Posted: 04/17/09
For many years several forms of cancer have been treated with intravenous infusions of chemotherapy drugs. These costly treatments often required patients to spend hours in a doctor's office or hospital, tethered to an intravenous line. Insurance plans normally cover most of the costs associated with this type of therapy.Today, doctors are prescribing oral medications to treat some types of cancer. These pills and capsules give patients more freedom since they do not have to make frequent trips to a clinic to receive infusions that sometimes take hours to administer. Fewer visits also save the health system money as well as time. But the best news is that these drugs are a step toward making cancer a manageable chronic condition.
For many patients, however, trading an IV for a pill is not cost effective. Infusions are typically paid for by a health care plans as a medical benefit, like surgery. Oral medications are normally paid for by prescription insurance, supplemental or otherwise. Oral medication for cancer treatment can be very expensive. The co-payment could be unaffordable for some patients and the annual coverage limit can quickly be exceeded.
Recently, Oregon enacted the nation's first state law requiring insurers provide equal reimbursement for oral and infused chemotherapy drugs. Several other states are now considering similar legislation. For those not protected, prescription supplemental insurance may be an option to consider.
Related Links
New York Times: As Pills Treat Cancer, Insurance Lags Behind
