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Cancer Clinical Trial Resources
Stakeholders in the cancer research enterprise recognize the
importance of insurance coverage in increasing participation in cancer clinical
trials. A number of states and insurers are working to ensure coverage of the
costs of routine care provided in cancer clinical trials.
Routine care costs generally include items that would typically
be provided to a patient if they received care outside a cancer clinical trial, such
as diagnostic procedures, office visits, intravenous infusions, and inpatient
hospital admissions. Costs associated specifically with the trial, such as the
medication or treatment, testing required to assess results, and data gathering
activities, are most often covered by the trial sponsor, and are not considered
part of routine care costs.
Some states have enacted laws requiring coverage of some or all
of the routine care costs involved with cancer clinical trials, while others
have worked with insurers to develop voluntary agreements. Some insurers also
have elected to cover cancer clinical trial costs independently of state mandates or
agreements.
On the federal level, Medicare has covered routine care costs for
cancer clinical trials since 2000. The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department
of Defense have also instituted coverage for routine care costs. These programs
are constantly evolving and are subject to change. A good resource for
insurance information can be found at the National Cancer Institute site
http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/learning/
insurance-coverage. Patient advocacy organizations are an invaluable
resource for support and assistance in navigating the way through insurance
issues. For help with insurance coverage issues, contact the Patient Advocate
Foundation, www.patientadvocate.org. Call 1-800-532-5274.
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