National Patient Advocate Foundation

During our recent Policy Consortium, Rebekah Angove of Patient Insight Institute shared a profound truth about why so many patients suffer in silence under the weight of healthcare costs:

“Patients really worry that [talking about financial hardship] is going to affect the quality of the care they receive... They don't want to be seen as somebody that is in financial hardship. Maybe they're going through something, but that isn't the core of their identity.”

This highlights exactly why the healthcare system must change how it approaches affordability. Financial hardship is a health issue, but patients shouldn't have to carry the burden of bringing it up—or fear that being transparent will compromise their medical care.

When community health workers and needs navigators proactively treat financial health as a vital sign, they remove that stigma. They take the administrative and paperwork burdens off the patient, ensuring that safety net supports like Medicaid and Community Health Centers are accessible without compromising a patient's dignity.

The full recording of this vital conversation is now live on YouTube. Watch the panel featuring insights from Rebekah Angove, PhD of Patient Insight Institue, Erin Prendergast, MPH of NHCAC, Sam Becknel, and Becky Barnes of Patient Voices Matter as they discuss solutions for integrating financial health into the standard of care.

📺 Watch the Full Recording Here:https://youtu.be/adq-Ig0StYo

🗣️ The Data Shows the Risk. Your Story Shows the Reality. If you have navigated these hurdles yourself, we want to hear from you. Tell us why financial health is a priority in healthcare now, or share your perspective on the importance of safety net supports like Medicaid and CHCs.

Share your story here: 🔗 https://national-patient-advocate-foundation.boast.io/form/share-your-story

Financial Hardship is a Vital Sign Financial hardship is a health issue — and for millions of patients...

Thank You for Joining the June Policy Consortium!

What an incredible and timely conversation. A huge thank you to everyone who tuned in for today's session, Financial Health is a Vital Sign, and to our phenomenal speakers—Erin Prendergast, MPH, Sam Becknel, Jr., Rebekah Angove, and Becky Barnes, MSW—for sharing their expertise, leadership, and powerful perspectives.
We dove deep into how our nation’s network of Community Health Centers (CHCs) and the 330,000+ healthcare professionals working within them serve as frontline innovators. Tailored to local populations and the distinct access challenges they encounter, CHCs and community health workers deliver hands-on needs navigation to help patients find and use social and safety net support programs, financial assistance, and other community-based resources to ease affordability challenges.
With Medicaid coverage and safety net programs squarely in the crosshairs of policy discourse, hitting these topics head-on is a timely necessity. We must continue exploring strategies and solutions that build financial health directly into care plans.

The Conversation Doesn't End Here: Your Voice Matters

Policy discussions are driven by data, but healthcare practices are transformed by real human experiences. We want to hear from you.

Please take a moment to share your perspective with us on two critical areas:
Tell us why financial health is a priority in healthcare now... How have the far-reaching and complex costs of care impacted you, your family, or the patients you serve?
Share your perspective on the importance of safety net supports... How have programs like Medicaid or Community Health Centers (CHCs) helped protect access to care in your community?

🗣️ Share your perspective and story here: 🔗 https://national-patient-advocate-foundation.boast.io/form/share-your-story

📺 Missed a section or want to rewatch? The full webinar recording will be available to everyone in the coming days. Be sure to follow our page to be the first to get the link when it drops!

The Data Shows the Risk. Your Story Shows the Reality:
Medicaid Work Requirements

As this joint statement warns, these new reporting rules threaten to create massive paperwork burdens and cause devastating coverage losses for millions of families. But numbers on a page only tell part of the story—your lived experiences show the reality.

Read the statement here: https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/fy26-work-requirements-coalition-statement

We are once again collecting stories about how complex work reporting requirements are impacting your access to healthcare. If you are struggling to sort through these changing rules, please know you are not alone. These administrative hurdles don't improve health, they only reduce access to necessary care.

Help us push back against these barriers and protect access by sharing your experience.

Share your story here: https://national-patient-advocate-foundation.boast.io/form/share-your-story

Join the Discussion at the Policy Consortium
Want to dive deeper into how administrative hurdles and the far-reaching and complex costs of care impact families? Join our upcoming virtual session where we discuss navigating the safety net and protecting whole-person care.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
https://www.npaf.org/events/june-2026-policy-consortium/

48 Patient Organizations Warn of Massive Coverage Losses under Final Work Reporting Requirement Rule Today 48 non-profit, non-partisan patient organizations issued a statement in response to the interim final rule implementing the new Medicaid work reporting requirement provisions in Public Law 119-21.

What exactly is a Community Health Worker (CHW), and why are they vital to the future of health care?
CHWs are frontline public health professionals who have a deep understanding of the communities they serve. They serve as a critical link between clinical settings and social services. By focusing on the social and economic factors that influence wellness, they ensure that a patient’s "prescribed" care plan is actually an "achievable" one.

At our upcoming Policy Consortium, we’ll explore how CHWs work alongside Needs Navigators to identify and mitigate the financial barriers that often go unaddressed in traditional doctor visits.

Join the conversation on June 10th. 🔗 https://act.npaf.org/a/npaf-june-policy-consortium

NPAF June Policy Consortium

As we wrap up National Volunteer Week, we at the National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) are pausing to honor the heart and soul of our mission: Our Volunteers. Advocacy is more than just a series of policy goals; it is a movement fueled by the courage of individuals who turn their personal hurdles into a collective force for change. From navigating the far-reaching and complex costs of care to championing Needs Navigation as a structural solution, our volunteers are the bridge between lived experience and evidence-informed policy.

At NPAF, our community is built on three core pillars that guide everything we do:
Authenticity: We believe in showing up as our full selves. Our advocacy is rooted in the real, unvarnished stories of patients and caregivers.
Connection: We break down the isolation of the healthcare journey by building a supportive community where every voice is heard and valued.
Action: We don't just talk about the problems—we drive measurable change through legislative advocacy, national campaigns, and grassroots organizing.

Your Voice is the Catalyst for Change

The healthcare system can often feel overwhelming, but you don't have to navigate it—or try to fix it—alone. We are looking for passionate individuals to join our nationwide network of advocates. Whether you are a patient, a family caregiver, or a healthcare professional, your perspective is the key to creating a more equitable, affordable, and person-centered system.

Why Volunteer with NPAF?
Amplify Your Impact: Translate your personal journey into advocacy that influences national health policy.

Find Your Community: Join working groups dedicated to media, policy, and outreach alongside peers who truly "get it."

Lead the Way: Gain the tools and training to become a leader in the patient advocacy movement.

Ready to take action?

This National Volunteer Week, turn your passion into purpose. No matter how much time you have to give, there is a place for your voice here.

👉 Become an NPAF Volunteer Today: https://linktr.ee/NPAF