Currently, medical oncologists receive higher payments when they bill for more expensive medications, which provides an incentive for choosing more costly care when it may not be more effective. The author, Lee Newcomer, MD, senior vice president of UnitedHealthcare, proposes four steps necessary to create a sustainable reimbursement structure for medical oncologists:
1. Make oncologists’ income independent of cancer drug selection.
2. Base pricing of new cancer drugs on value. Manufacturers should be incentivized to create “high-impact, affordable drugs,” the author writes.
3. Develop payment incentives that support constant comparative effectiveness analysis using data from real patients.
4. Reward physicians for improved outcomes, such as clinical responses, patients’ quality of life and cost management.
More Articles on Cancer Costs:
Study: Cancer Patients’ Higher Survival in U.S. vs. Europe “Worth” the Extra Costs
Study: Chemotherapy Patient Care Costs 24% More in Hospital Outpatient Setting Than in Physician Office
Adult Hospital Stays for Cancer Totaled $20.1B in 2009
