United healthcare, five oncology practices try bundled payments.

摘要

The nation's largest health insurer recently launched an experimental cancer care payment program that disconnects physician reimbursement from drug sales and encourages oncologists to follow standardized regimens.The goal is not just to reduce costs-although United Healthcare (UHC) does hope that the pilot program will save money by reducing the overuse of expensive oncology drugs. The architects of the program also hope that the bundled, or "episode-of-care," payment for a standardized treatment will improve outcomes and quality of care.An episode of care under the plan, which was announced last October, is the treatment used for a specific stage of a certain cancer. UHC's payment is based on actual drug costs plus a case management fee. The bundled payment does not include office visits, drug administration costs, radiation treatments, or lab tests, which will still be reimbursed on a fee-for-service basis.