Practice-Level Spending Variation for Radiation Treatment Episodes Among Older Adults With Cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Radiation treatments are an essential but expensive component of cancer care.

Objective

To elucidate trends in radiation spending and identify factors associated with practice-level variations across the US health care system to inform alternative payment model design.

Design, setting, and participants

This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries from 2009 to 2020. Patients were continuously enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare Parts A and B during the 1 year prior through 28 days after a radiation treatment episode. Data were analyzed from January 2023 to September 2024.

Exposures

Medicare beneficiaries with cancer who received radiation therapy.

Main outcomes and measures

Radiation treatment-spe

SUBMITTER: Lam MB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12274980 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature