Two Innovative Cancer Care Programs Have Potential to Reduce Utilization and Spending

BACKGROUND:Cancer patients often present to the emergency department (ED) and hospital for symptom management, but many of these visits are avoidable and costly. OBJECTIVE:We assessed the impact of 2 Health Care Innovation Awards that used an oncology medical home model [Community Oncology Medical Home (COME HOME)] or patient navigation model [Patient Care Connect Program (PCCP)] on utilization and spending. METHODS:Participants in COME HOME and PCCP models were matched to similar comparators using propensity scores. We analyzed utilization and spending outcomes using Medicare fee-for-service claims with unadjusted and adjusted difference-in-differences models. RESULTS:In the adjusted models, both COME HOME and PCCP were associated with fewer ED visits than a comparison group (15 and 22 per 1000 patients/quarter, respectively; P