Low Quality of Lung Cancer Care among Medicaid Recipients
A new study has found that lung cancer patients treated in hospitals that care for a high percentage of uninsured or Medicaid recipients (otherwise known as “high safety-net burden facilities”) were significantly less likely to undergo surgery that was intended to cure cancer. This was in comparison to patients treated at “low safety net” burden facilities. The difference was still present even after controlling for other factors that significantly decreased the likelihood of curative-intent surgery, including race, insurance status, stage, and female gender as well as some other factors.
The study was the first of its kind to examine the impact that safety-net burden status can make on access to certain surgeries in regards to lung cancer. The research was conducted and led by Katherine S. Virgo, Ph.D., and used data provided by the National Cancer Database (NCDB). They reviewed the treatment of more than 50,000 patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer who were treated at American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer accredited facilities throughout the United States.
The study found that over 16% of patients treated at high safety-net burden hospitals underwent surgery to cure their disease. This is in contrast to the 77% of those at low safety-net burden centers.
According to Dr. Virgo, “This study adds to the growing literature about the ability of the so called safety net to catch patients in need of care. It demonstrates that access to high quality lung cancer care is less optimal at high safety net burden facilities.”
The authors of the study suggested that the reasons for the disparities are not fully understand, though it seems that reimbursement issues may play a part. Some care centers also lack full and unrestricted availability and participation of specialists, including some surgeons.
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