Insurance coverage and access to gynecologic oncology: Where are we now

Abstract

In the United Sates, over 115,000 individuals are diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer annually with access to a gynecologic oncologist and evidence-based treatment remaining a persistent challenge. Coverage decisions by private and public insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare, play key roles in access to care, impacting oncologic outcomes. The expansion of Medicaid insurance under the Affordable Care Act improved early diagnosis, treatment, and survival in gynecologic cancers, but disparities remain for individuals in non-Medicaid expansion states. For individuals with Medicare or private insurance, coverage gaps and high out-of-pocket costs are barriers to cancer care, particularly for novel therapeutic treatments. Efforts to streamline care access, expand clinical trial participation, and reduce administrative burdens continue. Addressing these disparities require improving insurance literacy in patients and clinicians, coordination, and community partnerships to support equitable and comprehensive gynecologic cancer care.