April 17th 2025
These advances are designed to improve uptake of biomarker-driven cancer care and reduce treatment delays.
Ira Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, Discusses Payer and ACO Oncology Care Pathways Participation
July 16th 2014It is well known that oncology care pathways are the tools that practices can utilize to care for its patients. Ira Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, chief medical officer, National Accounts Clinical Sales & Strategy, Aetna, suggests that Aetna's only involvement in creating these pathways should be in helping these practices develop "reasonable care pathways."
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Insurer's New Payment Model Saved Millions for Oncology Groups
July 11th 2014One insurer's experimental reimbursement model proved to lower the total costs of care for patients with 3 types of cancer. As an alternative to the traditional fee-for-service payment model, the episode payment model-which reimburses physicians on a fixed-price, based on episodes of best-practices and patient outcomes-provided encouraging findings in the battle against the rising costs of cancer care in the United States.
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Cancer Patients Appreciate the Convenience of MyChart, Says Study
July 10th 2014There has been a sharp increase in the number of cancer patients at one hospital using MyChart, the online, interactive service that allows patients to view laboratory and radiology results, communicate with their healthcare providers, and more.
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What's in a Name — FDA Urged Not to Give Biosimilars Unique Names
July 7th 2014This week, a coalition of 32 major pharmacies, health insurers, unions and pension plans asked the FDA not to require distinct names for biosimilar medications, arguing that such a move would not compromise patient safety, but could undermine the savings that are expected to be generated as these medicines are introduced into the US health care system.
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Autophagy inhibition may improve cancer therapy, but it is unclear which tumors will benefit. BRAF mutations cause brain tumor cells to depend on autophagy and display selective chemosensitization with autophagy inhibition. We present a pediatric case in which deliberate autophagy inhibition halted tumor growth and overcame acquired BRAF-inhibition resistance.
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AJMC Panel Asks: Does It Pay to Use Pathways?
July 3rd 2014Clinical care pathways in oncology have gained notice with WellPoint's announcement of a $350 per patient, per month incentive. As WellPoint's effort starts this week, The American Journal of Managed Care convened a panel with the insurer's medical director for oncology care, ASCO President Peter Paul Yu, MD, and two other voices from the payer and provider realms to discuss how pathways are changing cancer care.
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