http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/health/AP-Cancer-Care.htmlMarch 4, 2004
Cancer Patients Brace for Medicare Changes
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 8:51 a.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Patients and doctors are bracing for major changes in the way the government pays for treating cancer, with concerns that patients will have to wait in long hospital lines to receive chemotherapy or will be denied expensive but effective new drugs.
Federal officials say they need not worry, that neither physicians nor patients will be shortchanged by a revised payment structure being established under the new Medicare law President Bush signed in December.
They also point to provisions that beginning in 2006 will cover a wide range of previously uncovered, expensive, oral cancer drugs. In the meantime, the government will devote at least $200 million to pay for some oral drugs this year and next.
``Without this law, there would be nothing,'' said Leslie Norwalk, acting deputy administrator of the federal agency that runs Medicare.
Some advocates say cancer patients cannot wait. They want the government to increase money for oral drugs now.
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The greatest fears of cancer physicians is over changes planned for 2005 in payments to doctors for medicines administered in their offices. Some are talking about cutting back their practices and sending patients to hospitals to get treatment.
``Being in a hospital most people think is a terrible thing. People drive 50,60, 80 miles to my office, come in, get treatment and go home,'' said Dr. Dean Gesme, an oncologist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ``If it becomes financially nonviable to continue treatment in the office, treatment in the hospital is only viable alternative
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