Medicare Advantage beneficiaries face higher mortality risk after complex cancer surgery
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Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who required surgery for stomach, pancreas or liver cancers had lower access to high-volume hospitals than those enrolled in traditional Medicare plans, according to study results.
Those in Medicare Advantage also exhibited a higher 30-day mortality rate after cancer surgery, findings published in Journal of Clinical Oncology showed.
The findings suggest the cost savings and short-term benefits of Medicare Advantage plans must be balanced with the fact that most beneficiaries can only see physicians and providers who are in their plan’s network and service area, researchers concluded.
Healio spoke with investigator Mustafa Raoof, MD, MS, surgical oncologist at City of Hope, about the findings and their implications for patients, providers and policymakers.
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