Table 1.
Characteristics of Selected Data Sources/Research Resources in the US for Estimating Burden of Cancer
| SEER-Medicare | MEPS | H-CUP | MCBS | CRN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | SEER tumor registries linked to Medicare claims |
Nationally representative in-person survey with provider data collection |
Inpatient discharge data from sampled hospitals |
National survey linked to Medicare claims |
Research centers in managed care organizations |
| Data characteristics | |||||
| National or nationally representative | geographically defined | √ | √ | √ | geographically defined |
| Individual –level longitudinal data | √ | 5 panels over 2 years | √ | √ | |
| Approximate number of cancer survivors in 2007 | >1,000,000 | <2,000 | >1,000,000 | <2,000 | >400,000 |
| Duration of information | Medicare eligibility through death | 2 years | Hospital admission through discharge | Enrollment through disenrollment or death | |
| Health insurance type | Medicare fee-for-service only | All payors | All payors | All payors | Managed care only |
| Patients information | |||||
| Age distribution | Aged 65+ or disabled (any age) | Aged 18+ | All ages | Aged 65+ or disabled (any age) | Aged 18+ |
| Information about patients without cancer | In cancer registry regions | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Cancer information | |||||
| Cancer diagnosis | Registry, procedure or diagnosis codes | Self-report, procedure or diagnosis codes | Procedure or diagnosis codes | Self-report, procedure or diagnosis codes | Registry, procedure or diagnosis codes |
| Stage at diagnosis | √ | √ | |||
| Treatment | √ | √ | Inpatient hospital only | √ | √ |
| Type of cost estimate | |||||
| Incidence | √ | √ | |||
| Prevalence in a specific year | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Direct medical cost components | |||||
| Hospital | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Physician and other outpatient services | √ | √ | √ | √ | |
| Outpatient pharmacy | √* | √ | √* | √ | |
| Out of pocket | √ | √ | |||
| Indirect cost components | |||||
| Productivity loss (e.g., days lost from work) | √ | ||||
| Patient time | √ | ||||
| Caregiver time |
*
Data on Medicare Part D prescription drug services are available starting in 2006. Before 2006, drugs administered parenterally and their administration was covered by Medicare Part B, as were Prodrugs, the oral drug equivalent of drugs administered parenterally.
SEER-Medicare = Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results –Medicare, MEPS = Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, H-CUP = Healthcare Costs and Utilization Program, MCBS = Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, CRN = Cancer Research Network