An analysis of CMS data between 2009 and 2011 showed higher costs per beneficiary were a result of medication choice, with more expensive chemotherapy drugs used in outpatient settings. It also showed that chemotherapy days were between 9 and 12 percent higher in outpatient care settings.
Overall discrepancies in cancer treatment costs may be a result of differences in updates to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the Outpatient Prospective Payment system, according to the report.
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