Nation's Cancer Care Infrastructure Consolidating, Increasing Costs And Creating Access Issues

Fifth Annual Cancer Care Report Documents Deteriorating Cancer Care Landscape

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Oct 21, 2014, 08:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) today released its fifth annual Community Oncology Practice Impact Report. The report documents an 82% increase in cancer clinic closings and a 143% increase in consolidation into hospitals since the first report in 2010, which reported on activity from 2008 to 2010. Over the past 8 years, 313 cancer treatment facilities have closed and 544 community cancer practices have been acquired by or affiliated with hospitals. New to this year's report, COA tracked that over the past 2 years 74.5% of the acquisitions/affiliations have been with hospitals receiving 340B drug discounts.

"It required close to 50 years to build this country's cancer care delivery system, but misguided policy in Washington is destroying it at an alarming pace," said Jeffrey Vacirca, MD, CEO and managing partner/director of clinical research at North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates, East Setauket, N.Y., and vice president of COA. "Hospitals are contributing to the escalating cost of cancer care — where the same cancer care is more costly for patients and their insurers. To truly stand up for cancer patients is to stop this destruction, or we will lose the war on cancer."

Studies by Avalere, BRG, Milliman, and The Moran Group have shown both the higher cost of cancer care delivered in hospital settings and the impact of the 340B drug discount program. It is noteworthy that despite the severe pressures facing community cancer clinics, they are leading the way in enhancing the quality of cancer care and controlling costs with new care delivery models, as exemplified by the Oncology Medical Home model.

"Many people talk about healthcare reform, but we are truly and aggressively seeking real-world solutions in community oncology," said Bruce J. Gould, MD, president and medical director of Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers in Marietta, Ga., and COA president. "There are more innovative payment reform programs in cancer care than in any other area of medicine. My practice has been participating in a program wherein we delivered superior cancer care to our patients while actually reducing the cost of care by over 30%."

COA will be hosting a national summit on oncology payment reform in Washington, DC on October 22, 2014 that will bring together payers and providers to discuss cancer care. At this landmark event, payers and providers will review current results from current payment reform programs, as well as discuss new initiatives underway relating to oncology payment reform.

"This report is a long-needed wake-up call to Congress and the President," said COA executive director Ted Okon. "Our nation faces a tragic cancer care crisis that is adversely affecting those Americans who are falling through treatment cracks and paying higher prices for cancer care. It's ironic that despite all the obstacles that policy makers have thrown at them, community oncologists are actually pioneering innovative healthcare payment reform."

The COA Community Oncology Practice Impact Report is available here (http://www.communityoncology.org/pdfs/Community_Oncology_Practice_Impact_Report_10-21-14F.pdf).

About Community Oncology Alliance (COA)
The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to community cancer care, where the large majority of Americans with cancer are treated. Since its formation 11 years ago, COA has led community cancer clinics in navigating the increasingly challenging environment to provide efficiencies, patient advocacy, and proactive solutions to Congress and policy makers. COA members have testified before both chambers of Congress, authored cancer care demonstration projects, and been instrumental in the passage of oral cancer drug parity legislation, among many other initiatives. More information can be found at www.CommunityOncology.org.

COA is leading a multi-stakeholder group that is developing and implementing an Oncology Medical Home cancer care model and is advancing payment reform for cancer care. More information can be found at www.MedicalHomeOncology.org.

About COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN)
The COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) was created in 2010 to advocate for access to local affordable care for all cancer patients. More information can be found at www.COAadvocacy.org.

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SOURCE Community Oncology Alliance