The study was led by American Cancer Society researchers, according to a May 18 news release from the organization. The researchers analyzed data of more than 2.5 million patients ages 18-62, newly diagnosed with cancer before ACA Medicaid expansion (2010-2012) and after (2014-2016) The patients were followed through Sept. 30, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2017 respectively.
The study found that the two-year overall survival rate increased from 80.58 percent pre-ACA to 82.23 percent post-ACA in expansion states and from 78.71 percent to 80.04 percent in nonexpansion states, according to the news release.
The net survival rate increase was greatest for patients with colorectal cancer, lung cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, pancreatic cancer and liver cancer, according to the news release.
Survival improvements were larger among Black patients and rural patients, according to the news release.
“Our study shows that the increase was largely driven by improvements in survival for cancer types with poor prognosis, suggesting improved access to timely and effective treatments,” lead author Xuesong Han, PhD, said in the news release. “It adds to accumulating evidence of the multiple benefits of Medicaid expansion.”
