Balancing Value with Affordability: Cell Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment in the U.S.

ABSTRACT

Despite the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' recent approval to increase payments for inpatient-delivered chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) for adult lymphoma, reimbursement remains far below the costs of the product and overall treatment of the therapy. We surveyed 92 CAR-T-certified centers in the U.S. to assess the perceived financial viability and related challenges for treating adult patients with lymphoma. Of 92 certified CAR-T centers in the U.S., 20 (22%) directors or chief medical officers responded. More than three quarters of facilities reported treating patients in an inpatient setting, and 60% reported that the majority of their patients were covered under commercial/private insurance. The financial viability rating across centers (median 62; interquartile range 48-69; scale 1-100) signals that economic sustainability of institutional programs for adult lymphoma is a concern. These dynamics may limit access to CAR-T for Medicare beneficiaries and lead to greater outpatient use of the therapy, which may limit access for medically complex patients.