In response to the increasing costs facing cancer patients, a study recently identified areas for improvement in both the cost and quality of cancer care. The new study. Benchmarks for Value in Cancer Care: An Analysis of a Large Commercial Population, was reported by one of the nation’s largest networks of community-based oncologists dedicated to advancing cancer care in America, the US Oncology Network. The study was published in the State of Oncology supplement of the peer-reviewed Journal of Oncology Practice.
The major areas of care driving the increase in costs are chemotherapy, hospital admissions, emergency room visits, and aggressive end-of-life care, according to the study. For instance, total medical and pharmaceutical expenses for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in a commercially insured population averaged $111,000 per year. This amount is approximately 4 times the cost of cancer patients not receiving chemotherapy and almost 26 times the cost of nononcology patients. Plus, more than 50% of the study’s cancer patients received chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life.
With the use of a large, commercial insurance database containing private sector health data and claims information for about 14 million insured lives from approximately 100 payers, researchers evaluated the prevalence and costs associated with cancer treatment in a commercially insured population. More specifically, the study focused on analyzing the cost of treatment over 1 year and costs incurred at the end of life. Included in the study were 14 cancer diagnoses categorized and evaluated in 10 cancer groups including breast, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, colon, lung, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and rectal.
“I’m pleased that the Journal of Oncology Practice decided to feature this study because the unsustainable ballooning costs of cancer care is an issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later,” said Michael Kolodziej, MD, lead author, oncologist with New York Oncology Hematology, and chairman of the US Oncology Network Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. “This study shows that the cancer care community needs to focus on delivering high-quality, evidence-based medicine with a focus on disease management that emphasizes the importance of advance care planning and end-of-life support. I believe oncologists should look into working with payers to better manage costs and improve the quality of care each patient receives by following evidence-based treatment guidelines.”
Source: The US Oncology Network