COA Patient Advocacy Network
News Bulletin: July 2020
Final Call for Registration: Virtual Community Oncology Advocacy Summit is Next Week on July 15
There is still time to register for our first-ever Virtual Community Oncology Advocacy Summit: Cancer Care in a COVID-19 World on July 15, 2020!

Join us for an exciting day featuring updates on the latest in cancer policy and legislation, the impact of COVID-19 on patient care and practice operations, and how practices have stepped up to provide uninterrupted, high-quality cancer care during these difficult times.

Hear from national experts in community oncology who have taken on the challenges of COVID-19 and walk away with new knowledge and advocacy tools. The summit is FREE for patients, survivors, caregivers, advocates, advocacy non-profit groups and health care professionals.
Chapter Spotlight: Northwest Medical Specialties
At Northwest Medical Specialties (NWMS) , patients know they are a dynamic part of the cancer care community and that their voice matters. Whether it’s sponsoring an educational table at the local farmer’s market to keep community members informed about key issues in cancer care, or asking CPAN volunteers to speak with new patients about advocacy opportunities, NWMS is committed to engaging the community to support high-quality cancer care that’s convenient and affordable. 
Being part of CPAN is all about creating meaningful experiences for advocates and those they touch. This chapter has met with U.S. Representative Denny Heck (D-Olympia/Tacoma), to give NWMS patients opportunities to discuss their treatment experience and the difference that community oncology made for their family. Forging personal connections with policymakers is one way CPAN advocates demonstrate what’s at stake when it comes to their cancer care.

When patients and practice staff come together to share stories about their experiences with community oncology, we help protect and preserve compassionate, personalized care for years to come.

Cancer Policy News Highlights
CURE Magazine: Staying Informed and Empowered as A Patient with Cancer “One of the best defenses against the fear and uncertainty that can accompany a cancer diagnosis is knowledge. Finding the right sources of information, however, can be tricky, even daunting. But it doesn’t have to be that way.”

OncLive: COVID-19 Is Expected to Have Long-term Impact on Oncology Practices “The rapidly developing nature of our knowledge about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the need to respond quickly to the pandemic are prompting community oncologists to search for ways to maintain their practices while improving the quality of care for their patients.”

MedPage Today: How Small and Independent Practices Can Prevail During COVID-19 “Be sure your team is safe and healthy, and not just from a physical perspective, but a mental one, and that includes you.”

Targeted Oncology: Community Practice Mergers and Acquisitions Rise Steeply Over 2 Years, COA Report Reveals “Since 2008, 1748 community oncology clinics and/or practices have closed, been acquired by hospitals, undergone corporate mergers, or reported financial difficulties.”
Annabelle's PBM Horror Story
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) put profits over patients, with often devastating results.

Annabelle's PBM sent an incorrect dosage of her medication and hurt her chances of beating leukemia. 

Read Annabelle's horror story here .
ICYMI: COVID-19 Patient Resources
To support practices and advocates during the COVID-19 pandemic, COA has compiled a list of resources and protocols, including federal government actions, resources and updates, administrator and clinician tools, webinars, patient-facing materials and supplier and manufacturer updates, available here . 

If you are a cancer patient who was previously received treatment at a hospital and need to find a new practice because of COVID-19, you can use the Patient Practice Connector . The Connector is free for patients . All submitted data is completely anonymous. Visit the Patient Practice Connector page to find a practice near you.