My boss has asked me (a communication specialist) to write an informative white paper about the business of developing new drugs for cancer patients.
I must first inform you that cancer itself is responsible for many of my ancestors’ deaths. My birth mother passed away from heart disease (when I was nine years old), my father remarried and for the sake of this article we will call her my second mother (not step). My second mothers’ Father, brother, and sister were all taken as a result of cancer. My father passed away on 22 July 2010 from complications with heart disease from recent battle with lung cancer/mesothelioma. In 6 Sept 2011 my mother passed away from her battle with liver cancer. So this subject is very meaningful and extremely close to my heart.
The content will be turned into a brochure for the public describing the four (4) major issues: a. The Economic Situation
To the layperson cancer may seem an expensive illness to possess. The fact of the matter is that society as a whole is hit by this terrible disease. In 2007 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimated the annual costs of cancer are as follows:
Total cost: $226.8 billion
The breakdown is broken into two costs: 1. Direct Medical Costs (Which is all health related expenses) 2. Indirect Mortality Costs (Lost productivity due to premature deaths)
Direct Medical Costs: $103.8 billion
Indirect Mortality Costs: $123.0 billion
Treatment (of cancer) is one of the major costs in the race for the cure. But for most the lack of health insurance and many other barriers that may prevent Americans from getting the basics of care.
A two thousand nine U.S. Census Bureau stated: 1. Approximately 51 million people were uninsured 2. Americans aging from 18 – 34 (28%) have not had health insurance within the past year. 3. Throughout the U.S. something like 10% of children have no health insurance coverage. 4. Cancer Facts & Figure (2012) states that people who are uninsured and those from minorities are more likely to be diagnosed with a late stage of cancer. During this period treatment for said illness is much more costly. Furthermore, this leads to higher medical costs and a higher fatality rate. 5. During this year alone, 577,190 Americans are expected to succumb to cancer. If you put those numbers on paper that would mean that more than 1,600 people each day. 6. Finally Cancer is the second most common cause (behind heart disease) of death in the United States, accounting for 1 out of every 4 deaths in the U.S.
NOTE
Not only does Cancer cost millions and billions of dollars, it costs us the people we love most. The reduction of the before mentioned barriers is essential to continuing the fight for a The Cure. b. Special needs of the population being serve
Special needs could encompass many facets of caring for cancer and health care programs as well as other services made available to the public. Medicare is such a program that possesses the ability to encompass the entire effort during any battle with cancer. Medicare has four main parts they are:
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance):
Part A is hospital insurance that helps cover inpatient care, nursing facilities, hospice, and home care. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance):
Part B assists in the coverage of medically–necessary services like medical equipment, home health services, outpatient care, doctors’ visits and services, and other services associated with medical care. Part B covers some preventive medical services as well.
Medicare Part C (Advantage Plan):
Medicare Advantage Plans (HMOs’ for instance) are usually offered by private companies approved by Medicare. A Medicare Advantage Plan provides all that Parts A and B cover. Additional coverage like hearing, vision, dental, and/or wellness programs could also be covered. Most plans include prescription drug coverage (Part D).
Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage):