Medical Technology Faces Budget Cuts

" While technology is critical to the fight against cancer and our next guest says that some parts of the -- overall health care could drastically cut funding for that technology. Doctor Edward Kaplan is an oncologist is also the founder of the first line oncology center. In Coconut Creek Florida and he joins us now doctor -- Brian Sullivan thank you very much for joining us. My report to Brian okay what are some of the concerns that you have regarding. What could we don't know how finished bill if there is on would look we've heard a lot of proposals. What are some of the fears you have about what you've heard. And oncology and cancer treatments. "

" Well as you said we really don't know what's coming down the pike in terms of the Obama health plan overall but. Even preempting that are looming Medicare cards for it will Greeley. Impact radiation oncology. As one of the sub specialties -- treats cancer. And this will drastically limit patient access to radiation therapy. Ultimately the effect on the cancer population will be a negative."

" But why why is that because what we've heard is that the president wants everybody to have health insurance. Not just health care but health insurance if more people. Get health insurance. Is it just going to be an issue of cost is is that the reason you had your concerns."

" Well ahead of the Obama health plan and aspect crystallize in Medicare has oral already told us. That they are proposing. Huge cuts in reimbursement for the overhead costs for delivery of radiation therapy we're talking about January 1 of this coming year. And the impact from those cuts. Could be that between 20% and half of radiation therapy facilities. May end up shutting their doors. A half for a third to a half. You know is -- Democrats are correct are. Right right now Medicare is proposing between nineteen and 44%. Cuts. In reimbursement for the overhead which is the cost of doing business. To provide radiation therapy to patients. Power umbrella organization Astro has surveyed are member of population. We've learned from that -- This segment of the physicians who work in the free standing world which is half of all radiation therapy centers. Can't sustain a hit like that and keep our doors open. Radiation oncology is probably the most expensive. Branch of medicine and and it's one of the three pillars of cancer medicine. Surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation oncology at all support. Cancer care in this country and if one of those pillars is knocked out by having. Insufficient reimbursement to sustain the officers. Then we see that there's there's a terrible. Prelude to the Obama help plan. As it crystallizes."

" An electric companies like yours which. You know listen eight. I guess that brings up the debate a doctor too is to end and then this is personal story for me because a lot of our viewers know my best friend I'd bring cat's about three months ago -- 37 years old three kids in. Fortune -- you have health insurance and he was lucky to get some treatment of some help from. From some experimental cancer drugs but. If we if we look at the scenario and let's say overhead costs are cut by 40%. Wouldn't necessarily result in the closing of clinics or would it also or maybe in combination also. Reduce the amount of new technology we -- invest -- that we would if you remain open because of limited overhead you may not be able by. New treatments new types of of technologies. Is that also a concern."

" I I completely agree with that the first thing that will happen is that. Jobs may go benefits may go we have highly skilled. People who work in support positions in radiation centers from therapists and physicists. Nurses and others. Secondly adoption of new technology will fall behind so that we may be faced with a situation where -- the technology has been created and produced and proven to be of benefit and we just can't get it out there into the community. So we are very very concerned I would like to pick an opportunity. To say how proud I am of -- Florida senator Bill Nelson and our representative. Ron Klein they've both signed on to letters. To Kathleen sibelius who is reacting HHS director. In the absence of any chief of Medicare the moment okay. There's still time to contact your senator to get a letter out the letter from the representatives is already finished."

" Are so so this a business show and then some revenue while some may be good things come back to business for me but but let me. Let me get -- I guess I guess this seems also be a crux of the issue. Is health care. A business and what I mean by that is there are some who may have suggested that that health care is not a business incensed that we don't worry about profit and loss. And that you know that that we just basically treat people and don't worry about. The bill or whether or not you're making money we added the hospital CEO one couple weeks ago who cities under paid by Medicare to. And he's worried about shutting down but you know he gets he gets some help from the government so that seems to be a big crux of this debate is health care at its core. A business to be treated like any other."

" Well I think that there is a entrepreneurial spirit and businesses. My primary our goal is to serve my patients and to. Cure our cancer but on the other hand. We do want to have -- technology it's competitive out there there's so a new phenomenon in the past couple of years which is direct patient advertising. And that's certainly drives patients to. Different facilities. I think as the -- insurer of patients in this country Medicare. Has had to come to grips with the fact. That a novel therapies are created equally some therapies are more expensive than others. And -- in this case I think they're making a huge mistake. And they're really cutting us off -- these. In our efforts to give -- to provide the appropriate care to our patients -- or other places that cuts can you need. Which would not. Cause the -- tripod of cancer care -- tip one way or perhaps even fall. I think the government doesn't need to. Pursue evidence based. Medicine to find out what works what doesn't work. And perhaps patients should still be given choices. But those choices may be limited through therapies that aren't the most expensive."

" I -- visiting nurse -- you know great these are hard conversations to have right you know and doctor cabinet that's that's that. You know that it's it's hard to frame. Health care in and a profit and loss perspective but at the same time company like yours. You know they're doing great work every day need to have an economic incentive to to stay in business so I hope we can figure something out and thanks for your good work and you know. Thanks to all of oncology doctors that deviated treated my friend so well -- didn't make it but you know fought the good fight a doctor Caplan thank you very much. Front."