Why are patients with Medicaid diagnosed with breast cancer later than those with other insurance? This is our national health insurance for those without other insurance and it does not provide screening mammograms or educate its patients on the need for them?
"Stage II breast cancer was more likely to be diagnosed in Medicaid
patients than any other insurance designation, including self-pay. We
suspect this is the result of lack of use of screening mammograms or
lack of access to care altogether. Further research needs to be
performed examining the time course of diagnosis in the advanced-stage
population. Surveying patients diagnosed with advanced-stage breast
cancer as to whether they were undergoing age-appropriate routine
screening or if they had impediments to gaining access to medical care
would reveal possible areas for improvement in the healthcare system. It
would be interesting to examine the barriers to care according to
insurance status as well."
Stupidity at its finest. In the 21st century no less.
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