Four perspectives on human-first cancer care

Cancer care demands a better model — health plans can deliver it

In the U.S., more than 2 million people face a new cancer diagnosis  each year, and expenditures are projected to exceed $246 billion by 2030 . Yet too many members still feel alone.

At the same time, providers are overwhelmed by administrative demands and shifting guidelines, while health plans must find ways to control costs without compromising care quality.

To address these issues, a better model is emerging. It’s evidence-based, connected, and distinctly human. Four Carelon oncology leaders reveal what’s making this shift possible — and how whole-person frameworks are reshaping both cost and experience.
 

1. Recenter on the person — not the protocol

"The right yes starts with evidence and humanity." – Craig Hunter, Vice President and General Manager of Oncology, Genetics, and Laboratory Medicine Solutions at Carelon

As the leader behind the Carelon oncology solution portfolio, Craig Hunter sees evidence-based pathways as the baseline for cancer care, not as a standalone utilization management strategy.

“We’ve built our solution around the belief that decisions must be both clinically sound and deeply human,” he said. “Cancer is not a set of codes. It’s a very real journey — one that requires smart navigation and compassionate support.”

This philosophy drives the Carelon Cancer Care Engagement (CCE) solution, part of Carelon’s integrated oncology model, the Oncology Medical Home (OMH). The goal: predictive identification, human connection, and closer partnerships between health plans and providers.

Hunter views embedding CCE as the first step in redesigning the cancer care continuum around patient advocacy and whole-person support.

“That’s what we’re building; embedding CCE as a core part of our oncology solutions is step one,” he said.
 

2. Bring palliative care in early

"Palliative care shouldn’t wait until everything else has failed." – Veronica Camacho, MD, Carelon Palliative Care

Palliative care expert Dr. Veronica Camacho stresses that comfort, dignity, and patient priorities must be part of the conversation from the start. She’s worked on the front lines of hospice and palliative services and believes oncology care is strongest when it includes early and ongoing conversations about care planning and quality of life.

“We're not here to take away hope,” she said. “We're here to align treatment with what matters most to the patient — on their terms.”
 

3. The right drug for the right journey

"Pharmacy strategy must be personal, not just cost-driven." – Amanda Manzella, Director of Clinical Pharmacy Strategies at CarelonRx

As a pharmacist and cost-of-care strategist, Amanda Manzella understands the tension between access and affordability.

“We’re managing more than medication,” she said. “We’re managing trust.”

Her focus is on ensuring that pharmacy benefit management supports patient outcomes through dose optimization, specialty pharmacist outreach, and drug adherence support.

“We use digital tools to flag gaps, yes,” she said. “But it’s the human outreach that changes the game. One phone call can save a therapy plan from falling apart.”
 

4. Mind care is cancer care

"Mental health is not a sidebar in cancer care." – Brian Keefe, MD, Medical Director at Carelon Behavioral Health

Psychiatrist Dr. Brian Keefe views behavioral health as a core pillar of oncology support.

“Cancer isn’t just physiological,” he said. “It's emotional, existential, and deeply personal. When those layers are ignored, outcomes suffer.”

His experience integrating behavioral health into complex care models shows how early screening tools, dignity-conserving therapy, and psychiatric consultations improve resilience, adherence, and overall quality of life.
 

From insights to impact

When these four levers move together — evidence-based pathways, predictive identification, integrated navigation, and provider enablement — they create a cycle that benefits patients, providers, and health plans alike.

OMH combines these levers inside a single value-based framework. Participating health plans see improved outcomes and a lower total cost of care, alongside a 92% provider satisfaction rate — numbers that traditional-utilization-only programs rarely achieve.*

At this inflection point, health plans have a choice: continue managing cancer as a single touchpoint or lead a transformation toward connected, human-centered care. The future of oncology favors the latter — meeting patients where they are physically and emotionally.
 

Ready to see it at work?

Visit carelon.com to see how we’re addressing the complexities of cancer care and to learn more about CCE and OMH.