What is a financial navigator?

A financial navigator is someone who helps you understand the money side of cancer care. According to the National Cancer Institute, a financial navigator will teach you about the health insurance plans and cost-saving methods for treatments that you are eligible for.

In its summary on financial toxicity — the money problems related to the cost of care — the NCI lists meeting with a financial navigator among the approaches being studied to help reduce that strain. In other words, having someone explain your coverage and savings options may help ease the financial pressure of treatment.

You may also hear about hospital social workers and financial counselors, who do similar work. To find this kind of help, you can ask your care team, a hospital social worker, or the hospital billing office. This is general information, not financial advice, so the people where you receive care are the best guide to what is available to you.