Racial Disparities in Cancer Mortality in Patients With GI Malignancies Following Medicaid Expansion

Andrew S. Guinigundo, MSN, RN, CNP, ANP-BC, of Cincinnati Cancer Advisors, discusses a study that aimed to investigate the effect of Medicaid expansion on racial disparities in mortality among patients with gastrointestinal malignancies. A total of 86,052 patients were included for analysis. Medicaid expansion was associated with a greater reduction in 2-year mortality rates for Black patients residing in Medicaid expansion states (MES) than for those in non-MES. Existing racial disparities in mortality remained the same or worsened in non-MES but in almost all cases were mitigated in MES following Medicaid expansion (Abstract 6546).