Association of high-deductible health plans and time to surgery for breast and colon cancer Journal Article


Authors: Sheckter, C. C.; Rochlin, D. H.; Rubenstein, R.; Shamsunder, M. G.; Morris, A. M.; Wagner, T. H.; Matros, E.
Article Title: Association of high-deductible health plans and time to surgery for breast and colon cancer
Abstract: BACKGROUND: High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) have been shown to delay timing of breast and colon cancer screening, although the relationship to the timing of cancer surgery is unknown. The objective of this study was to characterize timing of surgery for breast and colon cancer patients undergoing cancer operations following routine screening. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims Database from 2007 to 2016 were queried to identify patients who underwent screening mammogram and/or colonoscopy. The calendar quarters of screening and surgery were analyzed with ordinal logistic regression. The time from screening to surgery (time to surgery, TTS) was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazard function. RESULTS: Among 32,562,751 patients who had screening mammograms, 0.7% underwent breast cancer surgery within the following year. Among 9,325,238 patients who had screening colonoscopies, 0.9% were followed by colon cancer surgery within a year. The odds of screening (OR 1.146 for mammogram, 1.272 for colonoscopy; p < 0.001) and surgery (OR 1.120 for breast surgery, 1.219 for colon surgery; p < 0.001) increased each quarter for HDHPs compared to low-deductible health plans. Enrollment in an HDHP was not associated with a difference in TTS. Screening in Q3 or Q4 was associated with shorter TTS compared to screening in Q1 (hazard ratio 1.061 and 1.046, respectively; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HDHPs were associated with delays in screening and surgery. However, HDHPs were not associated with delays in TTS. Interventions to improve cancer care outcomes in the HDHP population should concentrate on reducing barriers to timely screening. (c) 2023 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Keywords: survival; cost; impact; women; care
Journal Title: Journal of the American College of Surgeons
Volume: 237
Issue: 3
ISSN: 1072-7515
Publisher: Elsevier Science, Inc.  
Date Published: 2023-09-01
Start Page: 473
End Page: 482
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:001049960200013
DOI: 10.1097/xcs.0000000000000737
PROVIDER: wos
PUBMED: 38085770
PMCID: PMC11585011
Notes: Article -- MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) acknowledged in PDF -- MSK corresponding author is Danielle Rochlin -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Evan Matros
    209 Matros
  2. Danielle Helena Rochlin
    20 Rochlin