Spring 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable

March 26, 2020

NCCS celebrated the 20th year of our bi-annual Cancer Policy Roundtable (CPR) by hosting the first-ever virtual roundtable on March 26, 2020. We’re pleased to share the video from each session, along with links to meeting materials, slide decks, and resources discussed in the sessions.

Meeting Agenda [PDF] Speaker Biographies [PDF]

CPR Sessions

Otis Brawley, MD: Cancer In the Next Decade; COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Care
Panel Discussion: End-of-Life Care for Cancer Patients
Michael D. Stubblefield, MD: Cancer Rehabilitation as a Model of Survivorship Care
Panel Discussion: The Oncology Care Model and the Proposed Oncology Care First Model

Here’s what some attendees had to say about the meeting’s success:

“I would not have been able to attend this event, so virtual access was greatly appreciated and done very well.”

“Excellent job – you are the role model of how to handle a virtual multi-hour meeting!”

“The program content was excellent.”

“All the presenters were on-point. Very knowledgeable and used PowerPoint and other visuals in each section. Though they were experts, they used common language and answered questions.”

Otis Brawley, MD: Cancer In the Next Decade; COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Care

Otis Brawley, MD kicked off the Virtual Cancer Policy Roundtable with a presentation analyzing the latest data on trends in cancer mortality rates and cancer control. Afterwards, Dr. Brawley took questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on cancer survivors and the health care system.

Dr. Brawley is a globally recognized expert in cancer control and is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University.

Download the Session Slide Deck »

Related Background Material and Resources

NCCS COVID-19 Resource Page »
In an article in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, experts from the American Cancer Society present Cancer Statistics 2020. The team reported important progress in the decade from 2008 to 2017 (the most recent statistics available) in reducing the number of cancer deaths in the US.
Dr. Otis Brawley penned a guest editorial in The Cancer Letter, “Immunotherapy, Precision Medicine in Lung Cancer Drive Sharp Decline in Cancer Mortality Overall,” commenting on the most recent cancer statistics.
Dr. Brawley co-authored the following articles on cancer mortality rates:
- “The American Cancer Society 2035 Challenge Goal on Cancer Mortality Reduction,” CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 2019.69:351-362.
- “An Assessment of Progress in Cancer Control,” CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 2018.68:329-339.

Panel Discussion: End-of-Life Care for Cancer Patients

This session featured five panelists discussing issues around end-of-life and hospice care faced by cancer patients, loved ones, and caregivers, as well as policy implications related to the Medicare hospice benefit. NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso moderated the discussion.

Panel Speakers

Kimberly Acquaviva, PhD – University of Virginia School of Nursing
Blake Farmer – Nashville Public Radio
Donna Gentry – Family Caregiver
Andrew MacPherson – Healthsperien, LLC; National Partnership for Hospice Innovation
Lisa D. T. Rice, SM – NCCS Board Member and Family Caregiver

Related Background Material and Resources

“Finding Life in Death” by Dave Zeitlin, Penn Gazette – Kimberly Acquaviva
“For the Love of My Mother” by Lisa D. T. Rice, SM, NCCS Cancer Policy Matters Blog – Lisa details her experiences after her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
In January 2020, Blake Farmer of Nashville NPR reported on the obstacles to dying at home and the challenges associated with hospice care.
“The Cost Of Dying: Modern Death Hits Home For A Health Care Reporter” by Blake Farmer, WPLN Nashville Public Radio – Mr. Farmer writes about his own personal experience with caregiving for his mother in hospice care.
In 2017, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) issued a report on “Views and Experiences with End-of-Life Medical Care in the US.” KFF also published a cross-country report comparing attitudes toward end-of-life care in the US, Italy, Japan, and Brazil.
In a video posted on the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (CTAC) blog, Kathy Brandt and Kimberly Acquaviva discuss the choices they made when Kathy was diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer.
In a 2019 article in the Journal of Oncology Practice, Schubart and colleagues review, “Advance Care Planning Among Patients with Advanced Cancer.”

NCCS Resource

Dying Well—The Final Stage of Survivorship
An informative, supportive, and reassuring audio program designed to teach you more about your choices and resources, as well as what to expect during the last stage of survival.

Listen Free »

Michael D. Stubblefield, MD: Cancer Rehabilitation as a Model of Survivorship Care

Michael D. Stubblefield, MD led CPR’s third session by discussing cancer rehabilitation as a way to address the late- and long-term effects of cancer treatment. NCCS Senior Policy Manager Lindsay Houff also conducted a Q&A session with Dr. Stubblefield.

Dr. Stubblefield is an internationally recognized leader in the field of cancer rehabilitation and currently serves as Director of Cancer Rehabilitation at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

Download the Session Slide Deck »

Related Background Material and Resources

In a FAQ document, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation explains cancer rehabilitation (and why you may not have heard the term).
Dr. Michael Stubblefield has presented on “Shifting Paradigms in Cancer Rehabilitation.”

Panel Discussion: The Oncology Care Model and the Proposed Oncology Care First Model

The last session of the Virtual CPR featured four panelists discussing payment models for cancer care.

Panel Speakers:

Hillary Cavanagh – Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
David Goldstein, MS, OTR/L – Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
Ray Page, DO, PhD, FACOI, FASCO – President & Director of Research, The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Kashyap Patel, MD – Carolina Blood and Cancer Care

Unfortunately, we are not able to share the video for this session.

Related Background Material and Resources

In April 2019, Pittman and colleagues offered advice about the Oncology Care Model, “Three Benefits to the Oncology Care Model and Four Recommendations to Advance It.”
In late 2019, the Innovation Center published a request for information that described a new Oncology Care First model and requested input on the model.
In a December 2019 Health Affairs blog, de Brantes and colleagues critique the Oncology Care First Model and offer an alternative.
In July 2019, the Innovation Center proposed a Radiation Oncology Model.
In responding to the proposed Radiation Oncology model, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recommended a voluntary structure to the model and other changes.

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