Study finds Medicare advantage may put complex cancer surgery patients at a disadvantage (Doctor choice issues)

Medical Xpress / City of Hope National Medical Center / Journal of Clinical Oncology ^ | Nov. 21, 2022 | Zen Logsdon / Mustafa Raoof et al

[ConservativeMind]

An analysis found that cancer patients with privatized, cost-saving Medicare Advantage were more likely than those with traditional Medicare to go to hospitals with physicians less experienced at performing complicated surgeries, and that they were more likely to die within the first 30 days after the removal of their stomach, pancreas or liver.

With traditional Medicare, beneficiaries typically may go to any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that takes Medicare, whereas in most cases, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries can see only doctors and providers who are in the plan's network and service area.

They found that cancer patients who had their stomach or liver removed and had Medicare Advantage were 1.5 times more likely to die within the first month after surgery compared to their peers with traditional Medicare. Similarly, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who had oncologic surgery of the pancreas were twice as likely to die within the first month, the study showed.

People with traditional Medicare were more likely to be treated at a teaching hospital (23% vs. 8%), hospital accredited by the Commission on Cancer (57% vs. 33%) or National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center (15% vs. 3%). Traditional Medicare beneficiaries were also more likely to be treated at hospitals with a higher median number of total beds, ICU beds, operating rooms and annual inpatient surgical volume.

Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, on the other hand, experienced a delay of more than two weeks from diagnosis to first course of therapy. A reason for the delay could be the required prior authorization that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with an HMO have to undergo. While this referral process is intended to limit unnecessary medical care, it can cause delays for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who need specialized services, such as complex cancer surgery.

[spankalib]

I studied under Bucky Fuller for a time - he always opposed Malthusian doctrine with what he termed

"Ephemeralization" = the ability to do more (produce more food for instance) with less effort.

Malthusians, like Gates, are monsters imo.