Reports from C.J. Bergo et al Highlight Recent Findings in Breast Cancer Screening (Persisting Gaps in Coverage and Services of Illinois Women Who Acquired Insurance After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act)

2019 JUN 26 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Fresh data on Diagnostics and Screening - Breast Cancer Screening are presented in a new report. According to news reporting originating in Chicago, United States, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Before implementation of the Affordable Care Act, many uninsured women in Illinois received care through safety-net programs. The new law allowed them to acquire health insurance through Medicaid or the Illinois Health Exchange.”

Financial support for this research came from IBCCP Evaluation Contract.

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research, “We examined (1) the health care experiences of such women who previously used a safety-net program and acquired this new coverage and (2) persisting gaps in coverage for breast and cervical cancer services and other health care services. We interviewed a stratified random sample of 400 women aged 34-64 in Illinois each year during 2015-2017 (total N=1200). We used multivariable logistic regression models to determine the association between health insurance status (Illinois Health Exchange vs Medicaid) and past 12-month gaps in coverage (ie, delaying care, not having a recent mammogram, having a medical cost, and having a medical cost not covered) for the 360 women who were former participants of the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for race/ethnicity, age, income, and education. We found no significant differences by health insurance status in the prevalence of delaying preventive, chronic, or sick care; timeliness of the most recent mammogram; and having a major medical cost. However, of women who reported a major medical cost, women with health insurance through the Illinois Health Exchange had a higher prevalence of not having a cost covered than women with Medicaid (adjusted OR=4.86; 95% CI, 1.48-16.03). The results of this study suggest that many women who gained health insurance lacked adequate coverage and services.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Safety-net programs will likely continue to play an essential role in supporting women as they navigate a complex system.”

For more information on this research see: Persisting Gaps in Coverage and Services of Illinois Women Who Acquired Insurance After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Public Health Reports, 2019;():003335491985326.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting C.J. Bergo, 1 Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States. Additional authors for this research include B. Dominik, S. Sanz, K. Rankin and A. Handler.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354919853265. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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