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Low-Income Cancer Patients Save on Treatment Costs Post-ACA
Higher-Income Patients Face Increased Financial Burden from Cancer Care
According to The Conversation, a recent study reveals significant changes in cancer treatment costs for Americans after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rollout in 2014. The study that was conducted by a doctoral candidate in pharmaceutical health outcomes and policy and two other scholars found that low-income cancer patients earning $17,609 or less annually and eligible for Medicaid saw their cancer treatment costs decrease by $1,250 per year. In contrast, those with private health insurance and annual incomes of $51,000 or more faced higher expenses. Conversely, adults under 65 with annual incomes of at least $51,000 saw their cancer treatment costs rise significantly. The study found that their expenses increased by an average of $3,100 per year during the same period. This increase exacerbated the financial burden of cancer making it difficult for these patients to manage other essential expenses like food and housing.
The research team which included Douglas Thornton from the University of Houston and Chan Shen from Penn State analyzed data from a U.S. government database excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer cases due to their relatively easier treatment. They compared treatment costs over three years before the ACA‘s implementation (2011-2013) and seven years after (2014-2020) adjusting all costs for inflation. For the more than 16 million Americans aged 18 to 64 who had cancer between 2011 and 2020 treatment costs varied significantly based on income. Those eligible for Medicaid saw their annual spending decrease by about 31% from $4,000 in 2014 to $2,750 in 2020. Meanwhile, higher-income cancer patients’ costs rose by 24%, averaging an increase of $3,120 by 2020.
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How Cancer Treatment Costs Changed Due to the Affordable Care Act (PHOTO: Everyday Health)
Rising Cancer Treatment Costs and “Financial Toxicity” Pose Ongoing Challenges for Patients
Furthermore, the study highlights the concept of “financial toxicity” where patients face overwhelming medical bills leading to debt and even loss of homes. Many cancer survivors avoid necessary treatments and prescriptions to save money risking their health. With new cancer treatments on the horizon costs are expected to rise further. In 2022, the average yearly cost of cancer treatments soared to $260,000 per patient up from $63,500 a decade earlier. The research team is now developing predictive models to help healthcare providers tailor treatments focusing on the promising but costly immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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