How It Works

Client Care from Orion

Integral to our mission of standardizing integrated medicine in cancer treatment, Orion Center for Integrative Medicine uses a Client Care system to ensure that all patients are enrolled in our research protocols regardless of their ability to pay for services required and rendered. By providing patients with support regardless of their financial status, this broadens the base of participants for research study involvement. 

Client Care candidacy and qualification is determined by the patient’s Care Coordinator. Once confirmed, Orion Center for Integrative Medicine reimburses patients for any services to outside providers through a voucher system, made possible to the organization through donations.

Client Care Procedure

Client Care assessment begins with insurance authorization. If the patient’s insurance does not cover the assessment visit or any services recommended and the patient states that they cannot afford those services, Orion uses donation dollars to cover the cost of recommended services on behalf of the patient.

Patients who qualify for Client Care are responsible for submitting an explanation of benefits (EOB), indicating insurance denial. This allows Orion to reimburse the service provider(s) on behalf of the qualifying patient. The rate of reimbursement, determined by Orion on an annual basis, is based on average rates for like services in the region. Organizational funds used toward Client Care reimbursements to service providers are tracked internally and reported to the Board of Directors regularly. Any integrative medicine provider meeting qualifications to provide integrative services to cancer patients and survivors is eligible to receive Client Care funds on behalf of Orion's Client Care patients.

Why Charity Care?

 In addition to the physical, mental, and emotional traumas of cancer treatment, many patients — an estimated 47-49% of survivors —experience financial distress due to cancer care costs including major insurance coverage gaps. Generally, out of pocket medical expenses are greater for cancer patients than non-cancer patients — a burden which is worsened for many by their temporary inability to work. Additionally, a significant number of cancer survivors require ongoing cancer care due to the negative impacts of treatment. Unfortunately, the most effective therapies for integrative medicine, such as those provided by Orion, are not adequately reimbursed by insurance companies. The convergence of these factors significantly limits the accessibility of integrative medicine treatment. With Client Care, Orion Center for Integrative Medicine is able to provide care based on need rather than financial capacity. In addition to extending our sphere of impact, this support ensures a diverse pool of research participants, which accurately reflects the demographic landscape of cancer survivors, rather than a bias toward those who can afford nontraditional treatments.