CMS has selected sites for six demonstration projects to improve the early detection and treatment of cancer and reduce health disparities for minority Medicare beneficiaries. The four-year demonstration project will benefit 13,000 minority patients with breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancers by helping them schedule appointments for cancer screening and diagnostic testing as well as guide them in adhering to treatment regimens. Assistance with transportation, translation or interpretations, and care coordination may also be provided. “Reducing disparities in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment is essential to improving quality of care for people with Medicare, and this demonstration will allow us to determine the effectiveness of the navigator model to achieve this,” says CMS Administrator Mark McClellan.
