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Rural oncologists warn of a crisis: independent community clinics struggle with reimbursement, staffing and prior authorization burdens
Summary
Community oncologists described systemic financial pressures—low practice reimbursement relative to hospital outpatient departments, high drug costs, pharmacy benefit manager practices and rising prior‑authorization burdens—that are encouraging consolidation, reducing independent rural oncology capacity and threatening local access.
The committee heard a sustained appeal from community practitioners that independent cancer clinics in rural Georgia are under severe economic pressure and that closures or consolidation into hospital systems are reducing access close to home.
“About 7% of the nation's medical oncologists practice in rural areas where about 18 to 20 percent of the population lives,” said Dr. Harsha Avias, a board‑certified hematologist and medical oncologist who practices in Dublin. “I believe we are at a moment of…
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