Reduce Cancer Costs Without Compromising Care                                                                                  - ECHO Associates

Reduce Cancer Costs Without Compromising Care                                                                                 

A Smarter Approach for Oncology Care for Employees

Cancer is one of the top 3 healthcare cost drivers for employers—and one of the fastest growing. A significant portion of this cost variation is driven not by the treatment itself—but by where the care is delivered.

According to Medicare Payment Advisory Commission:

  • Hospital-based cancer care can cost 2–3x more than the same treatment in a community setting
  • Higher costs = higher premiums and increased employee out-of-pocket burden
  • Employees often don’t realize they have lower-cost, high-quality options

Advantages of Community Care

As the leading community oncology practice for over 35 years, ECHO offers meaningful advantages to patients that extend well beyond cost considerations:

  • Accessible, patient-centered care: In a smaller community settings, our board-certified medical oncologists and practitioners have time to get to know each patient and customize treatment plans based on unique needs.
  • Operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness: With leaner staffing models and lower fixed overhead compared to hospitals or academic medical centers, we can provide a lower overall cost to patients.
  • Comprehensive, convenient services: We provide a full range of services in a single location, including laboratory testing, infusion therapy, on-site pharmacies or dispensaries, and supportive care resources—enhancing convenience and continuity of care.
  • Comparable or better outcomes: We safely deliver the newest advancements in care including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and precision medicine. Patients can also access the latest clinical trials delivered closer to home.

Shift Care to a Lower-Cost, High-Quality Setting

Independent community oncology practices, like ECHO, significantly reduce the financial toxicity experienced by cancer patients compared with hospital outpatient settings, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health.  The study found that:

  • Patients treated in community oncology clinics had a mean monthly cost of care that was 24 percent lower than the hospital outpatient setting ($12,548 in the community setting compared to $16,555 in hospital outpatient settings.)
  • Even when examining branded chemotherapy alone, community oncology care averaged 39 percent less ($6,674 in the community oncology setting versus $10,900 in hospital-based clinics.)

The graphic below depicts cost-savings across the spectrum:

Source: American Oncology Network

Why This Matters for Your Organization

Even shifting a small number of cases can result in significant annual savings.

Financial Impact for Employers

  • Reduces your overall healthcare expenditures
  • Helps mitigate the pace of premium increases
  • Lowers exposure to high-cost claims and stop-loss risk

Benefits for Employees

  • Decreases out-of-pocket costs for employees
  • Improves access to care through convenient, local options
  • Enables faster access to diagnosis and treatment

Strategic Advantage for Organizations

  • Aligns with value-based care initiatives supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  • Demonstrates a proactive, data-driven approach to cost management and employee health outcomes

ECHO is Your Partner in Care  

Our goal is to work with employer groups to ensure your patients get the highest quality care, in a cost-efficient manner. We can work alongside your health plan, benefits consultant/broker or HR leadership to deliver: 

  • Care navigation support for employees
  • Second opinion programs
  • Direct access pathways to lower-cost care
  • Participation in national clinical trials
  • Expedited scheduling

Getting Started Is Simple

  1. Identify opportunities within your current plan
  2. Educate employees on care options
  3. Enable access to high-value providers

Lower Cancer Care Costs Without Compromising Quality

Even a modest shift in site of care can deliver meaningful financial and employee benefits—without changing the quality of care your team receives. 

Eastern Connecticut Hematology & Oncology 
High-quality cancer care. Patient-first approach. Lower cost.

Contact:
Dr. Dinesh Kapur, Managing Partner
Dkapur@echoct.com/860-886-8362
https://echoassociates.org