How employers can improve cancer care and costs, based on a National Alliance roadmap

While cancer deaths have been declining since the early 1990s, costs have continued to increase, with more than $147 billion spent for cancer care in the United States in 2017. Despite these rising costs, employers and health plans have been reticent to manage oncology care, and are also faced with keeping pace with technology and treatment advances. To help purchasers drive better value and outcomes and reduce waste in cancer care, the nonprofit National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions released an assessment of how health plans are currently managing cancer for their employees and families. The report identifies gaps in treatment and related benefits administration based on the National Alliance's annual eValue8 survey of health plans.