Despite Treatment Advances, Women Still Face Obstacles In Breast Cancer Care Insurance Status, Ethnic Background Pose Big Barriers

Although treatments for breast cancer continue to make improvements, obtaining that care can be an obstacle for women in California.

That's the conclusion of researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. In a recent report, it raised significant concerns that women with breast cancer enrolled in Medi-Cal or other public insurance programs were less likely to obtain treatment for their breast cancer in a timely manner and live longer than those enrolled in private insurance.

According to the data assembled by the researchers in the 40-page report, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients in California topped 80% among those enrolled in a private health plan, versus 59.4% for Medi-Cal enrollees. Curiously, uninsured patients had a higher survival rate than those in Medi-Cal, at 62.5%.

About 27,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in California each year, and about 4,400 die from the disease.

Among the barriers to care detailed in the report include narrow provider networks in some health plans, and obstacles of language and culture among some patients belonging to various ethnic groups.

The report suggested more resources be made available to breast cancer patients to navigate the healthcare system, although it noted that the quality and availability of patient navigators varies depending on a patient's health insurance.

''While we are making great progress in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, the disease continues to disproportionately hurt women and families with the fewest resources, such as those on Medi-Cal,'' said state Sen. Richard Pan, a Sacramento Democrat. ''All women facing breast cancer deserve an equal chance at hope.''