A new era in cancer care

In some respects, the outlook for cancer prevention and care has never been brighter, offering hope and comfort to patients and families, employers and their employees. Since the 1990s, U.S. deaths from cancer have plummeted by nearly a third thanks to screenings, reduced smoking, and new life-saving treatments.¹ And cutting-edge therapies are conveniently available right here in Rhode Island.

Despite these advances, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the U.S, and new cases are trending higher.¹ The population is aging and, according to a National Institutes of Health study, there has been an alarming rise in many common cancers among those under the age of 50.² A record 2 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer in 2024.¹ 

At the same time, the cost of cancer care—both the financial burden on patients and its contribution to rising insurance claims costs and overall healthcare spending—is growing increasingly challenging. Most new infusion and injection drug therapies are launching with price tags in excess of $100,000 per year.³ One new advanced treatment now available in Rhode Island, CAR T-cell therapy— in which patients' immune cells are removed, genetically engineered to target cancer cells, and then infused back into the body— can cost five times that, nearly $1 million for a course of treatment.⁴

When patients receive care from out-of-state providers, those costs are exacerbated—often up to 40% higher than if they received care in Rhode Island.

It’s all adding up to rapidly rising cancer care costs here and across the country. Consider the following:

• Direct medical costs of cancer care in the U.S. have surpassed $200 billion a year, with employer-sponsored plans shouldering more than a quarter of that amount.¹
• U.S. spending on drug therapies for cancer is projected to nearly double, from $99 billion in 2023 to $180 billion by 2028.³
• At Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) total claims for cancer care rose in 2025 to an estimated $450 million, an 11% jump since 2023. That represented 14% of all claim payments, with nearly two-thirds of those dollars going toward specialty drugs.

These surging costs are taking a toll on people with cancer and their families, who are already struggling with the physical and emotional impacts of the disease. What can be done to help them? And to better manage the costs that are making insurance premiums increasingly difficult for everyone to afford?

At BCBSRI, a first-of-its-kind program may be part of the solution.

Offering 24/7 cancer care support to members

To enhance cancer care, BCBSRI recently launched a promising new program in collaboration with Daymark Health. Daymark’s team of oncology-trained staff specialize in working directly with cancer patients and their providers to ensure members and their caregivers are supported every step of the way.

Many patients feel anxious and overwhelmed when navigating the complexities of getting diagnosed and treated for cancer. Enter Daymark. Working hand-in-hand with primary care practices and cancer centers, Daymark can assist with completing workup testing, getting appointments, answering questions and addressing concerns, even details like making sure patients have transportation to treatment. The added expert support helps patients and caregivers make informed choices about the best options for accessing high-quality, timely care in their community.

As part of its personalized service, Daymark checks in regularly with BCBSRI cancer patients, responds around the clock to urgent issues, and offers in-home and virtual visits with its team of doctors, nurses, social workers and advocates. That 24/7 support can help avoid unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalizations and provide peace–of-mind to patients and their caregivers.

Daymark can also help patients find local solutions and avoid unnecessary out-of-state trips. Traveling to receive care can be fatiguing, stressful and time-consuming and may also incur the added expense of out-of-network providers, hotels, meals, parking and missed work—not only for patients but their caregivers as well.

For members who qualify, the cancer care support program is available at no extra cost through their BCBSRI health plan. 

Managing costs through prevention, drug sourcing innovation

The most effective solution for lowering cancer costs is keeping members healthy in the first place.

Responding to a nationwide shortage of primary care providers, BCBSRI has increased its investment in primary care to strengthen providers’ ability to manage chronic conditions and prevent disease, including coordinating preventive screenings for cancer.

BCBSRI is also facilitating routine cancer screenings through direct outreach to members. In 2022, BCBSRI launched a campaign to contact members overdue for colorectal cancer screening and provide assistance with next steps. Since the initiative began, the rate of unscreened members has fallen 20% from 28.2% to 22.5%, with significant reductions in disparities among different racial and ethnic groups.

Another way BCBSRI is seeking to lower costs and better support patients is through innovative approaches to sourcing specialty drugs, including many cancer medications. For example, BCBSRI co-founded CivicaScript® to manufacture and bring to market affordable versions of high-priced drugs. Its debut product—Abiraterone acetate for advanced prostate cancer—is saving patients and insurers thousands of dollars a year.⁵ BCBSRI also joined forces with Synergie Medication Collective® to negotiate lower prices with other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans.

Meeting the growing demands of cancer care

The need for improved cancer care and cost management will only become more challenging in the coming years as cancer diagnoses rise and life-saving treatments produce a growing population of survivors requiring long-term monitoring and care.

"Cancer continues to be one of the most pressing public health challenges," according to the international Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, "with far-reaching consequences for health systems, economies, and societies."⁶

No insurer, hospital, employer, or government entity can solve this daunting challenge alone, but together, through innovation and collaboration, it’s possible to improve patient outcomes and experiences while better containing costs for the entire healthcare system.