Congressional Action Needed to Protect Those Living With Cancer

Oral anti-cancer medications have become far more common in recent years, and that trend will continue to grow with oral chemotherapy drugs making up approximately 35 percent of treatments in the research and development pipeline. These medications are often the only option for some patients, and can offer many benefits including fewer of the side effects so often associated with traditional chemotherapy.

But despite that, the insurance industry segments the way they cover the cost of the various forms of treatment. Right now, most insurers place IV treatments within their plan’s medical benefit, while oral chemotherapy is placed under a plan’s prescription drug benefit. The problem with that discrepancy is that it often leaves a majority of the cost for the oral treatment in the hands of the patient, while the out of pocket cost for IV treatment is minimal.

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