Policy

Panel members are asked to discuss what drives the cost of drugs in cancer care. They also discuss the role companion diagnostics and personalized medicine play in oncology.

In this segment, panelists address coverage strategies health plans may utilize to finance patient access to the combination treatment.

AJMC's Co-Editor-in-Chief, Michael E. Chernew, PhD, Lee N. Newcomer, MD, MHA, UnitedHealthcare, and Sandra M. Swain, MD, Washington Cancer Institute, Medstar Washington Hospital Center.

Keith Dunleavy, MD, President and CEO, Inovalon, addresses the importance of healthcare data and the digitization of medicine. Dr. Dunleavy states that having quality data allows for more accurate care on an individual level, along with cost savings and a better risk score.

Sarah Thomas, Vice President, Public Policy and Communications, NCQA, says there are three options for states looking to initiate health insurance exchanges (HIX): federally facilitated, state sponsored, and partnership models.

Karen Ignagni, President and CEO, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), states that higher costs and reductions in health plan options were consequences of states that did not link Affordable Care Act insurance market reforms and the individual mandate.

Innovation in healthcare is becoming more important as the environment continues to evolve. There are a couple key components to increasing the adoption rate of new technologies and ideas in healthcare, according to Burns.

Barry Kinzbrunner, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, VITAS Corporation, states that hospice and palliative care programs are important in the coordination of care for patients.

Sarah Thomas, Vice President, Public Policy and Communications, NCQA, states that there are 3 significant pieces of quality improvement strategies for health insurance exchanges.

Compared with insured adults, uninsured adults in California had less knowledge of the human papillomavirus vaccine and were less likely to be vaccinated.

As delivery reform unfolds and leads to new models of care delivery, social capital will be a powerful concept to incorporate into their design and evaluation.

The hospitalization risks and costs of positive airway pressure were evaluated among patients with obstructive sleep apnea in a real-world setting.

James C. Capretta, MA, answers what process can be put in place for continual improvement in the productivity and quality of patient care.

In this video, Steve Marciniak, RPh, speaks of the challenges and value of specialty drugs.

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SABCS Conference Coverage

Interview With Allen S. Lichter, MD, Chief Executive Officer, American Society of Clinical Oncology