State Medicaid Expansion Status Research Articles

Abstract 801: Severe housing cost burden and premature cancer mortality by state Medicaid expansion status

Abstract Introduction: The fraction of people living in unaffordable housing in the U.S. has grown, and prior studies have documented a relationship between housing cost burden and worsening health. Medicaid expansion has been suggested to improve housing financial stability by reducing health care costs and improving access to preventative care. However, the role of expanded access to Medicaid on the relationship between housing cost burden and cancer mortality remains poorly understood. We investigated the relationship between county-level severe housing cost burden and premature cancer mortality by state Medicaid expansion status for all cancers and leading sites. Methods: This ecological study used county-level data from 2016-2020 American Community Survey linked with county-level mortality data. Severe housing cost burden measured by percentage of households within a county that spend ≥50% of their income on housing categorized into quintiles (1=lowest, 5=highest) and state Medicaid expansion status (expanded and non-expanded). Age-adjusted cancer mortality rates and adjusted-mortality rate ratio (aRR) were estimated by sex. Results: Across quintiles of county-level severe housing cost burden, age-adjusted cancer mortality rates were largely greater in non-Medicaid expanded states than Medicaid expanded states among women and men. Among counties in the lowest quintile of severe housing cost burden, rates for overall cancer mortality in women were 9% (aRR=1.09; 95%CI 1.05-1.14) higher in non-Medicaid expanded states compared with expanded states. Additionally, among the third quintile of severe housing cost burden, colorectal cancer mortality rate was 8% higher (aRR=1.08; 95%CI 1.02-1.14) in non-Medicaid expanded states. Among men in the lowest quintile of severe housing cost burden, overall cancer mortality rates were 5% (aRR=1.05; 95%CI 1.02-1.09) higher in non-Medicaid expanded states than Medicaid expanded states. Further, among men in counties in the highest quintile of severe housing cost burden, colorectal cancer mortality rate was 8% higher (aRR=1.08; 95%CI 1.05-1.12) and lung cancer mortality was 13% higher (aRR=1.13; 95%CI 1.10-1.15) in non-Medicaid expanded states compared with expanded states. Conclusions: Counties with a lower fraction of households experiencing severe housing cost burden had greater premature cancer death rates within non-Medicaid expanded states than Medicaid expanded states. However, among men rates were also elevated in non-Medicaid expanded states in counties with the greatest severe housing cost burden. Citation Format: Wayne R. Lawrence, Neal D. Freedman, Jennifer K. McGee-Avila, Lee Mason, Yingxi Chen, Aldenise P. Ewing, Meredith S. Shiels. Severe housing cost burden and premature cancer mortality by state Medicaid expansion status [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 801.

Abstract 4791: Characterizing interventions to reduce disparities in lung-cancer screening uptake by state Medicaid expansion status: A scoping review

Abstract Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and yet, lung cancer screening rates remain persistently low. Many interventions are being developed to address the low rates of lung cancer screening (LCS), including interventions that address the additional barriers faced by historically marginalized racial and ethnic populations as well as low-income and rural populations. However, the impact of Medicaid expansion on the types of interventions developed in non-expansion states and the efficacy of those interventions is not well understood. Methods: A research librarian conducted searches in MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase. Results were screened and evaluated for eligibility by three reviewers in Covidence. Data was extracted from included studies after full-text review and analyzed using both a thematic analysis and a descriptive numerical summary of studies. The chosen framework was based on scoping review guidelines by Levac et al. and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Results: Of 4696 studies found through the initial search, 53 met inclusion criteria. This includes 34 studies in Medicaid expansion states (M) and 17 studies in non-Medicaid expansion states (NM). Two additional studies compared interventions implemented in a Medicaid expansion state to a similar intervention implemented in a non-expansion state. Studies in both groups were primarily focused on addressing disparities by race and ethnicity (M=74%; NM=65%), with fewer studies focusing on rurality (M=9%; NM=12%), income (M=9%; NM=0%), or multiple disparities (M=9%; NM=24%). In non-expansion states, the most common interventions were patient navigation (29%) and community outreach (24%). While in Medicaid expansion states, the most common interventions were EHR algorithms (24%) and decision aids (21%). The intervention setting for both Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states were most commonly in a hospital/health system (M=53%; NM=47%) or community setting (M=24%; NM=47%). Interventions in both groups typically showed some improvement in uptake of LCS, though the degree of impact was variable between studies. Conclusion: Due to continued barriers to access posed by inadequate insurance coverage, there is a critical need for interventions to reduce disparities in lung cancer mortality in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Interventions focused on patient navigation and community outreach have been effective in multiple settings in these states and could fill that gap. Citation Format: Miranda J. Reid, Caretia Washington, Meghann Wheeler, Lauren Adkins, Dejana Braithwaite, Ramzi Salloum. Characterizing interventions to reduce disparities in lung-cancer screening uptake by state Medicaid expansion status: A scoping review [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4791.

Socioeconomic Disadvantage Is Associated with Decreased Long-Term Survival in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Background: The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population has dramatically improved over the past decade with the use of pediatric-inspired regimens increasing long-term survival rates to over 60%. Despite these advances, AYA patients with ALL have seen persistent disparities in survival by race and ethnic background. The primary objective of this study is to examine socioeconomic disadvantage as a driver of the racial and ethnic disparities that exist among AYAs with ALL using a nationally representative cancer registry. Methods: The cohort was identified using the SEER*Stat software, which utilizes Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). All SEER patients diagnosed at age 15 to 39 years with ALL from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2019 were included in the analysis. Patients were excluded from analysis if they had an unknown cause of death, were diagnosed with ALL only postmortem, had no survival time listed, or did not have a recorded age. We utilized the area deprivation index (ADI) as a measure of socioeconomic disadvantage, and patients were excluded if they were in a county that did not have a corresponding ADI score (0.3%). ADI scores were calculated by county using the ‘Sociome’ package in R software. Both the 2009 and 2019 county ADI scores were used based on patient diagnosis year. ADI quartiles were then assigned by decade (2000-2009 and 2010-2019). The quartiles were calculated by first identifying the median ADI score for each decade, and then assessing the median of the lower and upper half to determine the lower and upper quartile value. Analyses were also completed by state Medicaid expansion status. Both cause-specific and observed survival (OS) were calculated by five-year periods from 2005 to 2019. The net survival time was assessed at 12 to 60 months in 12-month increments for 2005-2014 with only an upper limit of 48 months survival able to be calculated for patients diagnosed between 2015-2019. The Kaplan-Meier Method was used for all survival calculations. Results: A total of 4,382 patients were found to meet criteria for inclusion. Specific characteristics of the analyzed population are listed in Table 1. OS for the entire group was 60.6% at 60 months (95% CI 58.9%-62.3%), with a cause-specific survival at 60 months of 64.3% (95% CI 62.7%-65.9%). For AYA ALL patients diagnosed from 2005 to 2009, cause-specific survival for the ADI quartiles diverged over time and at 48 months was significantly higher in patients residing in a county with an ADI value of 1 (least disadvantaged) than in those residing in a county with an ADI value of 4 (most disadvantaged) [66.6%, 95% CI 62.5-70.4% versus 51.2%, 95% CI 40.2-61.2% p<0.05], although this difference was not significant at 60 months. This difference was also seen in OS at 48 months and persisted at 60 months [62.0%, 95% CI 57.9-65.8% versus 45.7%, 95% CI 35.3-55.5% (48 mo.) and 59.7%, 95% CI 55.6-63.5% versus 45.7%, 95% CI 35.3-55.5% (60 mo.) p<0.05]. There was no significant difference in cause-specific or OS by ADI quartile for patients diagnosed from 2010-2014. However, this difference in survival reoccurred in the most recent data available (Figure 1). For AYA ALL patients diagnosed from 2015 to 2019, cause-specific survival at 36 and 48 months was significantly higher in patients residing in a county with an ADI value of 1 than in those residing in a county with an ADI value of 4 [79.7%, 95% CI 75.6-83.2% versus 65.8%, 95% CI 55.8-74.0% (36 mo.) and 78.6%, 95% CI 74.2-82.3% versus 62.4%, 95% CI 51.8-71.3% (48 mo.) all p<0.05]. This difference was also seen in OS for all survival intervals from 12 to 48 months [90.2%, 95% CI 87.6-92.3% versus 81.3%, 95% CI 74.4-86.5% (12 mo.); 82.9%, 95% CI 79.4-85.8% versus 72.9%, 95% CI 64.9-79.3% (24 mo.); 77.1%, 95% CI 72.9-80.7% versus 62.1%, 95% CI 52.4-70.3% (36 mo.); and 76.0%, 95% CI 71.6-79.8% versus 58.8%, 95% CI 48.6-67.7% (48 mo.) all p<0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences noted in cause-specific and observed survival between states that expanded Medicaid versus those that did not. Conclusions: Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with significantly worse long-term survival in AYA patients with ALL. This gap reappears over time despite both treatment innovations and public policy changes. Urgent interventional approaches are needed to target this highly vulnerable population.

Abstract 12487: Healthcare Access and Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management in Low-Income Working-Age Adults After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Low-income working age adults disproportionately experienced disruptions in care and deepening financial hardship at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about how health care access and cardiovascular (CV) risk factor management changed as the pandemic went on, and if these patterns differed by state Medicaid expansion status. Methods: We identified adults aged 18-64 using the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Low-income adults were defined as those with incomes <138% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and high-income adults >400% FPL. We fit logistic regression models to compare changes in measures of health care access and CV risk factor management in 2021 to a pre-pandemic baseline (2019), adjusted for age and sex. We included an interaction term for income level and year, to evaluate whether there was a differential change between low- and high-income adults. We also evaluated changes among low-income adults in Medicaid expansion vs. non-expansion states. Results: As shown in the Table , health insurance coverage, access to personal health care provider, and ability to afford care all improved in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic baseline (2019), although gains were more pronounced for high-income vs low-income groups. In contrast, the proportion of adults with a check-up in the past 12 months, or who received recommended cardiovascular risk factor screening, worsened in both low- and high-income groups. Among the low-income group, those in Medicaid expansion states experienced greater increases in insurance coverage than those in non-expansion states (OR 1.53 [1.40,1.68] vs 1.27 [1.11,1.46], p = 0.0283). Conclusion: In this national study, low- and high-income working-age adults experienced decreases in outpatient check-ups and CV risk factor screening in 2021 compared with pre-pandemic baseline. Public health initiatives are needed to improve screening for CV risk factor as the US emerges from the pandemic.

Health Care Access and Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management Among Working-Age US Adults During the Pandemic.

Low-income working-age US adults disproportionately experienced health care disruptions at the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Little is known about how health care access and cardiovascular risk factor management changed as the pandemic went on or if patterns differed by state Medicaid expansion status. Cross-sectional data from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system were used to compare self-reported measures of health care access and cardiovascular risk factor management among US adults aged 18 to 64 years in 2021 (pandemic) to 2019 (prepandemic) using multivariable Poisson regression models. We assessed differential changes between low-income (<138% federal poverty level) and high-income (>400% federal poverty level) working-age adults by including an interaction term for income group and year. We then evaluated changes among low-income adults in Medicaid expansion versus nonexpansion states using a similar approach. The unweighted study population included 80 767 low-income and 184 136 high-income adults. Low-income adults experienced improvements in insurance coverage (relative risk [RR], 1.10 [95% CI, 1.08-1.12]), access to a provider (RR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.09-1.14]), and ability to afford care (RR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.05-1.09]) in 2021 compared with 2019. While these measures also improved for high-income adults, gains in coverage and ability to afford care were more pronounced among low-income adults. However, routine visits (RR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.94-0.98]) and cholesterol testing (RR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.91-0.96]) decreased for low-income adults, while diabetes screening (RR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.95-1.08]) remained stable. Treatment for hypertension (RR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.02-1.08]) increased, and diabetes-focused visits and insulin use remained stable. These patterns were similar for high-income adults. Across most outcomes, there were no differential changes between low-income adults residing in Medicaid expansion versus nonexpansion states. In this national study of working-age adults in the United States, measures of health care access improved for low- and high-income adults in 2021. However, routine outpatient visits and cardiovascular risk factor screening did not return to prepandemic levels, while risk factor treatment remained stable. As many coronavirus disease-era safety net policies come to an end, targeted strategies are needed to protect health care access and improve cardiovascular risk factor screening for working-age adults.

Association of Medicaid Expansion Under the Affordable Care Act With Medicaid Coverage in the Prepregnancy, Prenatal, and Postpartum Periods.

We evaluated how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid eligibility expansion affected perinatal insurance coverage patterns for Medicaid-enrolled beneficiaries who gave birth overall and by race/ethnicity. We also examined state-level heterogeneous impacts. Using the 2011-2013 Medicaid Analytic eXtract and the 2016-2018 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic File databases, we identified 1.4 million beneficiaries giving birth in 2012 (pre-ACA expansion cohort) and 1.5 million in 2017 (post-ACA expansion cohort). We constructed monthly coverage rates for the two cohorts by state Medicaid expansion status and obtained difference-in-differences estimates of the association of Medicaid expansion with coverage overall and by race/ethnicity group (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic). To explore state-level heterogeneous impacts, we divided the expansion and non-expansion states into groups based on the differences in the income eligibility limits for low-income parents in each state between 2012 and2017. Medicaid expansion was associated with 13 percentage points higher coverage in the 9 to 12months before giving birth, and 11 percentage points higher coverage at 6 to 12months postpartum. Hispanic birthing individuals had the greatest relative increases in coverage, followed by non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black individuals. In Medicaid expansion states, those who experienced the greatest increases in income eligibility limits for low-income parents generally saw the greatest increases in coverage. In non-expansion states, there was less heterogeneity between state groupings. Pregnancy-related Medicaid eligibility did not have major changes in the 2010s. However, states' adoption of ACA Medicaid expansion after 2012 was associated with increased Medicaid coverage before, during, and after pregnancy. The increases varied by race/ethnicity and across states.

Cancer screening and socioeconomic insecurity in FQHCs: The COVID-19 pandemic and state Medicaid expansion.

112 Background: Previous studies reported improvements in multiple care quality measures, including cancer screening, in patients served in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) located in Medicaid expansion states compared to non-expansion states. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted delivery of routine primary care. Little is known about whether the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted or worsened cancer screening and socioeconomic insecurity in FQHC patients. Methods: Data on breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening, and socioeconomic insecurity (food insecurity, financial strain, and lack of transportation to care) were obtained from the 2020 and 2021 Uniform Data System (UDS), a national report of care delivered by FQHCs. To balance clinic characteristics, the inverse probability of treatment weighting method was employed. Using a propensity score, the probability of being in a state that expanded Medicaid as of January 1, 2020, was measured. Clinics were then weighted conditional on the proportion best served in a language other than English and privately insured as well as rural location and which funding streams were received from section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. A weighted generalized estimating equation adjusted for random clustering of FQHCs within state with a Poisson distribution produced the prevalence ratios. Results: Between 2020-2021, approximately 2700 and 1300 clinics reported on cancer screening and socioeconomic insecurity. In 2020 and 2021, FQHCs in Medicaid expansion states had a higher patient screening prevalence for colorectal (2020: aPR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.1-1.23; 2021: 1.13, 1.07-1.19) and breast (2020: 1.1, 1.05-1.17; 2021: 1.09, 1.03-1.14) cancer compared to clinics in non-Medicaid expansion states. Additionally, patient food (2021: 0.59, 0.36-0.97) and financial (2020: 0.57, 0.38-0.86; 2021: 0.58, 0.41-0.82) insecurity prevalence was lower in clinics in Medicaid expansion v. non-expansion states. Conclusions: State Medicaid expansion status was associated with higher cancer screening and lower socioeconomic insecurity within FQHCs during the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains an important policy intervention for vulnerable populations to receive care and mitigate disparities.[Table: see text]

Abortion Restrictiveness and Infant Mortality: An Ecologic Study, 2014-2018

The United States (U.S.) has the highest infant mortality rate among peer countries. Restrictive abortion laws may contribute to poor infant health outcomes. This ecological study investigated the association between county-level infant mortality and state-level abortion access legislation in the U.S. from 2014 - 2018. A multivariable regression analysis with the outcome of county-level infant mortality rates (IMR), controlling for the primary exposure of state-level abortion laws, and county-level factors, county-level distance to an abortion facility, and state Medicaid expansion status was performed. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Analyses were conducted from 2022-2023. There were 113,397 infant deaths among 19,559,660 live births (IMR 5.79 deaths/1,000 live births, 95%CI 5.75, 5.82). Black IMR (10.69/1,000) was more than twice that of White infants (4.87/1,000). In the multivariable model, increased IMR was seen in states with ≥ 8 restrictive laws, with the most restrictive (11-12 laws) having a 16% increased IMR (aIRR 1.162 (95%CI 1.103, 1.224). Increased IMRs were associated with increased county-level Black race individuals (aIRR 1.031, 95%CI 1.026, 1.037), high school education (aIRR 1.018, 95%CI 1.008, 1.029), maternal smoking (aIRR 1.025, 95%CI 1.018, 1.033), and inadequate prenatal care (aIRR 1.045, 95%CI 1.036, 1.055). State-level abortion law restrictiveness is associated with higher county-level infant mortality rates. The Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson and changes in state laws limiting abortion may affect future infant mortality.

Influence of Medicaid Expansion on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presentation and Survival.

To compare head and neck squamous cell carcinoma stage at presentation and survival in Medicaid-expanded states versus nonexpanded states. Retrospective cohort. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The Head and Neck with human papillomavirus Status Database within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program was queried for cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) diagnosed in the years 2010 to 2016. Cases were grouped according to their respective state Medicaid expansion status. Multivariable logistic regressions and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate associations with stage IV disease and survival. Compared to nonexpanded states, Medicaid-expanded states had a significantly larger proportion of Medicaid patients (20.3% vs 16.7%, P = .0009) and a significantly smaller proportion of uninsured patients (1.7% vs 10.1%, P < .0001). The case selection process resulted in 2215 patients meeting inclusion criteria. In multivariable analysis, cases under Medicaid expansion were 31% less likely to present with stage IV disease compared to cases in nonexpanded states (odds ratio: 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-0.93). In the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, cases under Medicaid expansion had significantly better mortality outcomes and were 32% less likely to die compared to cases in nonexpanded states (hazard ratio: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.55-0.84). Medicaid expansion is associated with fewer stage IV cases and improved survival of HNSCC cases. These findings support continued efforts to expand Medicaid coverage.

Aging out of dependent coverage and health insurance trends, 2014-2019.

To examine changes in health insurance coverage when adults age out of dependent coverage at age 26 after the implementation of most Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions. Our analysis also documented differences by sex, race and ethnicity, and state Medicaid expansion status. We used a regression discontinuity design and the 2014-2019 American Community Survey to estimate coverage changes (uninsured, any private, employer-sponsored coverage, direct purchase, and Medicaid) at age 26. Our main sample consisted of adult citizens aged 22-29 years. Uninsurance increased by 2.7 percentage points [95% CI; 1.8 to 3.4] at age 26, which was driven by a significant decline in any private insurance (3.7 percentage point decrease). Young adults experienced a smaller increase in the uninsured rate on turning age 26 in states that expanded in 2014 compared to nonexpansion states (2.2 and 3.2 percentage point increases, respectively), but the difference was not significant (P=0.07). Changes in the uninsured rate at age 26 did not differ significantly by sex or race and ethnicity. The 2010 dependent coverage provision led to more coverage options among young adults and in turn the uninsured rate declined among a population historically among the most likely to lack coverage. The 2014 Medicaid and Marketplace expansions reduced the uninsured rate even further among young adults. Despite important progress, our findings for 2014-2019 were similar to previous studies using pre-ACA data suggesting that coverage loss remains a risk when adults age out of dependent coverage at age 26.

Association of Managed Medicaid Plans and Cancer Stage at Diagnosis

Managed care organizations provide insurance to many Medicare (Advantage) and Medicaid beneficiaries and seek to maintain quality while controlling provider networks, utilization, and costs. In prior research, patients with Medicare Advantage plans had restricted access to care, including at cancer centers, and had higher mortality after cancer surgery than patients with traditional Medicare. Over 80% of Medicaid patients nationally are enrolled in managed care plans; despite their prevalence, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the quality of cancer care provided by these plans. We examined associations of state-level managed Medicaid rates and cancer stage at diagnosis. Adults ages 18-64 years with Medicaid coverage diagnosed with cancer from 2007-2016 were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program data covering 12 states. Note that 2016 was the last year with unsuppressed insurance status data. Year-varying state-level rates of types of managed Medicaid plans (comprehensive risk-based managed care, limited benefit plans, and primary care case management) were obtained from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission and categorized in quartiles. The association of state levels of each type of managed Medicaid plan with localized stage diagnoses was evaluated using multivariable linear probability models with cluster-robust standard errors (state clusters) accounting for state fixed effects, year fixed effects, age, sex, race, metropolitan residence, marital status, county-level income and education, state Medicaid expansion status, and cancer type. A total of 229,227 Medicaid patients were identified. The average state-level rates of comprehensive managed care, limited benefit, and primary care case management plans were 47%, 47%, and 5.6%, respectively. In adjusted analyses, relative to states with <20% of Medicaid recipients enrolled in comprehensive managed care plans, states with 40-80% (-2.07 percentage points, 95% CI = -3.31 to -0.83, P = .001) and >80% (-1.49, 95% CI = -2.49 to -0.50, P = .003) had fewer localized stage diagnoses. States with >2% relative to 0-1% of recipients enrolled in primary care case management plans had more localized stage diagnoses (1.02, 95% CI = 0.27 to 1.77, P = .008). States with higher levels of limited benefit plans had more localized stage diagnoses (P = .011), though associations were attenuated with increasing levels (20-40%: 1.22; 40-80%: 0.53; >80%: 0.40). Patterns were similar across most cancer types. The prevalence and type of Medicaid managed care plans are associated with early-stage cancer diagnoses. Higher levels of comprehensive managed care plans were associated with fewer early diagnoses, raising concerns about barriers to symptom evaluation and diagnostic workup. In contrast, higher levels of primary care case management plans were associated with more early diagnoses, potentially through streamlined care coordination.

State Mandatory Paid Family Leave and Survival among Children with Cancer

Childhood cancer treatment is often costly and time intensive and may require parents/caregivers to stop working. Since 2012, several states have introduced mandatory paid family leave policies. We hypothesized that such policies, whether by reducing financial toxicity or by providing parents greater flexibility to care for their sick children, would improve outcomes among children with cancer. Children ages 0-18 years diagnosed with cancer between 2010 and 2019 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (SEER) database. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). The exposure of interest was state mandatory paid family leave. Difference-in-differences (DID) analyses with additive hazards regression models were utilized to compare changes in OS from pre- to post- mandatory paid sick leave policy implementation in states with vs. without paid sick leave policies. The models were adjusted for year fixed effects, state fixed effects, state Medicaid expansion status, age, race, sex, metropolitan residence status, county-level income and education, cancer site, cancer stage, and insurance status. Clustered standard errors by state were achieved via the cluster bootstrap. The plausibility of the common trends assumption was tested using event study analyses and was satisfied for all analyses. A total of 38,053 children with cancer were identified. In adjusted difference-in-differences analyses, there was no significant change in OS in states with vs. without state mandatory paid family leave policies after policy enactment (hazard difference: 0.0001, 95% CI = -0.0002 to 0.0016, P = .47). However, among non-metropolitan residents, 1-year OS improved from 93.0% to 95.5% (2-year OS: 88.6% to 93.4%) in states with mandatory paid family leave policies compared to 92.7% to 92.5% (2-year OS: 88.0% to 87.7%) in states without such policies after policy enactment. This translates to a 2.7% improvement in 1-year OS (5.2%, 2-year OS) (hazard difference: -0.0021, 95% CI = -0.0034 to -0.0005, P = .037). There was no corresponding change for metropolitan residents (hazard DID = 0.0001, P = .47). By cancer site, the largest policy-associated improvements in survival were observed for rhabdomyosarcoma (hazard DID = -0.0037, P = .11), osteosarcoma (hazard DID = -0.0036, P<.001), and Intracranial and intraspinal embryonal tumors (hazard DID = -0.0026, P = .061). State mandatory paid family leave policies were associated with improved survival for some children with cancer, most notably for those residing in non-metropolitan areas. The improvements for non-metropolitan residents may be related to alleviating otherwise increased travel burdens for cancer treatment if treatment occurs out-of-town, where working while taking care of a child is less feasible. These data also suggest a slight narrowing in rural-urban-metropolitan childhood cancer disparities associated with paid family leave policies.

State mandatory paid medical leave policies and survival among adults with cancer in the US.

1511 Background: Cancer treatment is often costly and time intensive. Paid medical leave can help employed patients with cancer more effectively manage side effects and complete recommended cancer treatments without loss of income. Since 2012, several states have introduced mandatory paid medical leave policies. We examined whether mandatory paid medical leave policies were associated with better survival among working age adults with cancer. Methods: Adults ages 18 to 64 years diagnosed with cancer 2007- 2019 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry program covering 12 states. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). The exposure of interest was the presence of state mandatory paid medical leave policies. Difference-in-differences (DID) analyses with additive hazards regression models compared changes in OS from pre- to post- mandatory paid sick leave policy implementation in states with vs. without paid sick leave policies. Models adjusted for year-quarter fixed effects, state fixed effects, state Medicaid expansion status, age, race, sex, marital status, metropolitan residence status, county-level income, cancer site, cancer stage, and insurance status. Clustered standard errors by state were achieved via the cluster bootstrap. The plausibility of the common trends assumption was tested using event study analyses and was satisfied for all analyses. Primary analyses focused on data from 2007-2016, where information on month of diagnosis, county, and insurance coverage status were available (note these variables are not available for 2017-2019), though sensitivity analyses with data through 2019 without these additional variables were conducted. Results: A total of 1,491,208 adults with cancer were identified. In adjusted DID analyses, after policy implementation, 1-year OS improved from 85.0% to 86.4% in states with mandatory medical leave policies compared to 85.1% to 85.6% in states without such policies. This translates to a 0.85% improvement in 1-year OS (hazard DID: -0.0007, 95% CI = -0.0016 to -0.0001, P = .027). The largest improvement was found among the uninsured population (hazard DID: -0.0038, 95% CI = -0.0076 to -0.0011, P = .013). In sensitivity analyses with abbreviated data through 2019, results were similar (DID for 1-year OS: 1.3%; hazard DID: -0.0010, 95% CI = -0.0025, 0.0001, P = .070). Conclusions: State mandatory paid medical leave was associated with improved survival for working-age adults with newly diagnosed cancer, particularly for those who are uninsured. Policy changes that better support patients through cancer treatment may pay off with improved cancer outcomes.

MP75-07 ACCESS TO UROLOGIC CANCER CARE FOR MEDICAID-INSURED PATIENTS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP75-07 ACCESS TO UROLOGIC CANCER CARE FOR MEDICAID-INSURED PATIENTS Folawiyo Laditi, James Nie, Walter Hsiang, Waez Umar, Afash Haleem, Victoria Marks, Mathew Buck, and Michael Leapman Folawiyo LaditiFolawiyo Laditi More articles by this author , James NieJames Nie More articles by this author , Walter HsiangWalter Hsiang More articles by this author , Waez UmarWaez Umar More articles by this author , Afash HaleemAfash Haleem More articles by this author , Victoria MarksVictoria Marks More articles by this author , Mathew BuckMathew Buck More articles by this author , and Michael LeapmanMichael Leapman More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003349.07AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: While the Affordable Care Act has led to increased insurance rates amongst patients seeking urologic oncology care, most estimates on the improvement in oncologic outcomes have been conducted through hospital-based registries. These registries may not account for biases and variations in Medicaid acceptance amongst facilities. Empirical, patient-based estimates are needed to better understand barriers in access for Medicaid-practices for urologic malignancies. METHODS: Using a secret shopper approach, we contacted a representative sample of 389 Commission-on-Cancer accredited hospitals across the United States. Trained volunteers posed as a family member seeking urologic cancer care for their father with a simulated newly diagnosed renal mass. Facility-level characteristics were accessed from several publicly available databases. The primary outcome was to estimate Medicaid acceptance for urologic cancer care nationally. The secondary outcomes were to determine facility characteristics linked that increased or decreased the likelihood of Medicaid acceptance. RESULTS: 14.4% of Commission-on-Cancer urologic facilities did not accept new Medicaid patients. Importantly, acceptance was positively linked with state Medicaid expansion status (90.1% for expansion states vs non-expansion states 22.6% p<0.001), and higher state Medicaid-to-Medicare Fee indices (average of 0.700 for accepting facilities vs 0.649 for non-accepting facilities). Major teaching hospitals (93.8%) were more likely to accept Medicaid than non-major teaching hospitals (83.4%, p=0.018). Medical school affiliated hospitals were also more likely to accept Medicaid (89.2% acceptance for medical school affiliated hospitals vs 79.7% for non-medical school affiliated facilities, p=0.01). All other queried facility-level characteristics did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Using a secret shopper approach, we estimated Medicaid acceptance for urologic cancer care in a nationally representative sample of accredited cancer facilities from the patient perspective. We show that factors such as state Medicaid expansion status, Medicaid reimbursement, and teaching status were strongly associated with Medicaid Acceptance. Source of Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e1081 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Folawiyo Laditi More articles by this author James Nie More articles by this author Walter Hsiang More articles by this author Waez Umar More articles by this author Afash Haleem More articles by this author Victoria Marks More articles by this author Mathew Buck More articles by this author Michael Leapman More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Access to urologic cancer care for Medicaid-insured patients.

The expansion of state Medicaid programs associated with the Affordable Care Act has led to significant increases in insurance coverage for economically vulnerable patients, however barriers to accessing cancer care still exist. To develop strategies to improve healthcare access, we characterized access to new urologic cancer care for patients with Medicaid insurance in the United States. Using a secret shopper approach, we contacted a representative sample of facilities designated for cancer care in United States. Trained volunteers posed as a family member seeking urologic cancer care using a simulated scenario of a parent with a new diagnosis of a localized kidney tumor. The primary study outcome was acceptance of Medicaid. In addition, we assessed facility characteristics associated with Medicaid acceptance relating to state Medicaid expansion status, Medicare reimbursement rates, and teaching hospital status using data from the Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital General Information data file, the American Hospital Directory, and the American Medical Association of Colleges Organizational Characteristics Database. We sampled a total of 389 facilities, of which 14.4% did not accept new Medicaid patients. Medicaid acceptance was higher in facilities located in states that elected to expand Medicaid through the ACA vs. non-expansion states (90.1% vs. 77.4% respectively, P < 0.001). Facilities accepting patients with Medicaid were located in states with higher mean Medicaid-to-Medicare fee indexes (0.70 for Medicaid-accepting vs. 0.65 for non-accepting facilities, P < 0.001). In addition, Medicaid acceptance was higher in teaching hospitals vs. non-teaching facilities (93.8% vs. 83.4% P = 0.02), and medical school affiliated facilities (89.2% vs. 79.7% P = 0.01). We identified access disparities for patients with Medicaid insurance seeking urologic cancer care at centers. These findings highlight opportunities to improve the quality and timeliness of cancer care.

Parental Immigration Status, Medicaid Expansion, And Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation.

Anti-immigrant public policies and rhetoric during 2017-19 may have eroded enrollment in safety-net programs, such as the enrollment of children of immigrants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). At the same time, states' expansion of Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act may have mitigated erosion through coordinated enrollment across safety-net programs, including SNAP and Medicaid. We examined changes in SNAP participation rates by parental immigration status among low-income households in 2015-16 versus 2017-19 for differences by child race and ethnicity or state Medicaid expansion status. Relative to those among citizen children with US-born parents, SNAP participation rates among citizen children from mixed-status families and noncitizen children significantly decreased between 2015-16 and 2017-19, with the magnitude of disparity widening over time. Declines in SNAP participation were sharper for Hispanic and Latino children from mixed-status families, Hispanic and Latino noncitizen children, and noncitizen children residing in nonexpansion states. Findings are consistent with some policy makers' concerns of erosion in SNAP participation. Mechanisms that could be employed to help reverse these trends include policies, outreach strategies, and enrollment processes.

Changes in Health Care Access by Race, Income, and Medicaid Expansion During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The intersecting crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, job losses, and concomitant loss of employer-sponsored health insurance may have disproportionately affected health care access within minorized and lower-socioeconomic status communities. To describe changes in access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic, stratified by race/ethnicity, household income, and state Medicaid expansion status. We used interrupted time series and difference-in-differences regression models, controlling for respondent characteristics and preexisting trends. Data were extracted for all adults aged 18-64 surveyed in the 2015-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N=1,731,699) from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Our outcomes included indicators for whether respondents had any health insurance coverage or avoided seeking care because of cost within the prior year. The primary exposure was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in March 2020. The pandemic was associated with a 1.2 percentage point (pp) decline in uninsurance for Medicaid expansion states (95% CI, -1.8, -0.6); these reductions were concentrated among respondents who were Black, multiracial, or low income. The rates of uninsurance were generally stable in nonexpansion states. The rates of avoided care because of cost fell by 3.5 pp in Medicaid expansion states (95% CI, -3.9, -3.1), and by 3.6 pp (95% CI, 4.3-2.9) in nonexpansion states. These declines were concentrated among respondents who were Hispanic, Other Race, or low income. Our findings reinforce the value of Medicaid expansion as one tool to improve access to health insurance and care for marginalized and vulnerable populations.

Association of Medicaid expansion of the Affordable Care Act with operations for benign endocrine surgical disease

•Background: The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion increased insurance coverage and access to care for endocrine cancers, though impact on benign endocrine disease is unknown.•Methods: Patients undergoing operations for benign thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal disease were collected from the Vizient® Clinical Data Base from 2009 to 2016 and grouped by state Medicaid expansion status in January 2014. Insurance coverage was analyzed by difference-in-differences analysis, and logistic regression evaluated odds of operation by insurance status.•Results: 134,242 patients were included. Medicaid coverage in expansion states increased for all operations (Adj-DD 5.78%, p < 0.001) with decreases in uninsured and private insurance. Medicaid patients had increased odds of undergoing thyroid operations (OR 1.56, p < 0.001) and decreased odds of parathyroid (OR 0.68, p < 0.001) or adrenal operations (OR 0.70, p < 0.001) versus private insurance.•Conclusion: Medicaid expansion increased insurance coverage for benign endocrine disease, however, barriers remain for Medicaid patients with parathyroid and adrenal disease.

Analysis of trends in nurse practitioner billing for emergency medical services: 2015–2018

Study objectiveDespite projections of an oversupply of residency-trained emergency medicine physicians by 2030 and amidst intensifying national debate over Nurse Practitioner (NP) qualifications to practice independently and unsupervised, NPs are increasingly staffing Emergency Departments (EDs) as hospitals seek to contain costs while simultaneously expanding services. We sought to characterize NP practice in the ED by examining NP independent billing by level of severity of illness, and relationship to practice authority, State Medicaid expansion status, and rurality. MethodsMedicare provider utilization and payment data between 2015–2018 was used to explore NP billing as compared to five other clinician provider types for common emergency services acuity codes (CPT codes 99281–99285) to determine services billed for levels of severity of illness and trends over time. Number of services billed by clinician provider type related to state policies on NP practice authority, location, and population characteristics was explored. ResultsNPs who independently billed for ED CPT codes (99282–99285), increased during this time and decreased for acuity code 99281 (minor and self-limiting). Overall, NPs saw a greater increase than all other providers in both the highest severity CPT codes of 99284 and 99285.The analysis revealed that type of clinician, state practice authority policy, number of NPs, and percent of population 65 years and older (by zipcode) and population size are positive predictors for services billed. The negative predictors were rurality, states which accepted the Medicaid expansion, having a higher number of non-English speaking residents, and non-emergency medicine clinicians. ConclusionAs a proportion of the providers independently billing in the ED, NPs are increasingly managing higher acuity patients as evidenced by billing percentage of the highest acuity CPT codes (99284 and 99285). During the same time period, ED MDs decreased their billing in the same categories. Current employment of NPs in the ED may not be fulfilling its original vision to care for the lower acuity patients in order to allow MDs to care for the more acutely and critically ill patients, and to increase the services for underserved populations in rural areas, those over age 65, and those with limited English language proficiency. Future research should investigate ED policies resulting in NPs as opposed to MDs seeing patients with greater severity codes.

Comparison of US Hospital Charity Care Policies Before vs After Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tax-exempt hospitals are required to provide charity care to maintain their tax-exempt status; charity care policies must be published online with clear eligibility criteria. Prior research has shown wide variability in charity care policy content; it is unknown how hospitals change their charity care policies over time. To examine changes to tax-exempt hospital charity care policies before vs after the COVID-19 pandemic. This cohort study used downloaded charity care policies from a geographically representative sample of 170 tax-exempt hospitals from December 1 to 31, 2019, and December 1 to 31, 2021, and categorized the policy changes made as more restrictive, more generous, indeterminate, minimal, or not updated. Onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary outcome was charity care policy content changes from 2019 to 2021. Also examined were the effects of hospital ownership type, state Medicaid expansion status, and hospital consolidation on policy changes. In this sample of 170 hospitals, 151 published documents available for comparison. Among these hospitals, 127 (84.1%) updated their charity care policies and 77 (51.0%) made substantial changes, with 242 distinct policy changes to categories such as income eligibility cutoffs, asset limitations, and service exclusions. Although the majority of hospitals expanded charity care (47 [31.1%]), a sizable minority restricted charity care (12 [7.9%]). Medicaid expansion during the study period and hospital consolidations were not associated with expansion of charity care; the largest merger in this sample led to reduced charity care at all 4 hospitals involved. Tax-exempt hospitals appear to have updated their policies with mostly positive changes during and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, some hospitals restricted charity care in 2021 documents. Unpublicized or vague eligibility criteria may limit patients' understanding of charity care policies and conceal the full extent of charity care policy changes over time. Policy makers should consider requiring greater transparency and simplification for hospital charity care policies to ensure adequate access to care for uninsured and underinsured patients.