Medicaid work requirements to cause 1M missed cancer screenings

Medicaid eligibility changes spur coverage losses

The researchers focused on two key changes to Medicaid eligibility, slated to begin in 2027. Particularly, the Budget Reconciliation Bill calls for federal Medicaid work requirements, as well as more regular eligibility checks.

The team simulated how the proposed policy changes would affect Medicaid coverage. From there, they estimated how coverage losses would impact cancer screening rates and then projected the downstream effects on cancer diagnoses and deaths.

The JAMA Oncology report found what many others already have -- that the Medicaid work requirements and eligibility checks would result in millions of coverage losses. In particular, the JAMA Oncology report said that around 7.5 million Medicaid adults who are eligible for cancer screening will lose health coverage within two years of policy changes going into effect.

And those coverage losses will have consequences, especially in cancer screening rates.

Coverage losses lead to missed cancer screenings

Lapses in Medicaid coverage will likely lead to more missed cancer screenings, in part because patients will no longer be able to afford screenings. Indeed, some studies have shown that costs -- including costs for follow-up testing -- can dissuade some from getting the cancer screenings they know they need.

Without insurance coverage, the threat of those cost burdens grows.

According to the JAMA Oncology report, the U.S. can expect around a million missed cancer screenings as a result of Medicaid coverage losses. That includes about 406,000 missed mammograms, 680,000 missed colorectal cancer screenings and 67,000 missed lung cancer screenings.

In turn, the nation will face a greater risk of missed diagnoses, including around 1,055 missed breast cancers, 748 missed colorectal cancers and 538 missed lung cancers. This means healthcare experts and patients alike can anticipate more advanced-stage cancers that are harder and more expensive to treat and have worse survival rates.

It's important to note that these figures are projections. However, they do provide insight into the potential outcomes of upcoming policy decisions, the researchers said.

"Overall, these findings highlight the substantial and preventable morbidity and mortality that could result from coverage retrenchment and underscores how national policy may result in divergent and costly public health consequences across states," they concluded.

Sara Heath has reported news related to patient engagement and health equity since 2015.