The role of critical illness insurance in the new cancer economy

Independently of the UNC analysis, the Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH), a nonprofit health care consumer advocacy led by employer groups and health care providers, shows cancer treatment costs are top-of-mind for group health plan sponsors.

Cancer treatments rank at the top of employer expenses, despite cancer’s lower prevalence relative to diabetes, hypertension and musculoskeletal disorders, said NEBGH.

But plan sponsors are concerned by more than just premium costs. Beyond containing runaway expenses that push group premiums ever higher, employers are “equally concerned” about ensuring that employees and their families receive top-quality cancer care.

“Employers are invested in the well-being of their employees, and they want to be confident they’re steering people to trusted providers and institutions based on reliable information about outcomes and adherence to quality measures,” said Laurel Pickering, CEO of NEBGH.