Insurance requirements create barriers to timely care
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Health policy fact sheet (Online)
- Author(s):
- Scheitler, A.J., author Babey, Susan H., author Schimkhada, Riti, author Glenn, Beth, author Ponce, Ninez A., author
- Contributor(s):
- UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, issuing body.
- Publication:
- Los Angeles, CA : UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, April 2021
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Breast Neoplasms -- therapy Insurance, Health Neoplasm Metastasis Prior Authorization California United States
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Getting approvals, or prior authorizations, for treatment from insurance companies was cited as a significant stressor both by patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and by the health care providers who treat them. (1) Both patients and providers expressed frustration over the time and energy needed to arrange for necessary prior authorizations and advocate for coverage. (2) Specifically, advocates for patients with MBC feel prior authorization and step therapy processes should be improved. In 2019, 30,650 individuals were diagnosed with breast cancer in California, and 4,620 died from the disease. Metastatic breast cancer, also called stage 4 or advanced breast cancer, was the cause of nearly all of these deaths. An estimated 30% of women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will go on to develop MBC. The five-year survival rate for MBC is only 27%, compared to 91% for breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes and 99% for cancer that is confined to the breast. In this fact sheet, we present findings from interviews, discussions, and studies (see boxed section) on insurance-related barriers, and we recommend policy solutions that could improve access to care for patients with MBC.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (3 pages)).
- NLM Unique ID:
- 9918351183206676 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918351183206676