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Genomic Health strives
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New regulation could
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More than 530 sites now
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New resource demystifies
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Don't miss this event,
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Genomic Health Corporate Site
www.genomichealth.com
MyTreatmentDecision.com
www.mytreatmentdecision.com
Oncotype DX
www.oncotypeDX.com
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In addition to the emotional burden brought on by a cancer diagnosis, many patients experience a tremendous financial burden as well. Studies have shown that cancer is the second most expensive disease in the United States, next to heart disease. Of the estimated annual cost of $171 billion, two-thirds ($114 billion) are considered "out-of-pocket" costs1.
Patients and their families are often surprised by the additional expenses that can be associated with cancer treatment, including the cost of transportation, childcare, restaurant meals, hotel stays, telephone calls, nutritional services, counseling, special equipment, and medical supplies, among many others. In many cases, this financial burden is magnified by the loss of income if either a patient or caregiver is forced to reduce their workload. Even among women with comprehensive health insurance policies, the financial burden of breast cancer can be substantial1.
Underscoring the reality of this issue among breast cancer patients is a study published recently by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute2. The study authors evaluated the frequency and cost of chemotherapy-related adverse events in women younger than age 64 diagnosed with breast cancer, comparing women who had received chemotherapy with those who hadn’t to better understand the correlation between treatment with chemo and the onset of serious side effects.
This study provides insight to the cost of chemotherapy-related serious adverse events (SAEs), as well as to the overall cost to treat a patient with chemotherapy. Specifically, the article shows that the incremental cost of chemotherapy, over non-chemotherapy patients, is approximately $31,000 per year. The incremental cost for those patients that experience chemotherapy-related SAEs is $46,000 per patient. Based on these findings, the study results suggest that chemotherapy for women with breast cancer may cause more patient suffering and higher healthcare costs than previously estimated.
In the face of these important and concerning issues, Genomic Health is committed to addressing the high cost of cancer care. We believe that our technology is one tool that can help lessen the overall cost of cancer treatment for patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system.
The company will work with collaborators to show that by using Oncotype DX™, patients and their doctors can make more informed treatment decisions, which can potentially result in the reduction of other costs of cancer, such as the expense of unnecessary doctor visits, additional testing, and over-treatment. Even more important, informed treatment decision-making can help ease patient distress while positively impacting other important quality-of-life decisions.
For example, in 2005 the American Journal of Managed Care published results of an independent economic analysis showing that Oncotype DX can reduce direct treatment costs when used for appropriate women who have node-negative, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. To access Genomic Health's ASCO 2006 press release with more information on further studies, visit the Genomic Health press room at
http://investor.genomichealth.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=199516.
Genomic Health is planning additional economic and policy research to determine other financial benefits of appropriately incorporating Oncotype DX into cancer treatment decisions.
In addition to these studies, Genomic Health works directly with patients to ensure they have access to the Oncotype DX assay regardless of financial status. Un- or under-insured patients may benefit from Genomic Health's assistance program; for details on this program, call Genomic Health at 877-235-4349.
Additionally, the Genomic Access Program (GAP) has been designed to assist patients with any billing or reimbursement issues related to the Oncotype DX test. Genomic Health is prepared to bill insurance plans directly on behalf of insured patients. If a claim is denied on first review, Genomic Health will work diligently with the Medical Director of the insurance plan to appeal the decision. The reimbursement professionals at Genomic Health will do their very best to minimize the patient's financial burden for this test. However, in cases where all appeals are exhausted, it is possible that the patient will be billed for any balance remaining on their invoice.
Through these resources and our continuing research on health economics, Genomic Health is committed to ensuring access to Oncotype DX, and to using our technology with the goal of reducing the financial and emotional costs of cancer.
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