Our response to a recent Medicare proposal in Florida.
Cancer is a complex disease often requiring complicated protocols.
These protocols routinely require consistent and frequent monitoring by physicians. These agents reduce febrile neutropenia and shorten its duration while helping to maintain planned doses of myelosuppressive chemotherapy. The G-CSF factors cited are FDA approved. Medicare has covered these hematopoietic growth factors since they were introduced and always incident to the direct supervision of the treating physician. The proposed Florida policy is inconsistent with both oncology practice norms and commitment to quality of life and improved likelihood of remission for the seniors who are the rank and file members of Medicare.