MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (1/23/2025) — Published in JAMA Network Open , a University of Minnesota Medical School research team examined the financial burden of different medical services — including outpatient care, inpatient care, prescription drugs and physical therapy — on cancer survivors. Of all these medical services, the research team found medical equipment results in the highest percentage of out-of-pocket costs, including wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids and oxygen equipment, among other items.
The economic challenges faced by patients with cancer due to health care costs are well-documented , but most prior work focused on high drug costs. This study, however, examines the patterns of use and costs of medical equipment among cancer survivors in the U.S., underscoring the prevalence of equipment use and the significant out-of-pocket expenses associated with it.
"As the number of cancer survivors continues to rise, so do their unmet needs for medical equipment. This research highlights critical gaps in access and affordability, which must be addressed to improve cancer survivorship care," said Arjun Gupta, MBBS , assistant professor at the U of M Medical School, gastrointestinal oncologist with M Health Fairview, and member of the Masonic Cancer Center.
Key findings include:
- The absolute number of cancer survivors using medical equipment increased 2.5-fold between 1999 and 2018, with prevalence rising from 6.6% to 8.6%.
- The out-of-pocket cost-sharing responsibility — the proportion of total cost paid for by the patient — for medical equipment (39%) is the highest among medical services, exceeding that for prescription drugs (9%), outpatient care (4%) and hospitalizations (1%).
The financial strain associated with medical equipment presents cancer survivors with a serious barrier. According to the research team, accessing affordable medical equipment is challenging due to limited insurance coverage and onerous administrative burdens . Streamlining payer coverage and authorization processes, reducing cost-sharing responsibility and addressing affordability are key policy priorities to ensure equitable access to essential medical equipment.
This research was funded by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
