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Aaron Mitchell

@thewonkologist.bsky.social
1.2K followers 365 following 353 posts

Medical oncologist and health services researcher. Focusing on health care costs, physician-industry COI, and oncology reimbursement reform. Opinions mine.

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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Images of Freddy Kruger at the video store
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
“Patients come to oncology with fear and uncertainty. They are asking for judgment they can trust. That judgment should not be shaped by a meal, an honorarium, or a branded invitation.” Amazing editorial on our study from @sarojniraula.bsky.social ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...
ascopubs.org
When Industry Payments to Oncologists Influence Cancer Care
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I could not have asked for a better editorial! Thank you for writing this. And for not mincing words. I am in full agreement with your recommendations as well.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
@propublica.org @charlesornstein.bsky.social @medlawdan.bsky.social @profgenkanter.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org @matthewherper.bsky.social @statnews.com @pharmalot.bsky.social @relentleshealth.bsky.social @armandalegshow.bsky.social @drrobinyabroff.bsky.social @yalecrrit.bsky.social
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Thanks to all my co-authors on this study! @dusetzinas.bsky.social @peterbachmd.bsky.social And to our funders at NCI, @commonwealthfund.org, @arnoldventures.bsky.social, and @nihcm.bsky.social
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Begs the question - why are we still accepting money and gifts from drug companies?
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
...and the AMOUNT of money matters: The more money your oncologists get for the not-as-good drugs (orange), the LESS likely you are to receive treatment with a guideline-preferred drug.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Our latest, out today in JCO @ascocancer.bsky.social : Industry payments to oncologists can sway us to prescribe, regardless of whether the drug is good or bad. ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...
ascopubs.org
Financial Payments From Drug Manufacturers to Oncologists and Use of Guideline-Preferred Cancer Treatments
PURPOSEPayments from the drug industry influence physicians' prescribing decisions. Whether industry payments affect the likelihood that patients receive the guideline-preferred treatment for their ca...
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Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Gender-affirming care saves lives, respects the rights of patients, and reflects that healthcare is supposed to be between providers and patients, not between providers and the Trump Administration. (1/3)
gothamist.com
Mount Sinai reaches deal with Trump DOJ to end gender-affirming care for minors
Mount Sinai is the latest in a string of U.S. hospitals to reach similar agreements with the Trump administration.
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Daniel G. Aaron, MD, JD @medlawdan.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
NEW: Draft white paper up on SSRN - "Reimagining FDA’s Corporate Funding: Pathways to Reform or Abolition of User Fees" FDA's corporate funding, aka "user fees," are not ancillary -- they have big implications for FDA policy & integrity. (1/x) papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com
Reimagining FDA's Corporate Funding: Pathways to Reform or Abolition of User Fees
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration derives most of its drug regulatory budget from "user fees" paid by pharmaceutical companies. This White Paper l
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
"The only measures that have been shown to reduce COI to date are legislated policies, specifically those policies that ban or restrict gifts to doctors..." Agree with this perspective by Dr. Joel Lexchin. Disclosure is not enough! journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
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Arrianna Marie Planey, PhD MA @arrianna-planey.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
"Three years in, CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal) has produced real, measurable progress, reaching nearly 453,000 Medi-Cal members through Enhanced Care Management & more than 528,000 through Community Supports since 2022..."
healthaffairs.org
The Equity Cliff: Federal Medicaid Cuts Are About To Undo California’s Health System Gains | Health Affairs Forefront
What California chooses in the next six months will determine whether a decade of Medicaid transformation holds or collapses and how the health and well-being of thousands or millions of California’s ...
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
(we previously reviewed most of that stack) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33226...
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Are Financial Payments From the Pharmaceutical Industry Associated With Physician Prescribing? : A Systematic Review - PubMed
National Cancer Institute.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
No surprise: receiving payments from device-makers increases physicians' use of the paying company's devices. Add this one to the stack! jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Medical Device Industry Payments and Utilization of Corresponding Devices
This cross-sectional study evaluates the association between device industry payments to physicians and physician utilization of device-associated procedures across multiple specialties.
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Michael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
The actual harsh truth about MAHA is that it is an anti-vaxx, anti-science, pro-diarrhea conspiracy movement. It cloaks its arguments in abstractions about "big pharma" and "free speech" to generate *the exact op-ed The Atlantic keeps publishing*. Movements like this need to be fought, not placated.
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Stacie Dusetzina @dusetzinas.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Good reminder of how hard it is to access health insurance for people who are disabled by their conditions but in the waiting period for coverage for SSDI/Medicare. The mortality during the wait period for people with cancer (neoplasms) is nearly 40%. www.healthaffairs.org/doi/epdf/10....
Graphic shows the 24-month mortality rate for different conditions for people who are in the 2 year waiting period for obtaining social security disability insurance. Shows nearly 40% mortality for cancer, followed by about 15% digestive diseases, blood diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Lack of health insurance coverage during this period likely contributes to these higher rates of death.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Asking for help: are there any publicly available data sources on hospital surgical volume?
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Sarah Karlin-Smith @sarahkarlin-smith.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Negotiating prices at launch creates more equity among Medicare beneficiaries, ensuring that people who need a drug earlier in the product’s lifecycle are not disproportionately bearing the costs of a medicine. www.healthaffairs.org/content/fore...
healthaffairs.org
Why Medicare Must Negotiate Drug Prices At Launch | Health Affairs Forefront
Negotiating drug prices at launch would ensure that patients and health programs get fair prices on prescription drugs at the outset, instead of first facing nearly a decade or longer of excessive pri...
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Stacie Dusetzina @dusetzinas.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Honestly, WTF.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
"This study provides among the most rigorous evidence to date on receipt of optimal initial therapy [for cancer]...in a nationally representative sample of beneficiaries in MA vs traditional Medicare." Thank-you to our commentators for this kind review! jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Medicare Advantage and Cancer Care
Medicare-eligible beneficiaries have the option of receiving their benefits through traditional Medicare administered by the federal government or through private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that re...
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
1st firsthand experience with NHS today: 1) spent an entire day navigating a bureaucratic maze of separate labs, clinics, cash-pay-only pharmacies, and land-line-only phone consults 2) entire bill for same-day consult and Rx, without insurance = $20 Sounds about right
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JAMA Network Open @jamanetworkopen.com · 17/07/2026
Medical device industry payments to physicians were associated with higher utilization of corresponding devices, with a stepwise increase in procedure volumes as payments rose. ja.ma/3RfJqjq
JAMA Network Open article, 'Original Investigation | Ethics: Medical Device Industry Payments and Utilization of Corresponding Devices.' Authors: Misop Han, Yuezhou Jing, Zeyad Hammadeh et al. Published Online: July 17, 2026.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Car 54, Where Are You? 3 Ninjas Kick Back
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Coverage of our recent COI study presented at #ASCO26 @ascocancer.bsky.social, finding that oncologists increase cancer drug prescribing after receiving drug company bribes. (in print soon!) www.healthcare-brew.com/stories/phar...
healthcare-brew.com
Pharma companies paid providers $14.7 billion in 2025. What does that mean?
These payments can affect everything from prescribing patterns to pharma’s business strategy
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
thank you to our funders, @arnoldventures.bsky.social @commonwealthfund.org !
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
@michaelannica.bsky.social @dusetzinas.bsky.social @aschwartz.bsky.social @kellyanderson.bsky.social @youngminkwon.bsky.social
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Our new study on cancer care for #MedicareAdvantage beneficiaries is out today in @jamainternalmed.com! We find similar treatment timeliness and quality, but use of cheaper treatments in MA vs. traditional Medicare jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Quality, Cost, and Timeliness of Cancer Treatment in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare
This cohort study compares Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and traditional Medicare beneficiaries newly diagnosed with cancer with regards to timeliness of initial treatment, receiving the optimum in...
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Dan Ollendorf @dano-hta.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Happening now!
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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 23/06/2026
ADA leaders were forcibly removed from their own meeting for sharing copies of an ADA OpEd critical of Jay Bhattacharya. Thanks to you it's now got >125,000 views. As CDC interim director, Jay also blocked publication of this paper because it showed that COVID vaccines work. You know what to do.
jamanetwork.com
Interim Estimated Effectiveness of 2025-2026 COVID-19 Vaccines in Adults
This case-control study estimates vaccine effectiveness of 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines among adults with COVID-19–associated emergency department or urgent care encounters and COVID-19–associated hosp...
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Hannah R. Abrams @hannahrabrams.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Nice editorial @thewonkologist.bsky.social & Dr. Nancy Keating about revisiting our priors re: Medicare Advantage for cancer care. While there is reason to be cautious and investigate, current data on MA vs traditional medicare in cancer is far from conclusive. ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Based on my understanding of the literature on PE acquisition, which is certainly complex, this is still a pretty selective read.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
I think the piece is perhaps overly favorable. "From a global health care perspective, PE-affiliated private practices show lower Medicare expenditures compared with corporate or hospital-based entities with fewer associated inpatient care days and emergency room visits."
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Timely, this recent piece in JCO Oncology Practice @ascocancer.bsky.social seems aimed towards helping private practice oncologists understand the implications of selling to their practice to PE firms: ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/...
ascopubs.org
From Burnout to Buyout: Private Equity's Growing Appeal in Oncology | JCO Oncology Practice
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
In other words, we certainly have NOT proven that there "is nothing to see here." (and therefore, as always, "more research is needed" 😄)
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
I appreciated this thoughtful commentary on our recent (surprisingly "negative") study of private equity's effect on cancer care. I would summarize as: we looked only at one form of harm, and other potential harms have not been excluded. academic.oup.com/jnci/advance...
academic.oup.com
Private equity acquisitions and cancer care: nothing to see here? Not so fast.
Private equity (PE) involvement in the acquisition of health-care practices is rapidly expanding, with more than $750 billion invested over the past decade
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
I appreciate this @jama.com commentary by Knox and @asarpatwari.bsky.social. I'm among the skeptics of the 340B program as it currently operates, but it appears this proposed pilot would not address the major issues. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
340B Drug Pricing
This Viewpoint presents the history of the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) 340B Drug Pricing Program and 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, summarizes their controversies and limit...
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Presenting our new study at #ASCO26 right now! Provider profits on cancer drugs have grown 4-fold to $40 billion in the last decade and a half. @ascocancer.bsky.social @mskcancercenter.bsky.social @hannahrabrams.bsky.social @nihcm.bsky.social
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Presenting at #ASCO26 now! Our new study: Bribes from the drug industry can lead oncologists to use WORSE treatments (not just better ones) @ascocancer.bsky.social @mskcancercenter.bsky.social @dusetzinas.bsky.social @commonwealthfund.org @nihcm.bsky.social @arnoldventures.bsky.social
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Kevin Griffith @assumenormality.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
New RCT evidence from @adrianna.bsky.social and coauthors testing effects of work requirements for SNAP Some enrollees get exemptions, others did not Work requirements had very small effects on employment, but large effects on enrollment Preview of what to expect in Medicaid next year #ARM26
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Farewell #ARM26! #ASCO26, see you in about 5 hours! @ascocancer.bsky.social @academyhealth.bsky.social
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Theresa Kim, PhD, MS @tyk314.net · 30/05/2026
Hey, #ARM2026 attendees. Sorry I can't be with you in Seattle. Fellow some of these great health systems and health policy researchers and those in the know. If you want me to add you, feel free to comment here and I can. #hpss #hspr #hpsr #healthpolicy
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
I'll be presenting new findings at 2:15 PT today at #ARM26! Our study measured provider profits on cancer drugs (profits have increased, a lot) This looks like a great session, including other new findings on cancer care in MA. See you in ballroom 6C! academyhealth.confex.com/academyhealt...
academyhealth.confex.com
Tracing the Policy Pathways of Cancer Care: Spending, Treatment Access, and Administrative Burden
Cancer care in the United States is deeply influenced by the structure of private and public insurance programs, where benefit design, provider incentives, and administrative requirements shape both c...
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Adrianna McIntyre @adrianna.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Excited to present preliminary results from a project that has been ongoing ~since I was a PhD student~ at today's late-breaking #ARM26 session — join us at 4p PT in rooms 613-614.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
The webinar recording is now available, below. I'm also looking forward to presenting these findings on Medicare Advantage and cancer care at @academyhealth.bsky.social #ARM26, this weekend! cbiit.webex.com/recordingser...
cbiit.webex.com
Meet virtually with Cisco Webex. Anytime, anywhere, on any device.
Webex by Cisco is an AI-powered secure enterprise collaboration platform.
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Jonathan Howard @joho.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Here’s how he blew off 19 kids killed by Covid in 1 month.
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
@dusetzinas.bsky.social @vincentrk.bsky.social @peterbachmd.bsky.social @pharmalot.bsky.social @statnews.com @endpts.com @charlesornstein.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org @nihcm.bsky.social
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Next week at #ASCO26 @ascocancer.bsky.social I'll be presenting new evidence that industry COI influences which treatments oncologists prescribe...even for the non-so-good ones! www.asco.org/abstracts-pr...
asco.org
Association of drug industry payments to oncologists and use of guideline-preferred cancer treatments. - ASCO
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Thank you to our funders at @nihcm.bsky.social!
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Aaron Mitchell @thewonkologist.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Looking forward to presenting our new study at the @ascocancer.bsky.social annual meeting! We measured the recent, large increase in provider profits on cancer drugs: www.asco.org/abstracts-pr... @dusetzinas.bsky.social @sangerkatz.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org @dylanlscott.bsky.social
asco.org
Trends in cancer drug revenue retained by providers under buy-and-bill reimbursement, 2010-2024. - ASCO
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Jonathan Howard @joho.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Fixed it
Vinay Prasad:  Creating Medical Reversal
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