Notice to Our Patients

As most of you are aware the federal government passed historic legislation this past December granting Medicare recipients oral prescription drug coverage.  We at Great Lakes Cancer Specialists (GLCMS) applaud this new benefit for seniors.  However, in order to pay for such a benefit other parts of the Medical program were cut.  Unfortunately they zeroed in on cancer care.  Why congress chose to reduce spending on cancer care, which amounts to less than 5 percent of the Medicare budget, is unclear.  Specifically, the reimbursements for drugs administered in physician offices for the care and treatment of cancer patients were reduced significantly for 2004 and again in 2005.    To partially offset the losses from drug reimbursement some chemotherapy administration services were increased.  While it is too early to accurately gauge the negative impact this legislation will have on the delivery of cancer care the potential for drastic change is real.  Without some changes to this law before 2005, the convenience and access to personalize care currently afforded patients in their physician offices will be radically altered.

In 2004 the recent Medicare legislation will be reimbursing many chemotherapy treatments at below cost.  With some therapies costing thousands of dollars the sheer weight of this debt threatens to destroy the entire outpatient oncology community delivery system.  No physicians’ office can continue to operate under these circumstances.  In 2004 we may be able to offset these losses by substituting generic equivalents.  In some cases it may become necessary to admit a patient to the hospital, and in some instances patients will be given a prescription to pick their drug up at the pharmacy and bring it to our office.  Under no circumstances will Great Lakes Cancer Management Specialists jeopardize a patient’s outcome by selecting an inferior treatment program.  Yet, some may experience a change in venue or in the way the drugs are procured.

If you have a private insurance program you will not be immune from these changes as the private insurers will surely follow Medicare’s lead.  The only question is when they will implement their changes.  In addition any changes GLCMS might undertake on behalf of our Medicare patients will also influence Non-Medicare patients because consistency of treatment plans must be maintained for all patients in order to preserve the most effective treatments.

The outlook for 2005 is even more challenging as more radical cuts are in order.  We ask for your understanding and patience regarding these changes mandated by the recent Medicare Prescription Drug Act.  Some of you will be inconvenienced but none of you will have your care jeopardized.  We urge you to contact your Senator and congressional representative and let them know how you feel about these changes which will eventually affect each and every patient undergoing therapy for their cancer or blood disorder.

They will hear you if enough people join in the fight.  Tell them to restore the cuts made to cancer care and look elsewhere for cuts to pay for the prescription drug coverage program.