Improved survival and decreased cancer deaths in young adults with cancer after passage of the Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Expansion
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Dependent Care Expansion (DCE) that began in the United States in 2011 allowed young adults aged 19-25 years to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26 years. The survival rate at 6 years in young adult patients diagnosed with cancer was 2.6 to 3.9 times greater in the DCE-eligible age group compared with the younger and older age groups, and the rate of deaths from cancer improved 1.5 to 2.1 times more. During the first decade of the ACA, young adults with cancer who were in the eligible group had significantly longer survival and reduced deaths from cancer. Additional policies that expand insurance coverage and allow the diagnosis of cancer sooner are needed in young adults.
Authors
- Michael Roth (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6411-8353)
- Michelle A.T. Hildebrandt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6769-6872)
- Stuart E. Siegel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4305-1874)
- Amy M. Berkman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0650-3664)
- Branko Cuglievan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6917-2244)
- Archie Bleyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7738-5146)
- Jaime Estrada
- Clark R. Andersen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1846-9117)
- J. Andrew Livingston (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1337-3282)
Institutions
- National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (US)
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (US)
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (US)
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cancer
- Published
- 2024-10-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.35538
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Economic and Financial Impacts of Cancer
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.52