The Cost of Initial Care for Medicare Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer

The mean total payment per patient in the initial treatment period was $65,908 (range of means, $30,745-$96,360). Increasing medical comorbidity, use of PET/CT, surgical complications, and readmissions were associated with increased costs. Treatment with NCCN Guideline-consistent surgery and chemotherapy had a mean annual cost of $85,987 compared with $89,149 for non-NCCN Guideline-consistent treatment with surgery and chemotherapy. The cost of surgery and chemotherapy that was not consistent with NCCN Guidelines was approximately $7,000 more than the cost of therapy that was consistent (P<.001) CONCLUSIONS: The financial burden of caring for patients with ovarian cancer is substantial. Treatment that is consistent with NCCN recommendations for treating advanced ovarian cancer, which is shown to have improved outcomes, is not associated with higher cost.