Virtual Health Insurance Navigation Pilot Program for Colorectal Survivors

With support from the American Cancer Society, Dr. Park designed a 5-session health insurance navigation treatment program, Health Insurance Navigation Tools (HINT), that is currently being delivered remotely, as a collaboration with the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Given the current insurance landscape and the additional insurance burden that adult colorectal cancer survivors face, the present study seeks to conduct a pilot trial with the existing health insurance intervention and adult colorectal cancer survivors seen at MGH Cancer Centers to improve health insurance literacy and decrease financial burden related to medical costs. The present study seeks to develop and pilot a health insurance navigation program with adult colorectal cancer survivors recruited from MGH. Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer have a higher risk of experiencing financial burden related to health care costs when compared to patients diagnosed with other types of cancer. While many cancer survivors report experiencing financial burden, financial burden is particularly acute among survivors of colorectal cancer. Outcomes of financial burden among colorectal cancer survivors include lower health related quality of life, employment concerns, and delay or lack of engagement in needed surveillance and follow-up care.

Understanding and navigating insurance benefits in the current landscape is crucial for colorectal cancer survivors to obtain and utilize the health care that they need. With this in mind, the study investigators propose to develop and pilot an insurance navigation intervention to examine its feasibility and acceptability among colorectal cancer survivors receiving care at the MGH.

Inclusion criteria

• patients who are18-65 years of age
• patients who are 1) approximately 6 months to 5 years posttreatment for stages I-III colon or rectal cancer or 2) approximately more than 3 months post-diagnosis for stage IV colon or rectal cancer at the time of screening
• patients who had a medical visit at MGH in the past two years
• patients who have medical insurance
• patients who speak English
• patients who have access to an iPad, computer, smartphone or laptop with WIFI access

Exclusion criteria

• patients who are younger than 18 years of age or older than 65 years of age
• patients who are unable to give consent due to psychiatric or cognitive impairment
• patients who lack of access to a smartphone, computer, or tablet with internet access
• patients who do not currently have health insurance