The study, published July 26, examined data for over 20 million patients between the ages of 60 and 70. Epic found that rates of colorectal cancer screenings nearly doubled when patients gained Medicare coverage. Rates of breast cancer screenings increased by around 50 percent, the study found.
Patients were more likely to be diagnosed with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, depression, Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease in the first year after obtaining Medicare coverage, the study found. The researchers wrote this is likely because these conditions must be reported to CMS for quality measures.
Diagnoses rates for lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer increased in the first year after patients received Medicare coverage — a result of the “Medicare effect” in increasing screenings, the authors wrote.
Read the full study here.
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