NSHOA offices. In a room filled with advocates, Dr. Jeffrey Vacirca, Michael Murray, and Nicole Cardaci-Gregory from NSHOA along with Rose Gerber from CPAN spoke about the importance of care in our community oncology clinics. Advocates were educated on the various roles that they can undertake and the positive impact they can have on their care.  Read more.

CPAN Georgia Chapter Report

 

The Georgia chapter of CPAN began 2013 with a goal to have a stronger community presence at local events. In January, Susanne Johnson-Berns participated in several meetings hosted by an organization called "Georgians for Better Health," which shares the common goal of protecting and advocating for access to care. By participating in their events, Johnson-Berns brought attention to CPAN and its mission.

 

The first quarter of the year was dedicated to the 2013 conference. In collaboration with the local Atlanta Greyhound chapter, a bus was made available for Georgia advocates to travel to the conference. Twenty six Georgia advocates attended the 2013 conference. Many individuals contributed to make the event a success.

Read more.

 


CPAN Advocacy Partner News

CPAN is interested in collaborating with local and national cancer advocacy groups. Additionally, we want to work with industry partners. To learn more or to share your ideas, contact COA Director of Communications and Patient Advocacy, Rose Gerber, [email protected] 

Partnerships & Corporate Member Opportunities

COA and CPAN provide great opportunities for interested patient advocacy organizations and corporate members. 

 

To learn more about patient advocacy and collaboration opportunities, contact:

 

Rose Gerber 

COA Director of Communications and Patient Advocacy 

[email protected] 

 

 

To learn more about COA's Administrators Network (CAN) and 

COA's Oncology Medical Home Initiative, contact:

 

Bo Gamble 

COA's Director of Practice Initiatives 

[email protected]  

 

 

To learn more about COA's corporate membership opportunities contact:

 

Mary Kruczynski, 

COA's Director of Policy Analysis

[email protected]  

 

 

For general COA inquiries, contact:

 

Tracey Banks 

COA Executive Assistant

[email protected] 

 


Advocate Events & Opportunities

 

2014 COA Conference

 

We are going back to Disney World April 4-5, 2014. For those who attended our 8th annual COA conference, we hope that you came away armed with the knowledge to advocate for cancer care. For those of you who were not able to join us you will have another opportunity to learn with fellow advocates at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Not only will you participate in two days of educational sessions, but you will also attend some general sessions with the entire cancer care delivery team of physicians, nurses, administrators and others who participate in your care. The conference keynote speaker is Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, the Pulitzer Prize Winning Author of The Emperor of All Maladies, a Biography of Cancer. As a CPAN attendee, you will gain attendance to this general session and, if you are one of the first 200 registrants for the conference, will receive an autographed copy of the book! Here is a brief snapshot of some of our sessions:    

  • How to lobby your congressional members
  • What is making your doctor sick?
  • How to start a CPAN chapter
  • How to navigate your own cancer care
  • Health Insurance Exchanges and you
  • Legislative update from Capitol Hill


About The Community Oncology Alliance (COA)  
& COA's Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN)


The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) was established in 2003 to advocate on behalf of cancer patients and their oncologists.   


The majority of cancer patients are treated in a community 

 cancer clinic. Other types of care environments include state

 and regional hospitals and academic based cancer centers.

  

COA was founded by community oncologists in response to the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, which planned cuts to oncologist reimbursement, a move that directly and negatively impacts patient care. COA members are community cancer centers, oncologists, nurses, practice administrators, and pharmaceutical partners. The COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN)  was created to include the patient voice. 


Rose Gerber
Director of Communications
& Patient Advocacy
[email protected]

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