NOVEMBER 2014
www.OncPracticeManagement.com
VOLUME 4 • NUMBER 7
Oncology Practice Management ™
FOR ONCOLOGISTS, PRACTICE MANAGERS, FINANCIAL COUNSELORS, AND REIMBURSEMENT SPECIALISTS™
Quality Care for Patients with Cancer Interview with Linda Bosserman, MD, FACP
Where Did My Data Go? By Teri U. Guidi, MBA, FAAMA, President and CEO Oncology Management Consulting Group
T
here is no denying the trend of medical oncology practices being acquired by hospitals, whether through professional service agreements, employer–employee agreements, or something in between. The 2013 Community Oncology Practice Impact Report1—published by the Community Oncology Alliance—
shows that in the past 6 years, 469 (35%) of 1338 responding practices have been acquired, and the rate of acquisition has increased 20% in the 15 months since the 2012 report. Across the country, educational sessions at numerous oncology-focused Continued on page 24
Influences on Rising Oncology Drug Costs Take a bite out of G-CSF By Ruth Lander, FACMPE
I T
he interview featured in this arti cle was conducted with Linda Bosserman, MD, FACP, at the 2014 conference of the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care.
acquisition costs*
recently tuned into 60 Minutes to have observed a strong watch a segment on oncology drugs. relationship between ® This episode was of interest to multiple of the healthcare sysGRANIX isgreat another option inlevels short-acting me since I have served as an adminis- tem that fuel drug costs and purchase G-CSF therapy trator at a large oncology practice in practices in community cancer centers Ohio for the past several decades. Long in the United States. The practice of before this segment aired, however, I pricing drugs is a complex and often With broadonformulary had been formulating my thoughts confusing coverage process, and there are several † the evolution of drug and purtrends that to contribute to rising GRANIX is pricing covered on the top 5seem plans nationwide chasing practices. During this time, I healthcare costs.
Continued on page 12
» Also covered through Medicare Part B
Continued on page 16
From the publishers of
Indication » GRANIX is a leukocyte growth factor indicated for reduction in the duration of severe neutropenia in patients with nonmyeloid malignancies receiving myelosuppressive ER K anticancer drugs associated with a clinically significant incidence of febrile neutropenia. C INTEGRATING ONCOLOGISTS, PAYERS, AND THE ENTIRE CANCER CARE TEAM
A TR s L the al » Splenic rupture: Splenic rupture, including fatal cases, can occur following ri IA Discontinue R l T 32 administration of human granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (hG-CSFs). T a L nicwhoy…report GRANIX and evaluate for an enlarged spleen or splenic rupture in patients A li a upper abdominal or shoulder pain after receiving GRANIX. IC w C r W N de LI Ne and Please see reverse side for additional Important Safety Information C Un brief summary of Full Prescribing Information on page adjacent to our ad inside. Important Safety Information
* Based on wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of all short-acting G-CSF products as of November 11, 2013. WAC represents published catalogue or list prices and may not represent actual transactional prices. Please contact your supplier for actual prices. † Top
5 by percentage of US insured lives (Commercial, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, and managed Medicaid) as reported by Health Strategies Group, Inc., Strategic Accounts, 2013.
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