COA Supports Elimination of Cost Sharing for All Screenable Cancers

WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES, February 13, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Board of Directors has issued a new position statement calling for the elimination of consumer cost sharing for all screenable cancers. Making screening more affordable will increase the likelihood of detecting cancers before they reach a critical stage and address disparities in screening rates of different socioeconomic groups.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and many private health insurers must provide coverage for preventive screenings for cancers that receive an A or B rating from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (i.e., breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung) with no consumer cost sharing (including deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance). However, this coverage only extends to the initial screening. If additional screening is required to determine the presence of cancer or complete the diagnosis, patients may be required to pay out-of-pocket expenses. COA believes that anything less than full coverage of all the necessary tests for all the USPSTF-recommended screenable cancers is insufficient to accurately diagnose and lead to an evidence-based treatment plan.

“We no longer live in a time when a single test is sufficient to determine a patient’s diagnosis. With the advent of precision medicine, we have the ability to create personalized treatments that maximize a patient’s outcomes while minimizing side effects. To design these treatment regimens, it is sometimes essential to perform multiple screenings to determine the characteristics of a cancer. Getting rid of cost sharing for these screenings will allow physicians to treat more patients and save more lives,” said Miriam Atkins, MD, FACP, a practicing medical oncologist at AO Multispecialty Clinic and president of COA.

The elimination of cost sharing also addresses some of the disparities noted in screening coverage in the United States. Research shows that the overall rate of cancer screening is lower among Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and Alaskan Native populations compared to their white counterparts. Additionally, those living in rural areas are less likely to receive screenings than those in an urban area. Removing the financial barrier to cancer screenings is likely to improve screening rates among populations whose likelihood of seeking out a screening procedure is historically low.

- Click here to read COA’s position statement on cancer screening coverage.

Along with the cancer screening coverage position statement, the COA Board of Directors issued updated versions of five previously published statements on Oral Parity, Prior Authorization, Sequestration, Site Parity, and Telehealth. As part of COA’s commitment to its members, statements are occasionally revised to reflect changes in policy, economic need, or other factors that may influence the availability, quality, and affordability of community-based cancer care.

Each of COA’s formal position statements provides background, history, and detail on a key issue affecting cancer care. These statements are reviewed and vetted by the medical professionals who sit on the COA Board of Directors. Many cover issues that are part of legislation or policy under consideration by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the United States Congress, state governments, and others.

A complete version of every COA Position Statement is available online at https://communityoncology.org/category/position-statements/.

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About the Community Oncology Alliance: COA is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for community oncology practices and, most importantly, the patients they serve. COA is the only organization dedicated solely to community oncology where the majority of Americans with cancer are treated. The mission of COA is to ensure that patients with cancer receive quality, affordable, and accessible cancer care in their own communities. More than 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every day and deaths from the disease have been steadily declining due to earlier detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Learn more at www.CommunityOncology.org. Follow COA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/oncologyCOA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CommunityOncologyAlliance.

Drew Lovejoy
Community Oncology Alliance
info@coacancer.org

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