Navigation Links
Use of costly breast cancer therapy strongly influenced by reimbursement policy
Date:4/28/2011

What Medicare would pay for and where a radiation oncologist practiced were two factors that strongly influenced the choice of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for treating breast cancer, according to an article published April 29 online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The use of IMRT and the cost of radiation therapy increased sharply over the period of the study.

IMRT is a radiation delivery technique that modulates the radiation beams to conform to the shape of the tumor or tumor bed in an attempt to maximize the dose of radiation to the tumor while minimizing the dose to adjacent normal tissues. Compared to conventional, two- or three-dimensional radiation therapy, IMRT may reduce acute skin toxicity and improve cosmetic outcomes for women undergoing breast conservation therapy.

But there are simpler approaches to three-dimensional treatment that may provide the same benefits at lower cost. It is thus controversial whether such treatments justify billing Medicare for IMRT.

To look at clinical, demographic, and other factors associated with billing for IMRT in Medicare beneficiaries with breast cancer, Benjamin D. Smith, M.D., of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and colleagues used Medicare data for 26,163 women with localized breast cancer who had undergone surgery and radiation therapy from 2001 through 2005.

They found that Medicare billing for IMRT increased more than 10-fold (increasing from 0.9% to 11.2% of the diagnosed patients) in that period. The average cost of radiation within the first year of diagnosis was $7,179 without IMRT and $15,230 with IMRT.

In regions of the country where local Medicare carriers covered IMRT, billing for this treatment was more than five times higher than in regions where it was not covered. Furthermore, IMRT billing was more frequent for patients treated by radiation oncologists in freestanding radiation centers (7.6%
'/>"/>

Contact: Kristine Crane
jncimedia@oxfordjournals.org
301-841-1287
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Portable, less costly peritoneal dialysis shows no additional catheter risk factors
2. Adverse drug events costly to health care system: Vancouver Coastal Health-UBC research
3. Knee replacement surgeries take more time, are more costly in overweight individuals
4. Evidence lacking for widespread use of costly antipsychotic drugs, says Stanford researcher
5. For HIV-positive patients, delayed treatment a costly decision
6. Patients Who Swallow Foreign Objects a Costly Burden to Health Care
7. Mental health leaves most costly disability to Canadian employers
8. Does the U.S. Need to Ration Costly End-of-Life Care?
9. Costly tests may not help detect bladder cancer recurrence, M. D. Anderson study finds
10. Why do physicians order costly CTs? Ultrasound yields better diagnosis, safer, less costly
11. Study Suggests Low-Consuming Medicare Beneficiaries With Chronic Disease Are More Costly to Program
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/22/2013)... A new study provides neurobiological evidence for ... in people with insomnia, which may have implications ... , "Insomnia has been consistently identified as a ... Franzen, PhD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at ... in the brain circuitry underlying emotion regulation may ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... married are less likely to be obese, according to ... Houston. , "Childhood obesity is a significant public health ... U.S. children ages 2-17 overweight or obese," said Rachel ... and director of Rice,s Kinder Institute Urban Health Program. ... explore the impact of family structure on this epidemic." ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... FL (PRWEB) May 22, 2013 Digital ... sweepstakes on behalf of its social media management client, ... win a year's supply of the all-natural organic deodorant. ... increase awareness of the rapidly-growing start-up deodorant company based ... up a contest or sweepstakes on a Facebook page ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... NJ) John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical ... will bring together leading cancer experts, for presentation and ... therapy and interventional immunology in oncology, on Friday, June ... to bring together some of the nation,s top immunology ... cell therapies in oncology, both in solid and liquid ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... OH (PRWEB) May 22, 2013 ... air quality merchandise ranging from furnace filters, dehumidifiers, ... is excited to add Stadler Form's product ... fashionable summer product line (fans, aroma diffusers and ... Stadler Form’s Otto Fan is the perfect combination ...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:Study shows that insomnia may cause dysfunction in emotional brain circuitry 2Health News:Children of married parents less likely to be obese 2Health News:Children of married parents less likely to be obese 3Health News:Social Media Management Firm, 21Digital, Launches National Facebook Sweepstakes for Client, Primal Pit Paste 2Health News:Progress after recent breakthrough which opened new chapter in anti-cancer cell therapies 2Health News:DiscountFurnaceFilter.com Now Offers Stadler Form Products - Providing Solutions to All Your Summer Needs 2
... ... ... they entered? Normal age-related memory decline affects more than half of all seniors, and those over 80 ... program offered to older adults in their senior living communities helped improve their ability to recognize and ...
... agree that financial constraints and an aging population will require ... find that pushing back the eligibility age could be a ... most. The consequences both positive and negative of ... presented in the latest installment of the Public Policy & ...
... Medical Center have enrolled the first patient in Michigan ... the safety and effectiveness of the Moxy Drug Coated ... Thomas Davis, M.D., SJH&MC interventional cardiologist performed the case. ... manufacturer Lutonix, Inc., is the first drug-coated balloon pivotal ...
... , MONDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Toddlers with ... developing asthma by the time they,re 12, new research suggests. ... of allergies who were followed from birth to age 12. The ... and 1 and 2 years to check for sensitivity to different ...
... Ga. The most common breast cancer uses the ... cells and blocking that system kills it, researchers report. ... new options for patients, particularly those resistant to standard ... said. Human estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells ...
... the EVATEL (EVAluation of TELe follow-up) trial are the ... benefits from the remote follow-up of ICD patients. The ... of the French Ministry for Health and independent of ... devices routinely implanted in patients at risk of sudden ...
Cached Medicine News:Health News:UCLA memory fitness program improves memory abilities of oldest adults 2Health News:UCLA memory fitness program improves memory abilities of oldest adults 3Health News:Aging authorities differ on tweaks to Social Security's benefit structure 2Health News:St. John Hospital 1st in Michigan to enroll patient in worldwide drug-coated balloon trial 2Health News:Research aims to starve breast cancer cells 2Health News:Potential benefits of remote follow-up of ICD patients 2
(Date:5/22/2013)... , May 22, 2013 Z-Medica, a leading ... has launched the first-ever line of products designed to ... line includes QuikClot ® EMS 4x4 Dressing, QuikClot ... EMS Rolled Gauze™, all custom-designed to help responders ... can be transported to a hospital or trauma center. ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... MAPLE GROVE, Minn. , May 22, ... today announced the successful completion of its ... (extended-release topiramate), an internally developed program for ... the company,s proprietary formulation technology.  USL255 is ... and reduce fluctuations in topiramate blood levels ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... 22, 2013   Life Line Screening  (LLS), ... today the creation of a unique partnership with ... MCM is a population health management organization. LLS ... of clients. These important expanded services will help MCM ... Effective prevention reduces cost of care when individuals are ...
Breaking Medicine Technology:Z-Medica Launches New Line of Hemostatic Agents for use in Emergency Medical Services 2Upsher-Smith Successfully Completes Phase III Study Of USL255 (Extended-Release Topiramate) For Adjunctive Treatment Of Epilepsy In Patients With Refractory Partial-Onset Seizures 2Upsher-Smith Successfully Completes Phase III Study Of USL255 (Extended-Release Topiramate) For Adjunctive Treatment Of Epilepsy In Patients With Refractory Partial-Onset Seizures 3Upsher-Smith Successfully Completes Phase III Study Of USL255 (Extended-Release Topiramate) For Adjunctive Treatment Of Epilepsy In Patients With Refractory Partial-Onset Seizures 4Life Line Screening and MCM Solutions for Better Health Announce New Partnership 2
... Feb. 2 The Robert C. Gallo Foundation ... appointment of Franco Nuschese as director of international ... his colleagues, who are internationally known for expertise ... also supports other organizations producing groundbreaking HIV research."It ...
... (NYSE: KR ) said today it is recalling ... in its family of stores because the products have the ... names in the 31 states where Kroger operates are included ... Less, Fry,s, King Soopers, Smith,s, Dillons, QFC, City Market, Foods ...
Cached Medicine Technology:Franco Nuschese Tapped by Robert C. Gallo Foundation for AIDS and Virus Research 2Kroger Recalls Peanut Butter Bakery Cookies and Select Cakes Due to Possible Health Risk 2Kroger Recalls Peanut Butter Bakery Cookies and Select Cakes Due to Possible Health Risk 3
... the highest g-force ever. But optimal productivity ... Optima MAX combines maximum force, capacity, and ... that's worlds apart from any other system. ... enhanced efficiency, Optima takes productivity to the ...
... generating 694,000 x g at ... Beckman Coulter's Optima L-90K Ultracentrifuge ... separations in less time. This ... a broad range of superb ...
... With the ability to provide a simple, ... in lipemic samples), the Airfuge CLS delivers ... can be cleaned in 10 minutes, eliminating ... tabletop centrifuge: Reaches top speed in as ...
The Dimension RxL Max is an integrated chemistry system and is the most powerful and technologically advanced Dimension analyze with new standard for excellence in clinical diagnostics. Simply put, t...
Medicine Products: