In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Lucio N. Gordan, MD, of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, outlined the economic complexities of financial toxicity and its wider impact on the health care system.
Dr. Gordan defined financial toxicity as the multifaceted economic burden arising from the total cost of care. In oncology, that includes costs for chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other medical infusions, as well as facility fees and drug markups often charged in hospital-based settings.
He said the problem amounts to a systemic crisis that affects commercial and federal payers, the national economy and providers. The strain also falls directly on patients through higher fees and increased copayments, a burden that can be particularly acute early in the year before out-of-pocket maximums are met.
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