title: The Parity Paradigm: Can Legislation Help Reduce the Cost Burden of Oral Anticancer Medications?
abstract: Over the last decade, there has been increased development and use of oral anticancer medications, which sometimes leads to high cost sharing for patients. Drug parity laws require insurance plans to cover oral anticancer medications with the same cost sharing as intravenous/injected chemotherapy or have a capped limit on out-of-pocket costs. There are currently 36 enacted state laws (plus the District of Columbia) addressing drug parity, but no federal laws. In this policy perspective piece, we discuss the history, opportunities, and limitations of drug parity laws in oncology. We also discuss the implications of provisions of the Affordable Care Act and other proposed policy reforms on financing oral chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: skircher@nmff.org.
authors.forename: Sheetal M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kircher
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Caitlin R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Meeker
authors.affiliation: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Halla
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nimeiri
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Geynisman
authors.affiliation: Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: S Yousuf
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shankaran
authors.affiliation: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Yu-Ning
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics*; D017047:Cost Sharing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005252:Fees, Pharmaceutical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: drug costs; neoplasms