Twice a month, I lead a support group for folks with advanced cancer. Our discussions focus on living with cancer despite an uncertain future. Recently the conversation shifted toward what purchases should and shouldn’t be made. One person has a very old car, but she wasn’t certain if a new car would be a prudent purchase, given her prognosis. Another person needed a new winter coat and decided she would get the best one she could afford. It was interesting to listen to how decisions are made when the variables of a short life span or expensive treatments are included. They humorously called it the “return on investment” discussion.

Increasing healthcare expenses have become a major concern for patients with cancer, especially considering the cost of oncology medications and treatment plans. On Friday, February 26, ONS President-Elect Susan Schneider, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, participated in a discussion titled “Exploring Innovative Strategies to Mitigate Cost-Sharing Burdens for Patients” at the event Cost-Sharing Roundtable: Improving Patient Access to Critical Therapies hosted by the Patient Access Network (PAN) and the American Journal of Managed Care in Washington, DC.