Cancer screening bias casts a shadow on clinical decision making

In the world of cancer screening, there may be a bias of accessibility that is skewed toward more screening when doctors are paid more by Medicaid, according to a study conducted by the division of health services and social policy research at RTI International in Washington, D.C.

Michael T. Halpern, MD, PhD, the lead author of the study, and colleagues found this to be the case for patients of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.

“States tend to vary in their reimbursement rates for different types of medical care services; some states may have low reimbursements for certain services and higher reimbursements for others,” explained Halpern in this Reuters report.