Teleios Blog

We celebrate World Cancer Day this month with record drop in cancer deaths for second straight year in U.S.

The American Cancer Society’s annual Cancer Statistics reports improved survival overall for those facing cancer.  The improvement is most pronounced in lung cancer, thanks to improvements in treatment of non-small cell cancer. We have come a long way since the 50’s and 60’s when the word cancer was said in hushed tones due to the likelihood of it being a terminal illness. 

If I know one thing it’s that my Grandma loves living in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. There is nothing that makes her happier than sipping a cup of coffee while sitting on the front porch in the rocking chair Grandpa made her 25 years ago, listening to the birds chirp and watching the sun rise high into the sky.

I am sure that all Americans awoke on the morning of April 22 and waited with bated breath for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to announce the Alternative Payment Model (APM) for Serious Illness/Palliative Care? I recall where I was the moment that the news went viral and made history. While most may not share my enthusiasm for Medicare payment models and the reality may be more likely that the majority do not know what Palliative care is let alone that Medicare was considering a way to fund it. Over the next few paragraphs, we will discuss the CMMI APM demonstration from the lenses of both the payer and the patient as this payment model moves towards a future “benefit.”

Mrs. H. was surprised with her diagnosis of breast cancer that had spread to bone. Her oncologist recommended chemotherapy and she tried it. She hated the toxins going through her system. She didn’t tolerate the chemotherapy very well anyway.