Editor’s Note: A serious diagnosis takes a heavy toll on patients, medically and financially. Proactive financial navigation can make a huge difference by connecting patients with vital assistance programs. In the latest installment of our “Patient Stories” series, learn how navigator Jen Burgess from our TailorMed Complete team eased the financial burden for a patient with multiple myeloma.
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Financial navigator: Jen Burgess
Diagnosis: Multiple myeloma
Type of healthcare organization: Cancer center
Medications: Darzalex Faspro, Velcade
Assistance programs: Johnson & Johnson commercial copay assistance program, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) grant
Costs covered: $4,000 over three Darzalex Faspro treatments; $4,600 for scans, labs, and doctor’s visits (ongoing)
Patient financial responsibility without assistance: ~$10,000
Patient financial responsibility with assistance: ~$0
TailorMed Financial Navigator Jen Burgess provided essential support for a patient newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma—a rare blood cancer.
“When I initially reached out, the patient was in the hospital, preparing for a stem cell transplant,” Jen recalled. “She was very fragile, and I could sense that this life-changing diagnosis had shattered her.”
The patient had already undergone multiple scans, lab work, and bone marrow testing to determine the best course of treatment—each of which carried significant costs. The expenses would have continued to mount until she had met her large annual out-of-pocket maximum.
“This patient was overwhelmed with piles of medical paperwork and invoices,” Jen said. “She did not have the strength or bandwidth to deal with the administrative side of being seriously ill.”
She would have owed close to $10,000, but Jen quickly enrolled her in two support programs. First, she found a manufacturer copay assistance program for the patient’s medication, Darzalex Faspro. She also helped her obtain a grant from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to offset the costs of scans, labs, and doctor’s visits–with the possibility of renewal at the end of the enrollment period.
“I was able to reassure her that the endless bills would be covered by both of these programs,” Jen explained.
In addition, Jen helped ease the patient’s transition to Medicare. “During this time, she had also aged into Medicare, after being commercially insured through diagnosis and early treatment,” Jen said. “This was another stressor, because she faced a huge decision at an inopportune time.”
Drawing on her background as a Medicare counselor and health insurance navigator, Jen provided the facts the patient needed to find the best coverage option.
Thanks to Jen’s timely support and deep knowledge, the patient was able to focus on her treatment—not the financial and administrative burdens that so often accompany critical illness.
Interested in partnering with our TailorMed Complete team to optimize financial assistance for your patients? Contact us to learn more.
