Insured Patients Likely to Fare Better in Cancer Treatments

12/11/2009

Researchers have long known that people who have health insurance are better equipped to manage serious illnesses or avoid them altogether by getting regular checkups and other preventative treatments.

In fact, a recent article by Reuters Health cites a study appearing in the journal Cancer which found that people suffering from cancers of the head and neck are more likely to survive their condition if they have private health insurance.

The wire service noted that many of these conditions are tied to smoking or heavy drinking, and that the people with private health insurance were also more inclined to survive longer than those on Medicaid or Medicare disability coverage.

Patients on those programs or with no insurance were reportedly 50 percent more likely to die than insured patients, while those on regular Medicare policies were on par with those who had insurance.

Overall, this is just one illustration of the importance of carrying a health insurance policy, especially with a variety of ways to help people afford their premiums, if necessary. People who have health insurance also tend to have more regular medical checkups and access to specialists, making them more likely to benefit from better health as they grow older.

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