The economics of cancer in the US.

The Cost and Quality of Cancer Care Health Affairs briefing was held on Tuesday, April 7, 2015. I introduced a few summaries in earlier blogs but when I look at information in my RSS feed every day it is obvious that an entire blog should be dedicated to the data and stories around high-value care and managing costs. You can follow these pages for emerging stories and thoughtful discussions. Please be a part of the conversation by providing comments, sharing your stories, or suggesting future topics. 

Filtering the news stream...

A few facts before we get started.

How Many New Cases Are Expected to Occur This Year?

Data from the American Cancer Society estimates 1,658,370 new cancer diagnoses in 2015. This estimate does not include noninvasive cancer except urinary bladder, or basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers as they are not required to be reported to cancer registries. 

Cancer 2015 statistics
American Cancer Society

Global factors that impact costs in US

Why does Gleevec, a leukemia drug that costs $70,000 per year in the United States, cost just $2,500 in India?

It's seemingly simple. Gleevec is under patent in the U.S., but not in India. Accordingly, Novartis, its Swiss-based manufacturer, may prevent competitors from making and selling lower-cost versions of the drug in the U.S., but not in India.

Last week, India's highest court rejected an application to patent Gleevec. While the legal issue in the case is important -- the patentability of modifications to existing drugs under Indian law -- the impact of the decision will likely be broader than just that issue, escalating a long-simmering fight over patented cancer medications in emerging markets.

---

---

There is a lot of information about research study design in oncology trials, endpoint selection, high-value vs low-value care, drug cost and pricing, escalating healthcare expenditures with less than optimal outcomes--all reflecting a chaotic and evolving healthcare system.

Alternative payment/reimbursement models have created new strategies to lower healthcare spending while improving outcomes. We will discuss these strategies and introduce concepts such as bundling/capitation, value-reimbursement, medical homes, ACOs, and how Center for Medicare & Medicaid  and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCORI) are identifying needs and piloting needed solutions. 

Patient centricity will continue to focus on patient engagement and integrating public values in payer strategies and targeted therapies. The data exists but remains siloed as new initiatives call for accessibility and meaningful insights shared with stakeholders committed to valuing cancer care and providing affordable high-quality care.