In the United States, insurance status has been related to significant disparities in cancer treatment and results. With more than 15 million people getting health insurance as a result of Medicaid expansion, there is a growing need to study the ramifications of this policy for the cancer population in the United States. This paper gives an overview of Medicaid expansion’s underlying ideas and intricacies, as well as the consequences for cancer care.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gave states the option of expanding Medicaid coverage by broadening eligibility requirements. Medicaid expansion has been attributed to a 30% drop in the number of uninsured people in the United States during the last ten years. A dramatic shift in the insurance profile might have far-reaching consequences for the 1.7 million cancer patients diagnosed each year, the oncology teams that care for them, and policymakers. Several factors, however, may confound efforts to assess the impact of Medicaid expansion on the cancer population in the United States. Most notably, there is a significant difference among states in terms of whether Medicaid expansion happened, when it occurred, eligibility requirements for Medicaid, and the types of coverage that Medicaid offers. Furthermore, economic and health policy concerns may be linked with Medicaid expansion considerations. Finally, variations in how cancer care is collected and represented in big datasets may influence the interpretation of findings related to expansion.

 

Medicaid expansion was a major public policy effort. It is crucial to analyze the impact of Medicaid expansion in order to fully use this policy to enhance oncological care and maximize learning for future initiatives. The goal of this assessment is to better equip scientists and their audiences to properly comprehend the consequences of this significant health policy undertaking.

Reference:jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2786068?resultClick=3

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