Disruptions in Health Insurance Coverage are Common in the US and Affect Cancer Outcomes

Disruptions in health insurance coverage are common in the US and lead to poorer cancer outcomes, according to the findings of a study published in JNCI: The Journal of the National Cancer institute.

These disruptions in health coverage are caused by gaps in coverage, or transitions between types of coverage (e.g., public and private), or between specific health insurance plans.

To assess the effect of health insurance disruptions on cancer care, researchers conducted a systematic review of studies of health insurance coverage disruptions and cancer care and outcomes published between 1980 and 2019. They identified 29 observational studies for analysis.

The results of their analysis showed 4.3% to 32.8% of adults experienced coverage disruptions. They observed that people with coverage disruptions were less likely to receive cancer prevention or screening, and if diagnosed with cancer, they were more likely to have advanced disease, were less likely to receive treatment, and have worse survival than their counterparts without coverage disruptions.

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“Our findings were consistent across multiple cancer sites, with several studies finding a ‘dose-response’ relationship, meaning the longer the disruption, the worse the care,” said Robin Yabroff, PhD, lead author of the study in a press release. “The consistency of these findings across the cancer control continuum in our review highlights how important it is to minimize breaks in health insurance coverage to address cancer disparities and promote health equity.”

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