VHA cancer management quality study does NOT include prostate cancer

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Sitemaster

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has provided data regarding the survival of men of 65 years and older diagnosed with and treated for selected cancers within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system as compared to similar men treated under the fee-for-service Medicare system. This study has received a lot of media coverage. … READ MORE …

Filed under: Diagnosis, Living with Prostate Cancer, Management, Risk, Treatment | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Do cancer and non-cancer patients make equal sacrifices to pay for their meds?

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Sitemaster

Sometimes it is difficult to know what to make of data  from even the most reputable institutions. This appears to be the case for a recent study from a Harvard research team. … READ MORE …

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Utilization of standard treatments for localized prostate cancer by Medicare beneficiaries

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Sitemaster

In a new paper just published on-line in the Journal of Urology, Kapoor et al. have provided data on trends in the utilization of various major types of treatment for the management of localized prostate cancer among Medicare beneficiaries in the USA between 2006 and 2008. … READ MORE …

Filed under: Management, Treatment | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for Provenge

Posted on March 31, 2011 by jimwaldenfels

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed yesterday that there is sufficient and adequate evidence to conclude that the use of autologous cellular immunotherapy treatment — sipuleucel-T (Provenge®) – improves health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries … READ MORE …

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Provenge wins favorable vote at CMS hearing

Posted on November 18, 2010 by jimwaldenfels

Physicians and researchers on a panel advising the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave Provenge® a favorable vote at a “National Coverage Analysis” hearing yesterday in Washington, DC. You could almost hear the world of prostate cancer survivors, their physicians, Dendreon investors, and other drug development companies breathe a sigh of relief! … READ MORE …

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer, Management, Treatment | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Changes in use of LHRH agonists between 2003 and 2005 and related matters

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Sitemaster

Financial disincentives related to prescribing of LHRH agonists introduced in 2003 have clearly been associated with changes in actual physician prescriptions for drugs like Lupron and Zoladex in the immediately following years. … READ MORE …

Filed under: Diagnosis, Living with Prostate Cancer, Management, Risk, Treatment | Tagged: , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Fears that Medicare might not cover Provenge unfounded

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Sitemaster

Yesterday evening, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it was opening a “national coverage analysis to determine whether or not autologous cellular immunotherapy [for prostate cancer with sipuleucel-T/Provenge] is reasonable and necessary.” … READ MORE …

Filed under: Management | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

How much do we want to pay for treating prostate cancer?

Posted on May 9, 2010 by Sitemaster

Whether we like it or not, there are significant costs associated with the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer over time. And there are very few good data (to date) on the relative costs associated with differing types of treatment over time. … READ MORE …

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Medicare advisors discuss radiation therapy for prostate cancer

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Sitemaster

Reuters has published a summary report on the discussions of a Medicare advisory panel (MedCAC) held yesterday to address the value of different types of radiation therapy in the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer. … READ MORE …

Filed under: Management | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

The regional vagaries of Medicare coverage (in the USA)

Posted on December 17, 2008 by Sitemaster

An article in today’s New York Times addresses an issue of potentially growing importance for Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer. Is the form of treatment you want covered where you live? … READ MORE …

Filed under: Management, Treatment | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

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