In 2025, healthcare spending is expected to rise significantly by around 8% marking the highest jump in spending in over a decade [1]. With rising cancer costs threatening to make quality cancer care inaccessible for many, prevention and early detection will be key to keeping costs low for members. Keep reading to learn how health plans can address this rising cost burden.
Why cancer costs are expected to rise
The rise in cancer costs can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the use of innovative and expensive cancer treatments and aging populations. Innovative cancer drugs and treatments like targeted therapies and immunotherapies are often very expensive to develop and manufacture. These medical advancements can lead to high patient costs per treatment cycle.
Additionally, as individuals age, their risk for cancer will increase as increased age is the most important cancer risk factor [2]. As more members may be diagnosed with cancer, this also means that the cost of care may increase for your population and put further strain on healthcare systems.
Control cancer costs by prioritizing prevention and early detection
Prioritizing prevention and early cancer detection is a key strategy to effectively controlling cancer costs since an early diagnosis enables earlier intervention and less invasive and expensive treatments. This leads to more efficient treatment, improved outcomes, less complications and disease progression, significantly lowering healthcare resource utlization and associated costs when compared to treating cancer at more advanced stages.
Research has demonstrated that mean annual and cumulative costs of care per patient during the first four years post-cancer diagnosis were significantly higher among those diagnosed at later versus earlier cancer stages [3]. The higher rate of increase in mean cumulative costs among those diagnosed during stage IV underscores the importance of diagnosing cancer as early as possible.
Fortunately, there are opportunities to control cancer care costs and improve outcomes with earlier interventions at every stage of the cancer journey.
Make screening more accessible
Despite the many benefits of early diagnosis and intervention, many Americans do not receive regular cancer screenings. According to the Prevent Cancer Foundation's 2024 Early Detection Survey, nearly seven in 10 US adults are behind on at least one routine cancer screening [4]. This lack of screening can worsen patient outcomes and spiral costs.
Gaps in care due to inadequate access to healthcare services may occur due to geographic, financial, or logistical challenges. Additionally, factors such as health literacy, fear of judgment, apprehension about potential diagnoses, cultural factors, and structural racism can also deter people from seeking or receiving recommended care.
Screening options with at-home sample collection make cancer screening more accessible by allowing individuals to collect samples in the privacy of their own homes. These convenient and easy-to-use tests eliminate barriers like transportation issues, time constraints, and discomfort with a clinical setting to potentially increase participation rates, especially for those who might otherwise avoid traditional screening methods.
How LetsGetChecked can help
LetsGetChecked’s cancer screening solutions can help your population easily engage in cancer risk screening with at-home sample collection. Our tailored programs meet your people where they are to help save lives by aiding early intervention and action. We offer configurable, easy-to-use solutions to screen for some of the most common types of cancer found in the US, including prostate cancer, colon cancer, HPV, and certain hereditary cancers. Our accessible healthcare solutions are customized to meet your specific goals, and each step of the process can be adapted to best suit your population. Contact us to learn more.
References
- https://www.businessgrouphealth.org/en/newsroom/news-and-press-releases/press-releases/2025-employer-health-care-strategy-survey
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/age
- https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-022-08457-6
- https://preventcancer.org/prevention-screening/resources-and-downloads/2024-early-detection-survey/
