The cost burden of blood cancer care in Medicare

Substantial healthcare costs are associated with treatment of patients with blood cancer and in particular for the Medicare population, and these costs continue to increase. As more effective treatments for blood cancer patients have become available, healthcare costs for newly diagnosed blood cancer patients have risen. These costs vary depending on factors such as blood cancer type, demographics, selected treatments, insurance coverage, and benefit design. This paper analyzes the healthcare costs incurred by Medicare beneficiaries with newly diagnosed blood cancer including acute leukemia, chronic leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and bone marrow disorders.

This report was commissioned by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.