Cancer advance may affect health insurance costs
04 January 2010 13:18:24
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| New medical software could be used by health insurance firms. |
Computer software could soon help doctors to assess an individual's risk of cancer, but some experts are concerned that the information could be used to determine health insurance premiums.
Professor Mike Richards, England's national cancer director, told the Guardian newspaper that the new software could help GPs to spot the early signs of cancer and identify patients who need fast-track tests.
The software would collate information on a patient's age, weight and symptoms in order to assess their level of risk.
"The benefit of this will be that GPs will know who should be investigated and who shouldn't," Professor Richards told the Guardian.
"It will also help patients to know that whether they are being reassured or referred or getting a test, that is the right thing to do."
However, the Daily Express reported that some experts fear the software could be used to inform the decision-making process used by health insurance providers when determining an individual's premiums.
Health Insurance magazine recently reported that targeted therapies could one day transform cancer care.
The magazine cited oncologist Dr Alison Jones, who told the Independent Sector Healthcare Forum that health insurance companies should look closely at tests that shed light on a patient's likely response to expensive anti-cancer drugs.
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