Cancer care centers named high prescription drug costs and lack of claims reimbursement for supportive services as the top challenges associated with providing care in 2016, according to an annual Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) survey.

Of the 166 cancer care providers and administrators surveyed, about 83 percent identified prescription drug costs as the highest-ranking cancer care obstacle, up from just 45 percent of respondents in 2015.

Cancer care prescription drug rates are on the rise, especially as innovative treatments emerge. For example, cancer care drug spending on biologics, cytotoxics, and other drugs increased from 15 to 18 percent for Medicare beneficiaries and from 15 to 20 percent for privately insured patients, Milliman and the Community Oncology Alliance reported in April 2016.

The report stated that prescription drug costs rose faster than other cancer care costs because of treatment advances, such as biological therapies and breakthrough medications.

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