Levine Cancer Institute Financial Toxicity Tumor Board: A Potential Solution to an Emerging Problem

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Economics
• Patient Advocacy

Background:

• Rising healthcare costs and payer strategies exacerbate financial toxicity in cancer care.
• Financial toxicity, or the inability to pay for treatment, significantly impacts cancer patients.
• Multidisciplinary approaches are needed to address the financial burden of cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the structure and function of the first Financial Toxicity Tumor Board (FTTB).
• To demonstrate how an FTTB can provide comprehensive solutions for financial toxicity in cancer patients.
• To establish a model for addressing financial challenges in oncology care.

Main Methods:

• The FTTB operates as a multidisciplinary conference, mirroring conventional tumor boards.
• It involves physicians, nurses, financial counselors, navigators, social workers, and administrators.
• The board meets monthly and is integrated with a Patient Assistance Program for cancer medications.

Main Results:

• In its initial years, the FTTB helped 1,749-1,819 patients avoid over $55-$60 million in personal expenditure.
• More than $1.3 million in copay assistance was provided to financially challenged patients.
• Addressed issues included payer barriers, underinsurance, certification complexities, billing problems, and procedural gaps.

Conclusions:

• Proactive management of financial toxicity via multidisciplinary FTTBs can significantly alleviate this growing global issue.
• The FTTB model offers a scalable solution that can be adopted by other healthcare centers.
• Implementing FTTBs is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing financial distress in cancer care.