Dive Brief:
- While the high cost of cancer concerns employers, they are equally equally worried about ensuring that employees and family members diagnosed with cancer are receiving top-quality care, according to a new report from Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH).
- NEBGH also conducted a benchmarking survey with self-insured employers representing 1.2 million covered employees. About half of employers reported they do not offer third-party second-opinion services. Unfortunately, data shows that second opinions can often reveal an initial misdiagnosis or point to a different treatment path, and that health plan-directed second opinions are sometimes mistrusted by employees.
- Less than half of survey respondents said they have a network of high-performing oncology providers in place, and results also show there are variations and gaps in the non-clinical support services offered such as treatment navigation, emotional counseling and financial planning services.
Dive Insight:
The report, "Employers and Cancer Care Quality: A Closer Look," found employers want to make sure the dollars invested in cancer care are well spent.
NEBGH's report features interviews with cancer experts and employer benefits professionals, and two 2015 workshops attended by a total of 50 stakeholders – employer benefits professionals, physicians and executives from health plans, hospitals, consulting organizations, cancer associations and suppliers of healthcare-related services.
“Employee benefits professionals often serve as the gateway to accessing cancer care during a tumultuous time for employees and families,” said Laurel Pickering, president and CEO of NEBGH. “Employers have an important role to play by leveraging their purchasing power with health plans, hospitals and third parties to help accelerate greater transparency in quality, outcomes and pricing.”
Jeremy Nobel, MPH, MD and executive director of NEBGH’s Solutions Center, which conducted the research, says cancer is not one disease, but literally hundreds, and therefore attempts to provide a single definition of cancer care quality are complicated. NEBGH hopes the resources it has produced are of significant help to employers.
