Medicare HMO Costs May Prevent Cancer Patients From Enrolling In Clinical Trials, Study Finds

If one is over 65 and diagnosed with cancer, is possible that Medicare may offer more choices? The same old problem, access for seniors. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has made clinical trial participation a national priority, so does this make sense? BD

Newly diagnosed cancer patients who are enrolled in Medicare's Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans may be unlikely to participate in clinical trials because of prohibitive costs, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI). Under these HMO plans, covering people age 65 and older, patients are required to pay both a deductible and 20 percent of the treatment cost. As a result, access to state-of-the-art care is limited for some of society's most vulnerable members.

Medicare HMO Costs May Prevent Cancer Patients From Enrolling In Clinical Trials, UPCI Study Finds