According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 2 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States. While there has been a significant decrease in the rate of people dying from cancer in the US, due to earlier screening, detection, and treatment, more people are living longer with cancer and experiencing pain and other problems associated with their diagnosis and treatment. Significant disparities remain in the quality of cancer care provided and access to available treatment. While services like supportive care, including advance care planning, care coordination, and palliative care have been proven to improve the quality and length of life for people with cancer, access and coverage issues make it difficult for most people to get high quality supportive care as part of standard cancer treatment.
In March 2024, C-TAC member, the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation held the inaugural, Together for Supportive Cancer Care, a summit gathering leaders from health plans, health systems, cancer centers, community-based organizations, employers, advocacy and policy organizations, policy makers, among others, to convene around the importance of integrating supportive care into routine cancer treatment. The summit included panels discussing the impact of integrating supportive care throughout the cancer journey on patients, health systems, oncologists, and health plans and breakout sessions where participants were encouraged to brainstorm ideas that would accelerate this change. The summit focused on critical areas of health equity and access throughout the cancer journey, including survivorship and caregiving. Sessions highlighted areas of innovation and impact in care delivery and policy change, including the recent inclusion of Principal Illness Navigation codes available for Medicare reimbursement that support improved care navigation and the increase of community health worker visibility across the healthcare system.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) shared their own personal experiences with cancer and their personal commitments to improving access to supportive cancer care across the country through policy change.
Jon Broyles, CEO of C-TAC, moderated a panel featuring CMMI’s Alexandra Chong, team lead for the Enhancing Oncology Model, Torrie Fields, CEO of TFA Analytics and C-TAC senior advisor, and Dr. Pat Courneya, C-TAC board member, discussing the importance of supportive cancer care for health plans and other payors, including CMMI. The panel identified the need for improved data and reporting between payors and providers to demonstrate outcomes, the opportunity to include patient reported outcomes measures in cancer programs to ensure people are feeling heard and understood during their care, and the importance of a team when delivering supportive care to people with cancer.
Three themes emerged from the summit that build on the work already happening by leaders gathered together in the room and were identified as having the opportunity for the biggest impact in improving access to supportive cancer care:
- Advocating for state and federal policies that expand early, equitable access to supportive cancer care;
- Demonstrating the impact of the supportive cancer care approach on people’s livelihood and the sustainability of our healthcare system; and,
- Engaging employers and increasing their commitment to supportive cancer care.
C-TAC applauds the work of the Biller Family Foundation to accelerate impact on outcomes for people with cancer and will continue to participate as a partner in this work moving forward.
View more information about Together for Supportive Cancer Care.
