scholarly journals Impact of Insurance Coverage on Outcomes in Primary Breast Sarcoma

Sarcoma ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie L. Koenig ◽  
C. Jillian Tsai ◽  
Katherine Sborov ◽  
Kathleen C. Horst ◽  
Erqi L. Pollom
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Disease Stage ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Rare Cancer ◽  
Breast Sarcoma ◽  
Specialized Care ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
Privately Insured

Private insurance is associated with better outcomes in multiple common cancers. We hypothesized that insurance status would significantly impact outcomes in primary breast sarcoma (PBS) due to the additional challenges of diagnosing and coordinating specialized care for a rare cancer. Using the National Cancer Database, we identified adult females diagnosed with PBS between 2004 and 2013. The influence of insurance status on overall survival (OS) was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier estimator with log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard models. Among a cohort of 607 patients, 67 (11.0%) had Medicaid, 217 (35.7%) had Medicare, and 323 (53.2%) had private insurance. Compared to privately insured patients, Medicaid patients were more likely to present with larger tumors and have their first surgical procedure further after diagnosis. Treatment was similar between patients with comparable disease stage. In multivariate analysis, Medicaid (hazard ratio (HR), 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.62–3.77; p<0.001) and Medicare (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.10–2.57; p=0.017) were independently associated with worse OS. Medicaid insurance coverage negatively impacted survival compared to private insurance more in breast sarcoma than in breast carcinoma (interaction p<0.001). In conclusion, patients with Medicaid insurance present with later stage disease and have worse overall survival than privately insured patients with PBS. Worse outcomes for Medicaid patients are exacerbated in this rare cancer.

scholarly journals The effect of insurance status on overall survival among children and adolescents with cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1366-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Wang ◽  
Rohit P Ojha ◽  
Sonia Partap ◽  
Kimberly J Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Cancer Survival ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Adolescent Cancer ◽  
Privately Insured

Abstract Background Differences in access, delivery and utilisation of health care may impact childhood and adolescent cancer survival. We evaluated whether insurance coverage impacts survival among US children and adolescents with cancer diagnoses, overall and by age group, and explored potential mechanisms. Methods Data from 58 421 children (aged ≤14 years) and adolescents (15–19 years), diagnosed with cancer from 2004 to 2010, were obtained from the National Cancer Database. We examined associations between insurance status at initial diagnosis or treatment and diagnosis stage; any treatment received; and mortality using logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression, restricted mean survival time (RMST) and mediation analyses. Results Relative to privately insured individuals, the hazard of death (all-cause) was increased and survival months were decreased in those with Medicaid [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22 to 1.33; and −1.73 months, 95% CI: −2.07 to −1.38] and no insurance (HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.20 to 1.46; and −2.13 months, 95% CI: −2.91 to −1.34). The HR for Medicaid vs. private insurance was larger (pinteraction &lt;0.001) in adolescents (HR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.41 to 1.64) than children (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.23). Despite statistical evidence violation of the PH assumption, RMST results supported all interpretations. Earlier diagnosis for staged cancers in the Medicaid and uninsured populations accounted for an estimated 13% and 19% of the survival deficit, respectively, vs. the privately insured population. Any treatment received did not account for insurance-associated survival differences in children and adolescents with cancer. Conclusions Children and adolescents without private insurance had a higher risk of death and shorter survival within 5 years following cancer diagnosis. Additional research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms.

Impact of insurance status on survival in neuroendocrine tumors: A multi-institutional Study from the U.S. Neuroendocrine Study Group.

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 371-371
Author(s):  
Paula Marincola Smith ◽  
Alexandra G Lopez-Aguiar ◽  
Mary Dillhoff ◽  
Eliza W Beal ◽  
George A. Poultsides ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Surgical Resection ◽  
Neuroendocrine Tumors ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

371 Background: Insurance status predicts access to medical care in the United States. Previous studies show uninsured and government insured patients have worse outcomes than those with private insurance. However, the impact of insurance status on survival in patients with Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors (GI-NETs) is unclear. We evaluate the association between insurance status and survival in patients with GI-NETs. Methods: Our analysis includes 2022 patients who had surgical resection of GI-NETs at 8 institutions in the U.S. Neuroendocrine Study Group. Patients were categorized based on insurance as private (PI), government (GovI) or uninsured (UI). Factors associated with insurance status were assessed by uni- and multi-variate analysis. Primary endpoint was overall survival. Results: Patient demographics between the insurance categories were similar in ECOG performance status and tumor size at presentation. GovI patients had a higher median age than PI or UI (66 vs. 54 vs. 56 years respectively; p<0.01). Uninsured patients were more likely African American (21.5%) or Latino (5%) compared to PI (11.5%, 2%) or GovI (15%, 2%) (p<0.01). The UI group had a higher proportion of patients who underwent no surveillance imaging post-operatively (39%) compared to PI (26%) and GovI patients (26%) but this was not statistically significant (p=0.15). There was no difference in operative intent (curative vs. palliative) between groups (p=0.2). Five-year overall survival was 86% for PI, 82% for GovI, and 73% for UI patients (p<0.01). On multivariate regression analysis, being uninsured was independently associated with reduced survival when controlling for ASA Class, ECOG, race, tumor location, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy, Somatostatin analog, or radiation therapy (HR 1.39, p = 0.012). Conclusions: This is the first systematic analysis of insurance status’s association with overall survival in GI-NET patients. Our analysis shows uninsured or government insured patients have shortened survival compared to the privately insured. The disparity is likely underrepresented in this study, as we examined only patients who underwent surgical resection.

Insurance Status and the Use of Guideline Therapy in the Treatment of Selected Cancers

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (36) ◽  
pp. 9079-9088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda C. Harlan ◽  
Amanda L. Greene ◽  
Limin X. Clegg ◽  
Margaret Mooney ◽  
Jennifer L. Stevens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Black Patients ◽  
Rectal Cancers ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study estimates the impact of type of insurance coverage on the receipt of guideline therapy in a population-based sample of cancer patients treated in the community. Patients and Methods Patients (n = 7,134) from the National Cancer Institute's Patterns of Care studies who were newly diagnosed with 11 different types of cancer were analyzed. The definition of guideline therapy was based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network treatment recommendations. Insurance status was categorized as a mutually exclusive hierarchical variable (no insurance, any private insurance, any Medicaid, Medicare only, and all other). Multivariate analyses were used to examine the association between insurance and receipt of guideline therapy. Results Adjusting for clinical and nonclinical variables, insurance status was a modest, although statistically significant, determinant of receipt of guideline therapy, with 65% of the privately insured patients receiving recommended therapy compared with 60% of patients with Medicaid. Seventy percent of the uninsured patients received guideline therapy, which was nonsignificantly different compared with private insurance. When stratified by race, insurance was a statistically significant predictor of the receipt of guideline therapy only for non-Hispanic blacks. Conclusion Overall, levels of guideline treatment were lower than expected and particularly low for patients with Medicaid or Medicare only. The use of guideline therapy for ovarian and cervical cancer patients and for patients with rectal cancers was unrelated to type of insurance. Of particular concern is the significantly lower use of guideline therapy for non-Hispanic black patients with Medicaid. After adjusting for other factors, only half of these patients received guideline therapy.

scholarly journals Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Insurance Status, Race and Comorbidities, but Not Distance from Treatment Center Determine Outcome

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 3283-3283
Author(s):  
Samip Master ◽  
Zhenzhen Shi ◽  
Srinivas S. Devarakonda ◽  
Reinhold Munker ◽  
Runhua Shi
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Treatment Delay ◽  
Myelogenous Leukemia ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Facility Type ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
Privately Insured

Abstract Background: The treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has made major progress in the last 30 years. Well-known risk factors are age, cytogenetics and treatment intensity. Many other factors including access to healthcare modify treatment outcomes. According to smaller studies, the type of insurance (payer status) may or may not influence treatment outcomes. In the wake of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on insurance coverage, evaluating the effect of insurance status on health outcomes is urgently necessary. This study characterizes the relationship between payer status and overall survival for AML patients by analyzing data from the large National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Methods: Data was analyzed from 67,443 men and women (≥ 18 years of age) registered in the NCDB who were diagnosed with AML between 1998 and 2011 and had follow-ups to end of 2012. The primary predictor variable was payer status and the outcome variable was overall survival. Additional variables addressed and adjusted for included sex, age, race, Charleson Comorbidity index, level of education, income, distance traveled, facility type, diagnosing/treating facility, treatment delay, and chemotherapy. Results: Among these 67,433 patients, the mean age at diagnosis was 61 years (median, 64 years) with a median survival of 7.98 months. The mean ages at diagnosis were 46.8, 51.8, 44.6, 73.6, and 57.9 years old for uninsured, private, Medicaid, Medicare and unknown payer status, respectively. In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for secondary predictor variables, payer status was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival from AML. Relative to privately insured patients, patients with Medicaid had a 17% increased risk, no insurance had a 21% increased risk, Medicare had a 19% increased risk, and unknown insurance had a 22% increased risk of mortality from AML. The percentage of patients surviving from AML after 24 months was 37.6%, 31.4%, 32.3%, 31.8%, and 33.1% for private, unknown, Medicare, uninsured, and Medicaid payer status, respectively. All factors investigated were found to be significant predictors of AML survival except distance travelled. Patients aged 65-74 were 2.9 times more likely to die compared to those aged 19-49. Patients who received chemotherapy were 22% less likely to die compared to those who did not. In the more recent time period (2005-2011 versus 1998- 2004, the prognosis of AML has improved, however the imbalance as per payer status did not change significantly. Conclusion: We observed that payer status has a statistically significant relationship with overall survival from AML. This remained true after adjusting for other predictive factors. Medicaid and uninsured patients had the highest mortality while privately insured patients had the lowest mortality. Further research is necessary how the disparities associated with different types of insurance result in inferior treatment outcomes and how they can be addressed. Multivariate Cox regression, hazard ratio of death by factorsTable 1.FactorLevelHR*LowerUpperAge18-491.0050-641.961.902.0265-742.862.752.9875+4.143.964.32InsurancePrivate1.00Uninsured1.211.141.28Medicaid1.161.111.21Medicare1.191.161.23Unknown1.231.151.31Year of diagnosis98-04105-110.850.820.87RaceWhite1.00Black1.081.041.12Asian0.920.860.98Charleson Comorbidity index01.0011.221.181.2621.491.421.56Unknown1.3521.3211.384ChemotherapyNo Chemo1Single Agent0.780.740.83Multiple Agent0.620.580.65*Adjusted for sex, income, education, distance traveled, facility type, diagnosing/treating facility, and treatment delay. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Impact of Insurance Status on the Day of Admission and Clinical Outcome on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)Patients

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 2274-2274
Author(s):  
Bilal Ahmad ◽  
Hossein Maymani ◽  
Haseeb Saeed ◽  
Mohamad Khawandanah ◽  
Samer A Srour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
P Value ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Uninsured Patients ◽  
Public Insurance ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
Group 1

Abstract Background: In patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), insurance status has not been demonstrated to adversely impact outcomes. However, insurance status appears to be an independent factor in healthcare utilization. University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) is the main tertiary hospital in the State of Oklahoma treating patients with acute leukemia. We hypothesized that treatment patterns might be different between the insured and uninsured patients. We hereby attempt to analyze the association between insurance status, week day of admission and outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients from January 2000 to June 2012 diagnosed with AML over 18 years of age, who were treated at OUHSC with induction chemotherapy. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 included patients who were admitted on weekdays (Monday-Thursday) and group 2 included patients admitted on weekends (Friday-Sunday). Patients were also sub-classified as having private insurance, public insurance (Medicaid and Medicare) or no insurance. Primary outcomes were overall survival at follow up (OS), complete remission (CR) and Relapse. Chi-Square analysis was utilized to assess if day of admission and insurance status was related to OS, CR and Relapse. Cox Proportional hazards model was used to measure association of insurance status, day of admission and their interaction and Kaplan Meir Survival curves were used to estimate survival rates for day of admission by insurance status. Results: We analyzed total of 161 patients, 157 met inclusion criteria with 69 (44%) having public insurance, 58 (37%) with private insurance and 30 (19%) were uninsured. Group 1 with 94 (60%) patients was admitted on weekdays (Monday–Thursday), and group 2 with 63 (40%) patients was admitted on weekend (Friday-Sunday). The median age at diagnosis was 49 years, 63.7% male 36.3% female. 77.0% white, 10.6% African American, 6.2% Native American and 3.7% Hispanic. We found a significant interaction between insurance status and day of admission, 63% of uninsured patients being admitted on weekend (Fri-Sun) with (p-value=0.0292). When we stratified patients by insurance status there was no difference in survival outcomes for uninsured patients based on day of admission. However, for patients with insurance who were admitted on weekdays Mon-Thurs (Group 1) had a hazard ratio (HR) of death 0.487 relative to those on weekends Fri-Sun (Group 2) (p=0.0238). Median overall survival (OS) for uninsured patients in (Group 2) was 147.5 days (95% CI=79-252) as compare to insured patients in (Group 1) 252 days (95% CI=116-459) with a P value 0.0182. The proportion of patients achieving CR did not differ by day of admission (p=0.3275) and insurance type (0.5678). Relapse was not associated with day of admission (p=0.2284) or by insurance type (p=0.4057). Conclusions: For the patients with the diagnosis of AML who presented to our institution, there was a noticeable trend of uninsured patients being admitted over the weekend. The overall survival was lower for the uninsured patients who were admitted on the weekend as compare to the insured patients who were admitted on weekdays. This trend is both noteworthy and significant and due to its possible impact on standard of care warrants further investigation. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Health Insurance Status Impacts Rates of Overall Survival in Philadelphia-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2581-2581
Author(s):  
Jeremy Chang ◽  
Sherry Zhang ◽  
Mojtaba Akhtari
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Comprehensive Cancer Center ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Allogeneic Hsct ◽  
Health Insurance Status

Introduction: The Philadelphia chromosome is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Prior to the use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), Philadelphia-positive (Ph+) ALL patients were found to have an overall survival (OS) rate of less than 20% over the course of 3 years (Thomas et al., Blood 2004). While modern day therapies including allogeneic HSCT and newer-generation TKIs such as dasatinib have led to significant improvements in OS for this population, these treatments have variable accessibility due to costs for patients with limited to no health insurance. Methods: We performed a retrospective study at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Los Angeles County Hospital, both associated with the University of Southern California, to investigate outcomes in Ph+ ALL adults with different types of health insurance. Individuals included in the study were diagnosed with Ph+ ALL between 2004-2019. Health insurance options included private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or no insurance. Treatment modalities included allogeneic HSCT followed by maintenance TKI therapy or combination chemotherapy plus a TKI. The former was preferred if patients met the key transplant eligibility criteria of insurance coverage and caregiver availability at home. Patient OS was defined as the time from diagnosis of Ph+ ALL until patient death. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher's exact probability test with two-tailed p-values <0.05 deemed significant. Results: A total of 81 patients with Ph+ ALL were included in this study. Forty-seven patients (58%) were male and the median age at the time of diagnosis was 45 years (range 20-70). Two groups of patients were compared: those with either Medicare or private insurance (M/P) versus those with Medicaid or no insurance (M/N). Thirty-three patients (40.7%) were included in the M/P group and 48 patients (59.2%) in the M/N group. In comparing rates of OS, the 1-year OS was 100% vs. 85.1% (p = 0.038), 2-year OS was 96.2% vs. 75.8% (p = 0.033), and 3-year OS was 88.2% vs. 59.2% (p = 0.049) for M/P patients compared to M/N patients, respectively (Figure 1). In terms of treatment, there was a significant difference in the number of patients eligible to undergo allogeneic HSCT as 20 patients (60.6%) in the M/P group were able to be transplanted in contrast to 15 patients (31.3%) in the M/N group (p = 0.012). There were similar rates of caregiver availability to support HSCT between both groups; 24 M/P patients (72.7%) lived with a caregiver versus 33 M/N patients (68.8%) in comparison (p = 0.806). Furthermore, there were significantly more patients in the M/P group who were able to be treated with the newer-generation TKI dasatinib instead of the older agent imatinib compared to M/N patients (100% vs. 85.4%, p = 0.038). Conclusion: With the emergence of allogeneic HSCT and newer-generation TKIs, the rates of OS in the Ph+ ALL population improved dramatically from the prior era (Fielding et al., Blood 2009). However, barriers still exist to receiving these modern therapies, one of the most formidable being sufficient insurance coverage of costs. This study demonstrated that the Ph+ ALL population in the M/P group had significantly higher rates of OS at the 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year marks compared to those in the M/N group. Furthermore, there were also a greater percentage of patients in the former group who were able to undergo allogeneic HSCT during the study period. While eligibility for allogeneic HSCT depended on caregiver availability in addition to insurance status, there were similar rates of caregivers between the two groups, thus implying that this factor had no major impact on the differing rates of HSCT. Dasatinib was previously shown to have increased potency in inhibiting the in vitro growth of cells with wild-type BCR-ABL compared to imatinib, making it a preferred choice for TKI therapy (Li, Leukemia & Lymphoma 2008). There were again significantly more M/P patients than M/N patients who were able to be treated with dasatinib rather than imatinib. Given that health insurance status was found to be correlated with rates of OS, allogeneic HSCT, and the availability of newer-generation TKIs, it remains a critical point of discussion in the treatment of Ph+ ALL patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Stalled at the Intersection: Insurance Status and Disparities in Post Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orli Friedman-Eldar ◽  
Jonathan Burke ◽  
Iago de Castro Silva ◽  
Camille C Baumrucker ◽  
Fernando Valle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
Privately Insured

Abstract PurposePost-mastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) is an important component of breast cancer treatment, but disparities relative to insurance status persist despite legislation targeting the issue. We aimed to study this relationship in a large health system combining a safety net hospital and a private academic center.MethodsData were collected on all patients who underwent mastectomy for breast cancer from 2011-2019 in a private academic center and an adjacent public safety-net hospital served by same surgical teams. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the effect of insurance status on PMBR, controlling for covariates that included socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical factors.ResultsOf 1,554 patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer, 753 (48.5%) underwent PMBR. Out of them, 741 had insurance type recorded, with 592 (79.9%) privately insured patients, 50 (6.7%) Medicare, 68 (9.2%) Medicaid, and 31 (4.2%) uninsured patients. Multivariable logistic regression showed a significantly lower likelihood of undergoing PMBR for uninsured (OR 6.9, 95% CI: 4.1-11.7; p<0.0001), Medicare (OR 2.0, (5% CI: 1.2-3.3; p=0.004), and Medicaid (OR 1.7, 95% CI:1.1-2.7; p=0.02) patients, compared with privately insured patients. Age, stage, race, and hospital type confounded this relationship.ConclusionPatients without health insurance have dramatically reduced access to PMBR compared to those with private insurance. Expanding access to this important procedure is essential to achieve greater health equity for breast cancer patients.

scholarly journals Impact of Health Insurance Expansion on the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (34) ◽  
pp. 4110-4115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Loehrer ◽  
Zirui Song ◽  
Alex B. Haynes ◽  
David C. Chang ◽  
Matthew M. Hutter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Reform ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Third ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Privately Insured

Purpose Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Lack of insurance coverage has been associated with more advanced disease at presentation, more emergent admissions at time of colectomy, and lower survival relative to privately insured patients. The 2006 Massachusetts health care reform serves as a unique natural experiment to assess the impact of insurance expansion on colorectal cancer care. Methods We used the Hospital Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases to identify patients with colorectal cancer with government-subsidized or self-pay (GSSP) or private insurance admitted to a hospital between 2001 and 2011 in Massachusetts (n = 17,499) and three control states (n = 144,253). Difference-in-differences models assessed the impact of the 2006 Massachusetts coverage expansion on resection of colorectal cancer, controlling for confounding factors and secular trends. Results Before the 2006 Massachusetts reform, government-subsidized or self-pay patients had significantly lower rates of resection for colorectal cancer compared with privately insured patients in both Massachusetts and the control states. The Massachusetts insurance expansion was associated with a 44% increased rate of resection (rate ratio = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.68; P < .001), a 6.21 percentage point decreased probability of emergent admission (95% CI, −11.88 to −0.54; P = .032), and an 8.13 percentage point increased probability of an elective admission (95% CI, 1.34 to 14.91; P = .019) compared with the control states. Conclusion The 2006 Massachusetts health care reform, a model for the Affordable Care Act, was associated with increased rates of resection and decreased probability of emergent resection for colorectal cancer. Our findings suggest that insurance expansion may help improve access to care for patients with colorectal cancer.

Should fee-for-service be for all guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care? Observations from the Snapshot ACS study

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Briffa ◽  
Christopher J. Hammett ◽  
David B. Cross ◽  
Andrew I. Macisaac ◽  
James M. Rankin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Fee For Service ◽  
Health Insurance Status ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Coronary Events ◽  
Privately Insured

Objective The aim of the present study was to explore the association of health insurance status on the provision of guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care in Australia. Methods Consecutive hospitalisations of suspected ACS from 14 to 27 May 2012 enrolled in the Snapshot study of Australian and New Zealand patients were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of patient risk and insurance status with the receipt of care. Results In all, 3391 patients with suspected ACS from 247 hospitals (23 private) were enrolled in the present study. One-third of patients declared private insurance coverage; of these, 27.9% (304/1088) presented to private facilities. Compared with public patients, privately insured patients were more likely to undergo in-patient echocardiography and receive early angiography; furthermore, in those with a discharge diagnosis of ACS, there was a higher rate of revascularisation (P < 0.001). Each of these attracts potential fee-for-service. In contrast, proportionately fewer privately insured ACS patients were discharged on selected guideline therapies and were referred to a secondary prevention program (P = 0.056), neither of which directly attracts a fee. Typically, as GRACE (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score rose, so did the level of ACS care; however, propensity-adjusted analyses showed lower in-hospital adverse events among the insured group (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.52–0.88; P = 0.004). Conclusion Fee-for-service reimbursement may explain differences in the provision of selected guideline-advocated components of ACS care between privately insured and public patients. What is known about this topic? There is variation in the pattern of acute coronary syndrome care across Australia. What does this paper add? Clear differences in the provision of selected proven therapies for acute coronary syndrome apply independent of whether a fee is charged or not. What are the implications for practitioners? Consideration should be given to the remuneration for proven therapies for acute coronary syndrome care in preference to those not supported by the evidence base.

Health insurance literacy, status, and financial toxicity in women receiving treatment for metastatic breast cancer.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (27_suppl) ◽  
pp. 96-96
Author(s):  
Courtney Williams ◽  
Stacey A. Ingram ◽  
Valerie Lawhon ◽  
Clara Wan ◽  
Kelly Kenzik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Metastatic Breast ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Financial Toxicity ◽  
Health Insurance Status ◽  
Health Insurance Literacy ◽  
Insured Patients ◽  
Privately Insured

96 Background: Though uninsurance rates declined after the Affordable Care Act, the number of underinsured, or individuals who spend > 10% of their income on out-of-pocket (OOP) medical costs, continues to rise. In patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), underinsurance may lead to financial toxicity (FT), or patient-level financial burden and distress, since diagnosis and treatment is extremely costly. This study explores health insurance literacy and the association between FT and health insurance status in women receiving treatment for MBC. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized survey data collected from 2017-2019 in women age ≥18 receiving treatment for MBC at two academic medical centers in Alabama. FT was measured by the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST) tool (11-item scale from 0-44, with lower scores indicating worse FT). Health insurance status and OOP costs were self-reported. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d or Cramer’s V. Mixed and generalized linear models clustered by site and treating medical oncologist estimated the association between FT and health insurance status. Results: In 81 women with MBC, median COST score was 24 (interquartile range [IQR] 17-30), 44% had private insurance, 40% Medicare, and 16% Medicaid. Though 25% and 33% of surveyed patients did not know their health insurance premium or deductible cost, respectively, privately insured patients more often knew the cost of their premiums (97%; V = 0.58) and deductibles (81%; V = 0.33) compared to publicly insured patients. In adjusted models, FT levels did not differ significantly based on health insurance type (private insurance COST 21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 18-25; Medicaid COST 23, 95% CI 17-29; Medicare COST 24, 95% CI 20-27). However, risk of severe FT (COST ≤13) was 147% higher for privately insured patients versus Medicare beneficiaries (risk ratio 2.47, 95% CI 1.44-4.21). Conclusions: Despite higher levels of health insurance literacy, privately insured patients receiving treatment for MBC may be at increased risk of severe FT. Further research is needed to understand causes of underinsurance in patients with MBC, which could lead to cancer-related FT.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document