The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CME) decided to review their policies pertaining to paying for Provenge, which costs $93,000 per man. Since the hearings which were held a number of months ago, we have not heard any feedback. Despite this, most of the regions have been paying for the treatment, however there have [...]
There is some good budgetary news as it now appears that the CDMRP (the Department of Defense) programs, including the Peer Reviewed Prostate Cancer Program, are funded at the omnibus level (last year’s level). The bill has not yet passed and is still vulnerable to changes. As of today, this is how the budget looks: [...]
Of interest is a recent advanced prostate cancer survivor's post the cost of his treatments in 2010. His accompanying comments were: Often on these boards we discuss the cost of treating prostate cancer. Below you will find the summation of my 2010 medical costs. These are 100% prostate cancer related as I am otherwise healthy. [...]
Today, I spent most of the day listening to the CME (Medicare & Medicaid) hearing on Provenge. CME does not have to abide to the decisions of the advisory committee, so like we experienced with the FDA Advisory Committees we will have to wait and see what will eventually become the policy for reimbursement. I [...]
We are about to enter into a dark period in health care which is best exemplified by the roaring debate over the issue about Medicare funding for Provenge. The bottom line of the debate comes down simply to, what is the value of one human life? […]