|
|
|
Medical Insurance Availability
Cancer Statistics Mediated By Medical Insurance Availability
February 2008
If you are one of those fortunate Americans to have found an affordable health insurance policy, there is good news in terms of cancer treatment, and survival rates for those diagnosed with the disease.
If, however, you are one of the 47 million Americans who can't afford medical insurance, the news isn't so good at all.
According to a report released Wednesday from the American Cancer Society, U.S. death rates from the disease have declined by 18.4 percent among men and by 10.5 percent among women since mortality rates first started going down in the early 1990s. Death rates from cancer continue to decrease because of prevention, early detection and treatment.
Which explains why those who haven't found an affordable health insurance plan don't seem to factor into the statistics. In fact, yet another study found this week that the uninsured and those covered by Medicaid are more likely than those with private insurance to receive a diagnosis of cancer in late stages, often diminishing their chances of survival.
This other study, published in The Lancet Oncology, shows a direct correlation between medical insurance status and the stage of diagnosis for particular cancers.
The study's authors concluded that individuals without private insurance are not receiving optimum care in terms of cancer screening or timely diagnosis and follow-up with health care providers. Advanced-stage diagnosis then leads to increased morbidity, decreased quality of life and survival and, often, increased costs.
It's a sad fact: those who can afford medical insurance and suffer from cancer will live, while those who can't afford insurance will suffer late diagnosis, an increase in their likelihood of death, an even then, medical debt.
This is why affordable health insurance needs to be available to all American citizens, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions.
Hopefully, as November inches closer and closer, voters will benefit from the fact that all of today's presidential candidates advocate change for our health care system.
|
|
