Webinar: Let’s Talk Medicare 2024

Webinar: Let’s Talk Medicare 2024

This could be scary…It’s almost open enrollment season for Medicare!

A dreaded time to receive multiple communications in untold ways that often read like a foreign language. It’s only fitting that we talked about it the day before Halloween.

Join AnCan as we bring experts Amanda Goodstadt, Esq. from Triage Cancer, and Medicare Insurance Broker Kim Umphres to explain all things confusing around 2024 Medicare insurance options, and make this enrollment season a little less spooky and intimidating.

Our panel will explain the whole menu from alphabet soup plans to doughnut holes! Learn the difference between Traditional and Advantage plans and if you can switch between them, what HMOs and PPOs mean, how to sign up to see any doctor anywhere and much more.

Featuring AnCan favorites, Dr. John, Sally Torgeson, Jim Schraidt, and Kim Stroeh, we’ll share some laughs and learn a lot as well.

 

 

Click here for a special handout from Triage Cancer with Medicare resources.

 

Special thanks to Bayer, Pfizer, Myovant Sciences, Foundation Medicine, Myriad Genetics, Janssen – Johnson & Johnson, Telix, and Blue Earth Diagnostics for sponsoring this webinar.

 

 

To SIGN UP for any of our Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page.

ICE  Checklist … in case you go cold!

ICE Checklist … in case you go cold!

ICE Checklist … in case you go cold!

Last month’s Under 60 Stage 3 & 4 Prostate Cancer meeting was small, intimate and produced a true gem from Down Under to benefit all AnCan’rs …

For the life of me, I forget what raised the topic … maybe a Death with Dignity discussion – but Aussie AnCan’r, Steve Cavill told us about the ICE “In Case of Emergency” Checklist Document that he and his wife Leonie, who occasionally attends our Care Partners Group, have both completed. Steve and Leonie reside in the suburbs of Melbourne and are currently heading towards mid-Winter.

This ICE Checklist takes much, if not all, the difficulty out of placing your key information in one place. Like your vital passwords to your laptop, phone or bank accounts; names of key individuals in your life and more. You know .. all that information making it possible for someone to piece your life together if you’re suddenly no longer with us.

Frankly it’s information we should all compile no matter how old. With this checklist guide at hand to march us through it, there can be few excuses. Just remember, this version of the ICE checklist was created in Oz, so it may not be fully applicable Stateside.  If one of our US volunteers has time to ‘Americanize’ it, I feel sure it will be greatly appreciated – we have very few solicitors in the US and a few too many attorneys!

Here’s the checklist document in Word format ICE Document Template  Now do your part …. and a BIG THANK YOU, Steve Cavill!!

Webinar: Let’s Talk Medicare 2024

Webinar – What Is a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist – And Why You Need One!

AnCan Foundation supports several conditions that compromise the pelvic floor as a result of surgery, radiation, or just side effects of the disease itself. It can impact continence and sexual function for all!

A non-interventional rehab solution is pelvic floor physical therapy – a sub-specialty in itself.

Join one of AnCan’s favorite superstars, urologist Dr. Rachel Rubin, and esteemed expert Dr. Tracy Sher. Together, shared how pelvic floor exercises can help you recover function!

You’ll also get a ton of questions answered, asked by MS Moderator Kim Stroeh, and Prostate Cancer moderator Dr. John Antonucci.

Watch here:

 

Special thanks to Bayer, Pfizer, Myovant Sciences, Foundation Medicine, Myriad Genetics, Janssen – Johnson & Johnson, and Telix for sponsoring this webinar.

 

Check back later for slides.

For information on our peer-led video chat VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS, click here.

To SIGN UP for any of our Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page.

AnCan VIRTUALLY speaks to Extended Access Programs!

AnCan VIRTUALLY speaks to Extended Access Programs!

AnCan VIRTUALLY speaks to Extended Access Programs!

When AnCan Advisory Board Member, Jeff Waldron asked us to participate in a pharmaceutical industry  Conference on Expanded Access Programs (EAP) in Boston at the end of March, we were only to happy to amplify the patient voice.

A couple of background factors. For those of you not aware, EAP is the name given to programs that allow needy patients access to groundbreaking drugs that have not yet received regulatory approval – in the US case, by the FDA. All of our guys who received Pluvicto (Lu177 PSMA 617) through ‘Managed Access’ last year were actually enrolled in a form of EAP. As you may recall, when the FDA approved Pluvicto, the Managed Access Program ceased to exist and patients were rapidly transferred to commercial providers.

Our good friend, Jeff Waldron, has a back ground working with both Payers and Pharma. He is one of our most well-connected Advisors, and for the past 3 years, has organized an international EAP Conference. All but the smallest pharmas have an EAP. The past two years conferences were virtual, but this year it was held live in Boston from March 21-23.

Rick Davis attended virtually on behalf of AnCan to participate in a panel moderated by Jeff entitled,“Closing the Gap of How We Reach Patients”. Ours was the sole direct patient particpation in the 2-day proceedings,  and one thing was for sure – they couldn’t miss ‘rd’ as you’ll see from the photgraph alongside. Live feedback was very positive, especially from hearing the  difficulties patients encounter. Perhaps the single exception.was a senior drug executive from a pharma with whom AnCan works closely. She presented for 25 minutes immediately before the Panel, finally mentioning patients in her closing sentence. When Rick pointed that out, she was none too pleased.

So what did we say. The take- away points for pharma were:

  • Publcize your EAP in a way that is understandable and accessible to and for patients
  • Provide support to the patients’ medical team filling out the paperwork to help eliminate that as a hurdle to access
  • Respond quickly so patients are not hanging out waiting to hear if they can access the EAP drug
  • Be sure trialled drugs are available to patients benefitting from their use, if the trial is stopped and the drug has not been approved.

AnCan’rs – just another example of how we ensure your voice is being heard … we have your back!

AnCan Art Friends Art Class – March 16, 2023 – Sunset Clouds

Art Friends

Hey Friends! If you missed last Thursday’s art class, then I have the recording for you right here! Share it far and wide, and don’t forget to email your pictures to Alexa (Alexa at AnCan.org).

Supplies:

  • Canvas Size 12in x 12in or similar. Feel free to use a rectangle as well
  • Acrylic Paints: White, Blue (or whatever other Sky & sea color you want), Orange, Yellow, optional Purple
  • Palette Knife
  • Brush: 3/4in or similar
  • Optional tiny brush OR tooth pick OR cotton swab for optional birds
  • Water
  • Napkins

 

Watch here:

Have fun with this and please don’t hesitate to reach out to Hannah@AnCan.org with any additional comments & questions. Happy painting!