1
|
Schpero WL, Takvorian SU, Blickstein D, Shafquat A, Liu J, Chatterjee AK, Lamont EB, Chatterjee P. Association Between State Medicaid Policies and Accrual of Black or Hispanic Patients to Cancer Clinical Trials. J Clin Oncol 2024:JCO2301149. [PMID: 39052944 DOI: 10.1200/jco.23.01149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE It is unknown whether Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or state-level policies mandating Medicaid coverage of the routine costs of clinical trial participation have ameliorated longstanding racial and ethnic disparities in cancer clinical trial enrollment. METHODS We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional difference-in-differences analysis examining the effect of Medicaid expansion on rates of enrollment for Black or Hispanic nonelderly adults in nonobservational, US cancer clinical trials using data from Medidata's Rave platform for 2012-2019. We examined heterogeneity in this effect on the basis of whether states had pre-existing mandates requiring Medicaid coverage of the routine costs of clinical trial participation. RESULTS The study included 47,870 participants across 1,353 clinical trials and 344 clinical trial sites. In expansion states, the proportion of participants who were Black or Hispanic increased from 16.7% before expansion to 17.2% after Medicaid expansion (0.5 percentage point [PP] change [95% CI, -1.1 to 2.0]). In nonexpansion states, this proportion increased from 19.8% before 2014 (when the first states expanded eligibility under the ACA) to 20.4% after 2014 (0.6 PP change [95% CI, -2.3 to 3.5]). These trends yielded a nonsignificant difference-in-differences estimate of 0.9 PP (95% CI, -2.6 to 4.4). Medicaid expansion was associated with a 5.3 PP (95% CI, 1.9 to 8.7) increase in the enrollment of Black or Hispanic participants in states with mandates requiring Medicaid coverage of the routine costs of trial participation, but not in states without mandates (-0.3 PP [95% CI, -4.5 to 3.9]). CONCLUSION Medicaid expansion was not associated with a significant increase in the proportion of Black or Hispanic oncology trial participants overall, but was associated with an increase specifically in states that mandated Medicaid coverage of the routine costs of trial participation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William L Schpero
- Division of Health Policy and Economics, Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY
- Center for Health Equity, Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Samuel U Takvorian
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | - Jingshu Liu
- Medidata AI, a Dassault Systèmes Company, New York, NY
| | | | | | - Paula Chatterjee
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Semprini J. Explicit inference: A meta-replication of SEER cancer registry research evaluating the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion. J Eval Clin Pract 2024. [PMID: 38959383 DOI: 10.1111/jep.14055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Among the provisions within the Affordable Care Act (ACA), expanding Medicaid was arguably the greatest contributor to increasing access to care. For over a decade, researchers have investigated how Medicaid expansion impacted cancer outcomes. Over this same decade, statistical theory illuminated how state-based policy research could be compromised by invalid inference. After reviewing the literature to identify the inference strategies of state-based cancer registry Medicaid expansion research, this study aimed to assess how inference decisions could change the interpretation of Medicaid expansion's impact on staging, treatment, and mortality in cancer patients. DATA SOURCES Cancer case data (2000-2019) was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, End Results (SEER) programme. Cases included all cancer sites combined, top 10 cancer sites combined, and three screening amenable cancers (colorectal, female breast, female cervical). STUDY DESIGN A Difference-in-Differences design estimated the association between Medicaid expansion and four binary outcomes: distant stage, initiating treatment >1 month after diagnosis, no surgery recommendation, and death. Three inference techniques were compared: (1) traditional, (2) cluster, and (3) Wild Cluster Bootstrap. DATA COLLECTION Data was accessed via SEER*Stat. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Estimating standard errors via traditional inference would suggest that Medicaid expansion was associated with delayed treatment initiation and surgery recommendations. Traditional and clustered inference also suggested that Medicaid expansion reduced mortality. Inference using Wild Cluster Bootstrap techniques never rejected the null hypotheses. CONCLUSIONS This study reiterates the importance of explicit inference. Future state-based, cancer policy research can be improved by incorporating emerging techniques. These findings warrant caution when interpreting prior SEER research reporting significant effects of Medicaid expansion on cancer outcomes, especially studies that did not explicitly define their inference strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Semprini
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kazmi AR, Hussaini SMQ, Chino F, Yabroff KR, Barnes JM. Associations of State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility Policies With Mammography. J Am Coll Radiol 2024:S1546-1440(24)00452-6. [PMID: 38935002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2024.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) addresses food insecurity for low-income households, which is associated with access to care. Many US states expanded SNAP access through policies eliminating the asset test (ie, restrictions based on SNAP applicant assets) and/or broadening income eligibility. The objective of this study was to determine whether state SNAP policies were associated with the use of mammography among women eligible for breast cancer screening. METHODS Data for income-eligible women 40 to 79 years of age were obtained from the 2006 to 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Difference-in-differences analyses were conducted to compare changes in the percentage of mammography in the past year from pre- to post-SNAP policy adoption (asset test elimination or income eligibility increase) between states that and did not adopt policies expanding SNAP eligibility. RESULTS In total, 171,684 and 294,647 income-eligible female respondents were included for the asset test elimination policy and income eligibility increase policy analyses, respectively. Mammography within 1 year was reported by 58.4%. Twenty-eight and 22 states adopted SNAP asset test elimination and income increase policies, respectively. Adoption of asset test elimination policies was associated with a 2.11 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07-4.15; P = .043) percentage point increase in mammography received within 1 year, particularly for nonmetropolitan residents (4.14 percentage points; 95% CI, 1.07-7.21 percentage points; P = .008), those with household incomes <$25,000 (2.82 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.68-4.97 percentage points; P = .01), and those residing in states in the South (3.08 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.17-5.99 percentage points; P = .038) or that did not expand Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (3.35 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.36-6.34; P = .028). There was no significant association between mammography and state-level policies broadening of SNAP income eligibility. CONCLUSIONS State policies eliminating asset test requirements for SNAP eligibility were associated with increased mammography among low-income women eligible for breast cancer screening, particularly for those in the lowest income bracket or residing in nonmetropolitan areas or Medicaid nonexpansion states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali R Kazmi
- Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - S M Qasim Hussaini
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Fumiko Chino
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lead, Affordability Working Group, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - K Robin Yabroff
- Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia; Scientific Vice President, Health Services Research
| | - Justin M Barnes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Homer AS, Kasthuri VS, Homer BJ, Jain R, Gall EK, Noonan KY. The Association Between Medicaid Expansion and Disparities in Vestibular Schwannoma Incidence. Laryngoscope 2024. [PMID: 38837793 DOI: 10.1002/lary.31517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The effect of Medicaid expansion as a part of the Affordable Care Act on vestibular schwannoma (VS) incidence overall and in marginalized populations has not yet been elucidated. The goal of this study was to determine if Medicaid expansion was associated with increases in VS incidence overall, as well as in patients of non-white race or in counties of low socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS We performed a difference-in-difference (DiD) analysis from January 1st 2010-December 31st 2017 utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Our DiD method compared the change in VS rate between counties that did and did not expand Medicaid among patients of white and non-white race, in low and high SES counties, before and after expansion. RESULTS The study included 17,312 cases across 1020 counties. Medicaid expansion was associated with a 15% increase (incidence rate ratio 95% CI: [11%, 19]) in VS incidence. White populations saw a 10% increase (CI: [1.06, 1.19]), Black populations saw a 20% increase (CI: [1.10, 1.29]), and patients of other races saw a 44% increase in incidence associated with expansion (CI: [1.21, 1.70]). Low SES counties saw an increase in incidence 1.12 times higher than that of high SES counties (CI:[1.04, 1.20]). CONCLUSION Medicaid expansion was associated with increases in VS incidence across populations. Furthermore, this increase was more evident in disadvantaged populations, such as patients of non-white race and those from low SES counties. These findings emphasize the impact of Medicaid expansion on healthcare utilization for VS diagnosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Step/Level 3-Retrospective Cohort Study Laryngoscope, 2024.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S Homer
- The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A
| | - Viknesh S Kasthuri
- The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A
| | - Benjamin J Homer
- The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A
| | - Rishubh Jain
- The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A
| | - Emily K Gall
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A
| | - Kathryn Y Noonan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Barnes JM, Johnson KJ, Osazuwa-Peters N, Spraker MB. The impact of individual-level income predicted from the BRFSS on the association between insurance status and overall survival among adults with cancer from the SEER program. Cancer Epidemiol 2024; 89:102541. [PMID: 38325026 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2024.102541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Among patients with cancer in the United States, Medicaid insurance is associated with worse outcomes than private insurance and with similar outcomes as being uninsured. However, prior studies have not addressed the impact of individual-level socioeconomic status, which determines Medicaid eligibility, on the associations of Medicaid status and cancer outcomes. Our objective was to determine whether differences in cancer outcomes by insurance status persist after accounting for individual-level income. METHODS The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for 18-64 year-old individuals with cancer from 2014-2016. Individual-level income was imputed using a model trained on Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance Survey participants including covariates also present in SEER. The association of 1-year overall survival and insurance status was estimated with and without adjustment for estimated individual-level income and other covariates. RESULTS A total of 416,784 cases in SEER were analyzed. The 1-yr OS for patients with private insurance, Medicaid insurance, and no insurance was 88.7%, 76.1%, and 73.7%, respectively. After adjusting for all covariates except individual-level income, 1-year OS differences were worse with Medicaid (-6.0%, 95% CI = -6.3 to -5.6) and no insurance (-6.7%, 95% CI = -7.3 to -6.0) versus private insurance. After also adjusting for estimated individual-level income, the survival difference for Medicaid patients was similar to privately insured (-0.4%, 95% CI = -1.9 to 1.1) and better than uninsured individuals (2.1%, 95% CI = 0.7 to 3.4). CONCLUSIONS Income, rather than Medicaid status, may drive poor cancer outcomes in the low-income and Medicaid-insured population. Medicaid insurance coverage may improve cancer outcomes for low-income individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Barnes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Barnes JM, Yabroff KR, Chino F. Unwinding of Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Exposes Millions to Disrupted Care-"Be Kind, Rewind". JAMA Oncol 2024; 10:157-158. [PMID: 38095902 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.5725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
This Viewpoint discusses the causes and consequences of Medicaid unwinding and disenrollment and proposes solutions to minimize disenrollment and improve coverage uptake and health care access.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Barnes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - K Robin Yabroff
- Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Fumiko Chino
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affordability Working Group, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nogueira LM, Boffa DJ, Jemal A, Han X, Yabroff KR. Medicaid Expansion Under the Affordable Care Act and Early Mortality Following Lung Cancer Surgery. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2351529. [PMID: 38214932 PMCID: PMC10787311 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.51529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is associated with gains in health insurance coverage, earlier stage diagnosis, and improved survival among patients with cancer. Objective To examine the association of Medicaid expansion with changes in early mortality among adults undergoing surgical resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a setting in which access to care is a major determinant of survival. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used the National Cancer Database to identify 14 984 adults 45 to 64 years of age who underwent surgical resection of NSCLC between 2008 and 2019. Analysis was conducted between March 28, 2021, and September 1, 2023. Exposure State of residence Medicaid expansion status. Main Outcomes and Measures Descriptive statistics were used to compare study population characteristics by Medicaid expansion status of patients' state of residence. Difference-in-differences analyses were used to evaluate the association between Medicaid expansion and postoperative mortality before implementation of the ACA (2008-2013) vs after (2014-2019). Results Among 14 984 adults included, the mean (SD) age was 56.3 (5.1) years, 54.6% were women, and 62.1% lived in Medicaid expansion states. Both 30-day (from 0.97% to 0.26%) and 90-day (from 2.63% to 1.32%) postoperative mortality decreased from before the ACA to after among patients residing in Medicaid expansion states (both P < .001) but not in nonexpansion states (30-day mortality before the ACA, 0.75% vs after the ACA, 0.68%; P = .74; and 90-day mortality before the ACA, 2.43% vs after the ACA, 2.20%; P = .57), leading to a difference-in-differences of -0.64 percentage points (95% CI, -1.19 to -0.08; P = .03) for 30-day mortality and -1.08 percentage points (95% CI, -2.08 to -0.08; P = .03) for 90-day mortality. The difference-in-differences for in-hospital mortality was not significant (P = .34) between expansion states (1.41% before the ACA to 0.77% after the ACA; 0.63 percentage point decrease; P = .004) and nonexpansion states (1.49% before the ACA to 1.20% after the ACA; 0.30 percentage point decrease; P = .29). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of patients with NSCLC, Medicaid expansion was associated with declines in 30- and 90-day postoperative mortality following hospital discharge. These findings suggest that Medicaid expansion may be an effective strategy for improving access to care and cancer outcomes in this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leticia M. Nogueira
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Daniel J. Boffa
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ahmedin Jemal
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Xuesong Han
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - K. Robin Yabroff
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Semprini JT. Late-Stage Oral Cancer Detection After California and Illinois Restored Medicaid Dental Benefits. OTO Open 2024; 8:e111. [PMID: 38229972 PMCID: PMC10790188 DOI: 10.1002/oto2.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Previous research found an association between California's Medicaid dental coverage and oral cancer detection. However, this relationship has yet to be explored in other states or by subgroup populations. Study Design In addition to controlling for sociodemographic and tumor characteristics, this study implemented a traditional difference-in-differences design to compare distant-stage diagnosis trends in states restoring Medicaid dental benefits (California [CA] and Illinois [IL]) with trends in states with constant Medicaid dental benefits. Setting This retrospective, observational study analyzed oral cavity and pharynx cancer case data from The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (2004-2017). Methods The outcome was a binary variable indicating whether a patient was diagnosed at a distant stage. Subgroup analyses were conducted by state, race/ethnic group, sex, age, and county-level household income. Results The sample included 109,997 adults diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx. Restoring Medicaid dental benefits was associated with a statistically significant 2.7%-point decline in the probability of a distant-stage oral cancer diagnosis. This estimate represented a 14% relative change from baseline rates. Results were consistent for CA and IL and by county-level median income. Estimates were significantly larger for adults under age 65, males, and adults identifying as Hispanic; non-Hispanic Black; American Indian; or Asian American or Pacific Islander. Conclusion Restoring Medicaid dental coverage improved early detection in both CA and IL, with the greatest reductions in distant-stage diagnoses occurring in younger adults, males, and minoritized racial/ethnic groups. Future research should investigate whether earlier detection reduces oral cancer mortality disparities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason T. Semprini
- Department of EpidemologyUniversity of Iowa College of Public HealthIowa CityIowaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yabroff KR, Boehm AL, Nogueira LM, Sherman M, Bradley CJ, Shih YCT, Keating NL, Gomez SL, Banegas MP, Ambs S, Hershman DL, Yu JB, Riaz N, Stockler MR, Chen RC, Franco EL. An essential goal within reach: attaining diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Journal of the National Cancer Institute journals. J Natl Cancer Inst 2023; 115:1115-1120. [PMID: 37806780 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K Robin Yabroff
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science Department, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Leticia M Nogueira
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science Department, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark Sherman
- Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Cathy J Bradley
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ya-Chen Tina Shih
- University of California Los Angeles Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nancy L Keating
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scarlett L Gomez
- Department of Urology and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew P Banegas
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dawn L Hershman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - James B Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Francis Hospital and Trinity Health of New England, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Nadeem Riaz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martin R Stockler
- National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wells, Australia
| | - Ronald C Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Eduardo L Franco
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Barnes JM, Johnston KJ, Johnson KJ, Chino F, Osazuwa-Peters N. State Public Assistance Spending and Survival Among Adults With Cancer. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2332353. [PMID: 37669050 PMCID: PMC10481229 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.32353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Social determinants of health contribute to disparities in cancer outcomes. State public assistance spending, including Medicaid and cash assistance programs for socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, may improve access to care; address barriers, such as food and housing insecurity; and lead to improved cancer outcomes for marginalized populations. Objective To determine whether state-level public assistance spending is associated with overall survival (OS) among individuals with cancer, overall and by race and ethnicity. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included US adults aged at least 18 years with a new cancer diagnosis from 2007 to 2013, with follow-up through 2019. Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Data were analyzed from November 18, 2021, to July 6, 2023. Exposure Differential state-level public assistance spending. Main Outcome and Measure The main outcome was 6-year OS. Analyses were adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, sex, metropolitan residence, county-level income, state fixed effects, state-level percentages of residents living in poverty and aged 65 years or older, cancer type, and cancer stage. Results A total 2 035 977 individuals with cancer were identified and included in analysis, with 1 005 702 individuals (49.4%) aged 65 years or older and 1 026 309 (50.4%) male. By tertile of public assistance spending, 6-year OS was 55.9% for the lowest tertile, 55.9% for the middle tertile, and 56.6% for the highest tertile. In adjusted analyses, public assistance spending at the state-level was significantly associated with higher 6-year OS (0.09% [95% CI, 0.04%-0.13%] per $100 per capita; P < .001), particularly for non-Hispanic Black individuals (0.29% [95% CI, 0.07%-0.52%] per $100 per capita; P = .01) and non-Hispanic White individuals (0.12% [95% CI, 0.08%-0.16%] per $100 per capita; P < .001). In sensitivity analyses examining the roles of Medicaid spending and Medicaid expansion including additional years of data, non-Medicaid spending was associated with higher 3-year OS among non-Hispanic Black individuals (0.49% [95% CI, 0.26%-0.72%] per $100 per capita when accounting for Medicaid spending; 0.17% [95% CI, 0.02%-0.31%] per $100 per capita Medicaid expansion effects). Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study found that state public assistance expenditures, including cash assistance programs and Medicaid, were associated with improved survival for individuals with cancer. State investment in public assistance programs may represent an important avenue to improve cancer outcomes through addressing social determinants of health and should be a topic of further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin M. Barnes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Kenton J. Johnston
- General Medical Sciences Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Fumiko Chino
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affordability Working Group, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yabroff KR, Boehm AL, Nogueira LM, Sherman M, Bradley CJ, Shih YCT, Keating NL, Gomez SL, Banegas MP, Ambs S, Hershman DL, Yu JB, Riaz N, Stockler MR, Chen RC, Franco EL. An essential goal within reach: attaining diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Journal of the National Cancer Institute journals. JNCI Cancer Spectr 2023; 7:pkad063. [PMID: 37806772 PMCID: PMC10560610 DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pkad063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K Robin Yabroff
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science Department, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Leticia M Nogueira
- Surveillance and Health Equity Science Department, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark Sherman
- Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Cathy J Bradley
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ya-Chen Tina Shih
- University of California Los Angeles Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nancy L Keating
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, and Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scarlett L Gomez
- Department of Urology and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew P Banegas
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dawn L Hershman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - James B Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Francis Hospital and Trinity Health of New England, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Nadeem Riaz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martin R Stockler
- National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wells, Australia
| | - Ronald C Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Eduardo L Franco
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hotca A, Bloom JR, Runnels J, Salgado LR, Cherry DR, Hsieh K, Sindhu KK. The Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Patients with Cancer in the United States: A Review. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:6362-6373. [PMID: 37504329 PMCID: PMC10378187 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30070469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 2014, American states have had the option to expand their Medicaid programs as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was signed into law by former President Barack H. Obama in 2010. Emerging research has found that Medicaid expansion has had a significant impact on patients with cancer, who often face significant financial barriers to receiving the care they need. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive examination of the research conducted thus far on the impact of Medicaid expansion on patients with cancer. We begin with a discussion of the history of Medicaid expansion and the key features of the ACA that facilitated it. We then review the literature, analyzing studies that have investigated the impact of Medicaid expansion on cancer patients in terms of access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes. Our findings suggest that Medicaid expansion has had a positive impact on patients with cancer in a number of ways. Patients in expansion states are more likely to receive timely cancer screening and diagnoses, and are more likely to receive appropriate cancer-directed treatment. Additionally, Medicaid expansion has been associated with improvements in cancer-related health outcomes, including improved survival rates. However, limitations and gaps in the current research on the impact of Medicaid expansion on patients with cancer exist, including a lack of long-term data on health outcomes. Additionally, further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms through which Medicaid expansion impacts cancer care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Hotca
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Julie R Bloom
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Juliana Runnels
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lucas Resende Salgado
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Daniel R Cherry
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kristin Hsieh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kunal K Sindhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| |
Collapse
|