Why oncologists should support single-payer national health insurance.

Oncologists face growing difficulties in caring for patients because of the rising cost of treatment coupled with the high prevalence of uninsurance and underinsurance. A diagnosis of cancer is often the single most catastrophic health care event in an individual’s life. The stress of the situation increases exponentially when patients realize the burden of cost on themselves and their families. Oncologists face the dilemma of advising a treatment schema that the patient can afford. Therapies may need to be compromised as a result of the patient’s inability to pay. Patients often present with more advanced disease because they have never had cancer screenings because of a lack of insurance or concerns about cost. Meanwhile, the prices of cancer-related drugs are rising sharply, prompting some oncologists to sound the alarm.1 Different insurance plans have their own procedures for use review and benefit determinations, making it difficult for providers to interpret whether cancer treatment will be covered. The average patient finds it frustrating to navigate the bureaucracy with his or her life and financial security on the line. This article will outline the scope of these issues and offer an evidence-based case for single-payer national health insurance.