An ongoing data collection by the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) reports that more than 75% of 163 practices participating in their study send patients to hospitals for chemotherapy – up from 10% of practices prior to 2006. More than 45% of those practices are experiencing delays in treatment. This problem did not exist prior to this year.
The COA encourages practices to respond weekly to the same questions in an effort to track trends in the impact of Medicare changes on community cancer care. These are some of its most recent findings:
- Nearly every clinic is evaluating its ability to continue participating in the Medicare program. All accept Medicare patients currently, but 19% do not take patients without secondary or Medigap insurance. Others shift chemotherapy to the hospital setting, as noted above. About 15% of practices have no facility in their community to which Medicare patients can be referred for chemotherapy.
- About 60% of practices precertify Medicare Part D medication for patients.
- Medicare Advantages plans are having minimal impact on most practices reporting to COA. Practices in Richlands, VA and New York City were exceptions.
- Most practices reported losing revenue under the 2006 reimbursement allowances mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act.
- About 42% of practices reported that at least some of their patients were denied medication through Medicare Part D.
http://communityoncology.org/Default.aspx?tabid=68&ctl=Details&mid=386&ItemID=801
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