Study Reveals American Indian and Alaska Native Medicare Patients Face Nearly Double the Cancer Mortality Rate

According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, American Indian and Alaska Native Medicare beneficiaries with cancer had nearly twice the all-cause mortality rate of the broader traditional Medicare population, as well as higher inpatient and emergency care utilization and per-person spending. The study also found lower rates of breast and colorectal cancer screening, while accompanying analysis identified access to specialty care, travel burdens, and other structural factors as potential contributors to these disparities.