Financial (dis)incentives to surgical management of head and neck cancer care.

[BACKGROUND] Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) often require complex surgical reconstruction. This retrospective, cross-sectional study compares financial factors influencing HNC and breast cancer (BC) care to examine care disparities.

[METHODS] Pricing data from 2012 to 2021 was abstracted from the CMS Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool. Nonprofit and research support was quantified by searching the NIH, IRS, and GuideStar databases. New York State Department of Health data from 2015 to 2019 was analyzed to compare costs, charges, and payer mix.

[RESULTS] HNC reconstructive procedures reimburse lower than comparable breast procedures (p < 0.05). Nonprofit and research support for HNC is disproportionately low relative to disease burden. Patients hospitalized for HNC surgical procedures generated higher costs and lower charges than patients with BC (p < 0.05).

[CONCLUSION] Comparatively low procedure reimbursement, low nonprofit support, and high cost of care for patients with HNC relative to patients with BC may contribute to care disparities for patients with HNC.