In the United States, 18.6 million people are living with cancer, and nearly 40% of Americans will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.
So many of us know the emotional, mental, and physical toll cancer can have not just on the person with the diagnosis, but on loved ones, too.
Cancer is, sadly, one of this country’s great bipartisan issues.
The economic impact of the disease is also substantial: cancer care costs in the U.S. are projected to hit $312 billion this year.
The good news is that there are data-driven ways to do more to help people facing cancer and their caregivers, while also tackling the economic and fiscal burden of cancer care. It’s a model of care called supportive care. It’s a whole-person approach that ensures patients and caregivers have the support they need before, during, and after their treatment, regardless of the diagnosis and clinical treatment plan, and from Day One.
Supportive care services include everything around the clinical care, from nutrition to mental health counseling and help with transportation to caregiver support to physical therapy.
At a time when healthcare costs are rising at unsustainable rates and policymakers are looking for solutions, investing in supportive care is a compassionate and cost-effective answer our leaders in Washington can’t afford to ignore.
The core value of supportive care is that it reduces costs while giving people and their loved ones more access to a broader range of services early after their diagnosis and throughout their cancer journey. Costs are lower under this model of care because proactively managing symptoms—everything from chronic pain to gastrointestinal issues to depression and anxiety—reduces the need for expensive visits to the hospital later. In fact, supportive care is shown to reduce emergency department visits by 25% and reduces inpatient costs by 56% for patients with commercial insurance or Medicare Advantage.
Keeping people living with cancer comfortably in their homes and out of the hospital is good for people facing cancer and their loved ones. It’s also good for our system.
Estimates show every 10-point increase in the percent of patients who utilize supportive care services translates to a $4.6 billion drop in annual healthcare costs. Put another way, every dollar spent on supportive care services delivers a savings of two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half dollars of lower claims costs.
Supportive care improves lives, and saves money. It is compassionate and cost-effective. At a time when lawmakers are looking to reign in our healthcare costs, it’s a smart investment Washington can’t afford to ignore.
Unfortunately, only 15% of cancer patients are benefitting from supportive care services, and a staggering 61% of patients reported never even hearing of supportive care or being unsure if they have heard of it, according to a survey conducted in 2023 by our foundation, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation.
For families, supportive cancer care eases the burden of unpaid caregiving and reduces long-term financial strain. Right now, 70% of patients and 83% of caregivers report disruptions to their job, often leading to lost wages, reduced hours, and fear of termination. By keeping patients out of the hospital and feeling better, supportive care helps patients and caregivers stay on the job.
Supportive care should be an essential part of cancer care in America, not a luxury or an afterthought. It should be standard that at diagnosis, every person with cancer—no matter where they live—receives a supportive care plan that goes hand-in-hand with their clinical treatment plan.
That’s why one year ago, we launched Together for Supportive Cancer Care, a national coalition of leading organizations across sectors—providers, insurers, policy advocates, biopharmaceutical companies, and employers—committed to establishing supportive care as the national standard.
We’re also supporting pilot programs in New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, and North Carolina to gather more data showing how supportive care improves outcomes and lowers costs.
And while supportive care advocates in states around the country are making a difference, it’s time for bipartisan action in Washington, DC to make supportive care the national standard of care. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do to tackle our healthcare costs.
Supportive care improves lives, and saves money. It is compassionate and cost-effective. At a time when lawmakers are looking to reign in our healthcare costs, it’s a smart investment Washington can’t afford to ignore.
