Cost-of-Care Discussions Between Cancer Patients & Providers
Source: Oncology Times, February 2025
Most physicians agree that patients should know how much they’re going to pay for treatment before deciding on a plan. According to a survey of breast cancer surgeons, 87 percent agreed with this. Yet, it’s only a minority of physicians who claim they have cost-of-care discussions with their patients.
“The high cost of cancer care is well-documented,” noted K. Robin Yabroff, PhD, Scientific Vice President of the American Cancer Society. “Oncologists play an important role in discussions about expected patient out-of-pocket costs in treatment decision-making.”
So Yabroff and others helped pilot an effort to track how frequently cost-of-care discussions were happening between providers and patients among patients newly diagnosed with cancer.