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Segment 5 - Future Directions

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In the final segment of the panel discussion, each panel member gave their final thoughts on the discussion topic.

After introducing panelists, Otis Brawley, MD, chief medical officer, American Cancer Society, David H. Finley, MD, FACS, national medical officer, Enterprise Affordability and Policy, Cigna Healthcare, Joy Larsen-Haidle, MS, genetic counselor, Hubert H. Humphrey Cancer Center, Ellen T. Matloff, MS, research scientist, Department of Genetics, director, Cancer Genetic Counseling, Yale Cancer Center and Rebecca Nagy, president, National Society of Genetic Counselors, moderator, Jan Berger MD, MJ, president & CEO, Health Intelligence Partners, editor-in-chief, The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits, asked the panel to identify the current unmet needs and challenges in genetic testing.

Panelists agreed that the cost of the new agents discussed to treat melanoma will be a challenge, just as the cost of healthcare as a whole in the United States is a major challenge.

It's very, very complex to try to envision how you would come up with a single payment for an episode and not have a thousand different types of episodes in order to capture the heterogeneity of these diseases and the cost, said Dr Malin when asked to discuss the bundled payment method in oncology.

Jeff Goldsmith, PhD, President, Health Futures, Inc, Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, says that the biggest barrier that accountable care organizations (ACOs) face is the lack of collaboration between physician communities and hospitals.

In "What Does the Affordable Care Act Actually Do?," presented by Ivor Douglas, MD, Associate Professor, University of Colorado Denver, Chief, Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine Director, Medical Intensive Care, Denver Health Medical Center, at the ATS 2013 International Conference, Dr Douglas noted that fundamental issues driving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) include access, quality, and cost.

The realities of the emerging healthcare marketplace are quickly being recognized. Layna Cook, with law firm, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, discussed these realities with her presentation, The Impact of Health Reform's State Exchanges.

Dr. Mark Fendrick, MD, Professor of Medicine and Health Management and Policy, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Michigan, Co-Editor-in-Chief, The American Journal of Managed Care, says that there are levers organizations and stakeholders can pull to achieve the goal of improving quality and value in cancer care.

New revenue models in healthcare are causing innovative payer-provider partnerships. John Harris, MBA, spoke about some of these new partnerships and how all stakeholders must consider each other's mindsets when choosing a model that works for them.