Allen Beck and Rivka Shakow Beck were newlyweds when Allen was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. Allen and Rivka were thrust into a stressful, unfamiliar situation while trying to figure out how to manage mounting medical bills and prepare for Allen’s bone marrow transplant. 

Enter financial advocate, Angie Santiago. Angie discovered grants to help pay for the premiums, tapped into hospital funds to cover the bills, mapped out coverage across state lines, and more. Tune in to hear their unique experiences as patient, caregiver, and financial advocate.  

Guests:  

Angie Santiago, CRCS

Manager, Oncology Financial Advocacy
Thomas Jefferson University Health System, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center

Advisory Committee Chair, ACCC Financial Advocacy Network 

Allen Beck

Patient  

Rivka Shakow Beck

Caregiver

Resources: 

• ACCC Patient Assistance & Reimbursement Guide
• Financial Advocacy Boot Camp
• Financial Advocacy Playbook and Toolkit
• Fighting Financial Toxicity
• Making the Business Care for Hiring a Financial Navigator
• [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 11: Digital Patient Assistance Guide
• [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 06: Financial Advocacy Playbook
• Tips for Helping Relieve Patients of Financial Burden