Recent estimates suggest more than 15 million Americans with a medical history of cancer are alive today.
Research published online March 29 in JAMA Oncology determined survivors are more likely to report limited access to healthcare and an inability to afford care than those with no medical history of the disease.
In the same study, a team of scientists found the percentage of cancer survivors unable to afford medication or access care dropped each year (from 2010 to 2016) during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
“Cancer survivors are at risk for experiencing loss of income and financial burden related to their medical issues, which can last for years after their cancer diagnosis,” wrote Ryan D. Nipp, MD, with the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and colleagues. “Moreover, the financial barriers to care experienced by these individuals can negatively impact their health outcomes, including poorer quality of life, increased symptom burden, and potentially higher mortality.”
Researchers analyzed population-based data from the 2010 to 2014 National Health Interview Survey, representing a total of 30,364 participants.
The data was separated between 15,182 cancer survivors and 15,182 participants with no history of cancer.
Results were as follows:
- Cancer survivors were more likely to be insured (94.8 percent) and have government-sponsored insurance (44.3 percent) compared to those reporting no history of cancer (92.2 and 38.8 percent respectively).
- Survivors were more likely to report delayed care, forgone medical care and/or inability to afford medications and health care services than the control participants.
- During the years of ACA implementation from 2010 to 2016, the proportion of survivors reporting delayed medical care decreased each year (0.47 percentage points per year) along with the total of those needing and not getting care (0.35 percentage points each year).
- The proportion of cancer survivors who claimed unable to afford medication went down each year as did the total unable to afford at least one of six services each year.
“Our results suggest that problems with health care access and affordability may have been ameliorated during our observation period,” wrote Nipp et al. “This is a critical finding, considering that the survey data tracked information during the years surrounding implementation of the ACA.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.