What does this research mean for the field?

Although Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with advanced cancer have higher rates of palliative care billing than Traditional Medicare beneficiaries, this difference is primarily driven by between-provider variation rather than the insurance plan itself. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to examine differences in palliative care billing between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare, focusing on how provider networks influence this.

May 29, 2026Journal of Clinical Oncology

Palliative care for advanced cancer: Medicare Advantage and provider networks.

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Authors

XHXin HuEmory University CJChangchuan JiangSouthwestern Medical Center YKYoungmin KwonVanderbilt University Medical Center

Discussion

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Implication

Randomized trial shows higher palliative care billing in Medicare Advantage compared to Traditional Medicare, suggesting provider networks play a key role.

Key Points

The aim is to examine differences in palliative care billing between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare, focusing on how provider networks influence this.
Identified Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥66 with advanced cancer using the 2025 SEER-Medicare linkage.
Analyzed palliative care billing within 6 months of diagnosis using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.
Matched patients from Medicare Advantage to those in Traditional Medicare based on treating oncologists and county.
The cumulative incidence of palliative care billing was 13.3% in Medicare Advantage and 9.3% in Traditional Medicare.
After adjusting for provider networks, differences in billing were significantly reduced, with an HR of 1.05 (95% CI, 0.99, 1.11).
Higher palliative care billing was noted in HMO plans with an HR of 1.16 (95% CI, 1.08, 1.24) before adjustment.

Cite This Study

Hu et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a192ee7fab5b468c44182ec https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.11050

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Implication

Randomized trial shows higher palliative care billing in Medicare Advantage compared to Traditional Medicare, suggesting provider networks play a key role.

Palliative care for advanced cancer: Medicare Advantage and provider networks.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Palliative care for advanced cancer: Medicare Advantage and provider networks.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider