Ni Uno Más
Equitable Cancer Care Access Now!

In 2016, we noticed an increasing number of clients contacting us for help finding cancer care treatment. Many were told they needed to apply for financial assistance as a first step to getting care. However, we saw firsthand the denial letters sent to clients, stating they were denied for financial assistance because at the time of the service they were not a “citizen” or “permanent resident”. Several were simply told they needed “at least $200,000” if they wanted to start treatment.

UKCC is known for being our regional cancer center, the first place many providers refer cancer patients too. Many oncology providers we have spoken to over the years who do not directly work at UKCC have also stated that they follow the protocols, policies, and procedures of UKCC, as they have some sort of affiliation with the center. UKCC is also one of the best resourced cancer centers in the area with promising new treatment options, technology, and expert providers. Who wouldn’t want to go to UKCC for their cancer treatment?! We want equitable access to treatment at UKCC, so ALL in our community can get their care there, especially our Latino immigrant community within the service area of UKCC.

While we have gathered some data in the past and have investigated the possible number of uninsurable individuals within the region, there is not a single data source that can tell us how many. During 2017-2019, we tracked at least 50 individuals who were assisted by our Health Navigation Program or referred to us for help from other partners. Many of our community clinics and FQHCs can tell how many uninsured patients they have in a year that are diagnosed with cancer, but to know if they are ineligible for insurance or not (or their immigration status) is not something typically tracked by the clinics. Even if there was data available, data does not solve the inequitable policies that create barriers to accessing treatment. If these barriers persist, we will continue to see disparities, regardless of if it is just 5 people or 50 people a year.

While expanding Medicaid in Kansas makes sense economically and is the right thing to do to increase access for 150,000 residents in our state, it is only a small part of solving the problem. There will always be a group of individuals and families in our community who are not eligible for the Medicaid program because of their immigration status. Many families who are seeking asylum have already been waiting a few years for their date in immigration court to present their case because our system is backlogged. These families are not eligible for Medicaid under the current eligibility guidelines in Kansas. These individuals and families will remain uninsurable and will be self-pay when needing healthcare services. Expanding Medicaid would help with reimbursement of services at UKCC, as more patients would have insurance coverage. This could potentially allow more funds to be allocated to financially assist patients with affording cancer care at UKCC.

Cancer affects all groups and demographics. However, for anyone diagnosed with cancer who is uninsured on the day they are diagnosed, there is a 50% decreased likelihood that they will be alive 5 years from that day. This is “an astounding statistic”, as stated by Dr. Roy Jensen, the Director of UKCC at the Medicaid Expansion Rally in March 2023. That is why making improvements to remove barriers for all who are not eligible for insurance is so important, because it will help make improvements for all who might be uninsured at some point in their cancer journey.

In October 2016, El Centro began to address this issue by convening a group of community partners concerned about the individuals being turned away from care. We held conversations with administrators from UKCC and the University of Kansas Health System about the issue, yet we continue to hear from community members who are having difficulty in accessing care. Many of them are referred to El Centro from the financial counselors at UKCC for financial assistance towards the down payment for their treatment. While our committee took a rest during the pandemic to work on issues around COVID-19, cancer did not rest and the inequitable access to care continues to cause delays in treatment, only worsening health outcomes and likelihood for reaching the 5-year survivorship goal.