In this article, analysts from Aetna are discussing about the influence of site-of-service distribution on chemotherapy treatment cost. It was found that treatment delivered in hospital - based setting were more expensive rather than those delivered in private setting. Data used to evaluate the site-of-service differential revealed that hospital based site of service were more than 280% more expensive per patient than office based site of service. The costs of chemotherapy were 50% to 60% higher in hospital- based setting without omitting the variability in the average chemotherapy allowed and the total cost of care by site of service. The average cost for annualized chemotherapy ranged from $8,788 to $ 55,820 for hospital- based setting
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Moreover, Variability of price based on State revealed that Kansas was the most expensive State due to the fact that all chemotherapies delivered in Kansas moved to hospitals, with the hospital leverage allowed price of 55,820 per patient. My reaction to this issue is geared toward the increasingly high price of treatment, which could lead to health care disparity in term of affordability and accessibility. While the Affordable Act is working toward decreasing health cost, cancer treatment cost continue to rise and limiting access to saving care for certain individuals, specially for uninsured ones. With the rise in treatment cost, patients who have to face a higher out-of –pocket cost will be less likely to continue with the treatment, they will either drop or skip appointments, patients. However, there are surely many reasons explaining the rise in cost such as facility fees that hospitals and their outpatients’ clinic add to the bill, administrative cost, and treatment delivered by oncologists whose practices have been bought by hospitals. Despite these reasons, there are also other economic factors that come into play such as: a) supply and demand- there is an increased in population growth and life expectancy leading to an increased likelihood of
Moreover, Variability of price based on State revealed that Kansas was the most expensive State due to the fact that all chemotherapies delivered in Kansas moved to hospitals, with the hospital leverage allowed price of 55,820 per patient. My reaction to this issue is geared toward the increasingly high price of treatment, which could lead to health care disparity in term of affordability and accessibility. While the Affordable Act is working toward decreasing health cost, cancer treatment cost continue to rise and limiting access to saving care for certain individuals, specially for uninsured ones. With the rise in treatment cost, patients who have to face a higher out-of –pocket cost will be less likely to continue with the treatment, they will either drop or skip appointments, patients. However, there are surely many reasons explaining the rise in cost such as facility fees that hospitals and their outpatients’ clinic add to the bill, administrative cost, and treatment delivered by oncologists whose practices have been bought by hospitals. Despite these reasons, there are also other economic factors that come into play such as: a) supply and demand- there is an increased in population growth and life expectancy leading to an increased likelihood of