Healthcare in the News - Isabella Di Pasquale

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Rutgers University *

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1260

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Medicine

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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pdf

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4

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1 Access to Cancer Treatment for Uninsured Cancer Patients Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and while there is no cure, many treatment and preventative plans have been developed throughout the years. However, these treatments are not easily accessible, thus the diagnosis of cancer often brings not only a life-threatening health crisis, but also the daunting prospect of navigating a healthcare system that may be financially out of reach. In Charlotte Huff’s article “For Uninsured People with Cancer, Securing Care Can Be Like Spinning a Roulette Wheel”, from Kaiser Health News, she reports how individuals that are uninsured and diagnosed with cancer struggle to attain timely and affordable treatment plans due to certain states not expanding Medicaid. This leads to patients delaying medical care due to these financial burdens, which leads to more advanced cancer diagnoses and overall worse survival outcomes. Medicaid is designed to provide health coverage to individuals who are low income or with disabilities. Under the ACA expansion, Medicaid became associated with more positive cancer-related outcomes as a result of improved and affordable access to screening, preventative services, and other treatment plans for patients. Furthermore, the expansion has notably reduced the number of uninsured cancer patients in states that chose to expand Medicaid (Huffs, 2023). While it is evident that Medicaid has a crucial role in the United States healthcare system, the ACA expansion did not resolve the strict eligibility criteria that make qualifying for Medicaid challenging and often leaving many individuals without any financial assistance when medical care is needed. Thus, the chances of obtaining healthcare coverage from Medicaid is comparable to “spinning a roulette wheel” due to the unpredictability and the lack of control patients have during the qualification process (Huffs, 2023).
2 There are many factors that contribute to the struggle of acquiring Medicaid, one being the lack of uniform of eligibility. Medicaid eligibility varies widely because some states have chosen to expand Medicaid under the ACA, which broadens eligibility and includes more low-income individuals, while other states have not expanded and have maintained stricter income limits. Huffs (2023) mentions that states such as South Carolina and Texas have not expanded Medicaid, which causes individuals with cancer to have higher mortality rates in states that have not expanded Medicaid eligibility. Furthermore, the lack of Medicaid expansion in certain states causes only certain types of cancers to be covered. As stated by Huffs (2023), breast and cervical cancer are the most ideal when applying for financial assistance because these types of cancers have additional financial assistance institutions other than Medicaid, but individuals with different types of cancer, like skin cancer, receive less coverage. Moreover, the severity of the cancer is accounted for as well when applying for Medicaid as most individuals do not qualify unless the cancer requires at least a year of treatment (Huffs, 2023). This disregards those who do have any types of treatable cancers when applying and ultimately leads to further negative outcomes like worsening health and potential bankruptcy. The difficulty in qualifying for Medicaid has been tiresome for many cancer patients. According to Huffs (2023), cancer patients who are denied Medicaid and other financial assistance accumulate medical debt, use credit cards, create fundraisers, or even mortgage their homes in order to pay for cancer treatment. This highlights the life-altering consequences of being uninsured in the face of a serious medical condition as these extreme measures can lead to long-term financial hardship and exacerbate the stress and anxiety experienced by cancer patients and their families. While these efforts can provide some relief, they also lay bare the inadequacy of the healthcare system in addressing the healthcare needs of uninsured individuals.
3 Additionally, the federal law encourages individuals to sign up for Medicaid when they are healthy in an attempt to control costs, but it can have unintended consequences (Huffs, 2023). It creates a potential gap in coverage for individuals who receive a new diagnosis, such as cancer, as they must wait until the next enrollment period to secure insurance. This delay can be particularly problematic for those who require immediate medical attention, as cancer treatment often needs to begin promptly in order to avoid further complications. The article provides firsthand accounts of those who have struggled obtaining financial assistance from Medicaid when in need of medical care. Brian Becker, from El Paso, Texas, was uninsured when he received his chronic leukemia diagnosis and requested disability benefits as his condition worsened. About a month after his death, he received a denial letter stating “‘Based on a review of your medical conditions, you do not qualify for benefits on this claim’” (Huffs, 2023). Situations like this reflect the harsh reality that those who are uninsured and low income suffer needlessly due to systemic shortcomings, leaving families devastated and communities affected. Although it is possible to be accepted for disability benefits, the application process can be lengthy, complex, and uncertain, and those who are denied face even more challenges as individuals may not have the resources or time to appeal such decisions. When discussing the hardships that are associated with acquiring Medicaid, it is important to consider potential interventions that can minimize the negative impacts it has on the population. Possible interventions for Medicaid include mandating the expansion of Medicaid eligibility across all states to provide coverage to a larger population of low-income individuals, including uninsured cancer patients. The federal government could also explore the possibility of creating special enrollment periods for individuals diagnosed with cancer. This would allow them to obtain health insurance coverage more efficiently, reducing the risk of delayed treatment.
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4 References Huff, C. (2023, April 11). For uninsured people with cancer, securing care can be like spinning a roulette wheel. KFF Health News. Retrieved October 6, 2023, from https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/cancer-uninsured-barriers-to-care-medicaid/

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