New Data from Emory University Illuminate Research in Lymphoma (Medicaid Coverage Continuity is Associated with Lymphoma Stage among Children and Adolescents/Young Adults): Oncology – Lymphoma

2024 NOV 28 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators discuss new findings in lymphoma. According to news originating from Atlanta, Georgia, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Lymphoma is the third leading cause of cancer among children and adolescents/young adults (AYAs) in the United States, with later-stage diagnoses often linked to worse outcomes.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Emory University: “Continuous health insurance coverage is crucial for facilitating early cancer detection and diagnosis. Among Medicaid-insured children and AYAs diagnosed with lymphoma, this study examines whether the timing of Medicaid enrollment and coverage continuity are associated with stage at diagnosis. Using the SEER-Medicaid data, we identified children and AYAs (aged 0-39 years) newly diagnosed with lymphoma between 2007-2013 in 12 states that were linked to the administrative Medicaid data. Medicaid enrollment patterns were categorized into continuous Medicaid (preceding and through diagnosis), newly gained Medicaid (at or shortly after diagnosis), and other Medicaid enrollment patterns. We defined late-stage as Ann-Arbor stage IV (vs. stage I-III). Multiple logistic regressions were estimated, with marginal effects (MEs) reported.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Of 3,524 patients identified, 37.8% had continuous Medicaid, followed by newly gained Medicaid (35.2%) and other Medicaid enrollment patterns (27.0%). Compared to patients continuously enrolled in Medicaid, those with newly gained Medicaid and with other Medicaid enrollment patterns were 54% (ME=13.9 percentage points [ppt]; 95% confidence interval [CI]=8.5 to 19.2; p<0.001) and 18% (ME=4.6 ppt; 95% CI=2.2 to 7.0; p<0.001), respectively, more likely to present with stage IV lymphoma. Together, having continuous Medicaid coverage before diagnosis was associated with a lower likelihood of late-stage lymphoma at diagnosis; however, only three in eight Medicaid-insured children and AYAs with lymphoma were continuously enrolled in Medicaid before their diagnosis.”

For more information on this research see: Medicaid Coverage Continuity is Associated with Lymphoma Stage among Children and Adolescents/Young Adults. Blood Advances, 2024. The publisher for Blood Advances is American Society of Hematology.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2024013532.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Xinyue Zhang, Emory University, ATLANTA, Georgia, United States. Additional authors for this research include Sharon M Castellino, Robin Yabroff, Wendy Stock, Patricia Heyer Cornwell, Shasha Bai, Ann C Mertens, Joseph Lipscomb, Xu Ji.

ORCID is an identifier for authors and includes bibliographic information. The following is ORCID information for the authors of this research: Xinyue Zhang (http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0601-7458), Shasha Bai (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4999-327X), Xu Ji (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3025-3984).

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)