A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Health Forum found that many Medicare patients with advanced cancer receive aggressive treatment at the expense of supportive care, including hospice and palliative care. The research analyzed Medicare records from 33,744 decedents who died from breast, prostate, pancreatic, or lung cancers between 66 and 101 years old.
According to the study, 45% of patients experienced potentially aggressive care in their final months, while only 25% received advanced care planning and palliative care. Hospice care was used by more than 70% of patients during the month leading up to death, but over 16% spent less than three days in hospices.
The study found that access to supportive care varied significantly among demographic groups. Older, non-Hispanic white patients, those with longer survival durations, or living in rural areas with lower socioeconomic levels were less likely to receive supportive care. The authors noted that for dying patients and their caregivers, hospice is often considered the gold standard of end-of-life care.
The findings highlight the need for improved communication between patients, caregivers, and providers about disease prognosis and advanced planning, as well as policies to increase access to palliative care and address workforce shortages. Experts stress the importance of having clear and honest conversations about end-of-life care options to ensure that patients receive high-quality support in their final months.
Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250222/Medicare-patients-with-cancer-often-receive-aggressive-treatment-over-supportive-care.aspx