Tibi, S.; Tieu, V.; Babayigit, S.; Ling, J. Influence of Health Insurance Types on Clinical Cancer Care Accessibility and Quality Using All of Us Database. Medicina2024, 60, 623.
Tibi, S.; Tieu, V.; Babayigit, S.; Ling, J. Influence of Health Insurance Types on Clinical Cancer Care Accessibility and Quality Using All of Us Database. Medicina 2024, 60, 623.
Tibi, S.; Tieu, V.; Babayigit, S.; Ling, J. Influence of Health Insurance Types on Clinical Cancer Care Accessibility and Quality Using All of Us Database. Medicina2024, 60, 623.
Tibi, S.; Tieu, V.; Babayigit, S.; Ling, J. Influence of Health Insurance Types on Clinical Cancer Care Accessibility and Quality Using All of Us Database. Medicina 2024, 60, 623.
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Cancer as the second leading cause of death in the United States poses a huge healthcare burden. Barriers to access to advanced therapies influence the outcome of cancer treatment. In this study, we examined whether insurance types affect the quality of cancer clinical care regarding access to an important monoclonal antibody, ramucirumab. Materials and Methods: Data for 13,340 cancer patients with Purchased or Medicaid insurance from the All of Us Database were collected for this study. The Chi-square test of proportions was employed to determine the significance of patient cohort characteristics and ramucirumab usage between Purchased and Medicaid insurance groups. The independent t-test was utilized to assess the influences of other determinants on insurance types. Results: Cancer patients who are African American, with lower socioeconomic status, or with lower educational attainment are more likely to be insured by Medicaid. Analysis of survey questions demonstrated the relationship between income and education level with insurance type as Medicaid cancer patients were less likely to receive primary care and specialist physician access and more likely to request lower cost medications. In addition, those with Medicaid insurance were identified to have poorer access to expensive therapeutics like ramucirumab compared to those with Purchased insurance. Conclusions: The inequities of the US healthcare system are observed for cancer patient care; access to physicians and therapeutics are highly varied and dependent on insurance types. Socioeconomic status determines insurance type, which unfortunately generates a significant impact on cancer treatment and disease outcome.
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
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