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For immediate release
Andrea Butler
albutler@vcu.edu
(804) 628-2111

VCU Massey Cancer Center receives grant to study disparities in treatment based on insurance

Examination of safety net system to help Virginia policy-makers

Richmond, Va. (Sept. 25, 2008) – Cathy J. Bradley, Ph.D., a health economist at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, received funding from the American Cancer Society to conduct research on disparities in cancer diagnosis, treatment and cost based on insurance coverage in Virginia.

Bradley’s study spawned from the Institute of Medicine’s report, “Insuring America’s Health: Principles and Recommendations,” which highlighted the sub-par health care of the approximately 43 million uninsured persons in the United States and called for a universal health insurance program. Currently, the U.S. relies on a safety net system to treat uninsured patients, including patients with chronic, life-threatening and costly diseases such as cancer.

Bradley’s grant, which awards $350,000 over two years, will use patient data to analyze the performance of the safety net system in caring for individuals with cancer. The analysis is expected to help Virginia policymakers make informed decisions aimed toward covering the uninsured. The commonwealth has nearly one million uninsured residents, with the highest percentage concentrated in Central Virginia.

“In the absence of specific knowledge on the performance of Virginia’s safety net system, policymakers may attribute differences between the uninsured and insured to mean that an expansion of the safety net, instead of comprehensive coverage, can ameliorate differences,” said Bradley. “Our analysis will allow us to make significant strides toward expanding and refining the role that health insurance plays in cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the cost resulting from the absence of health insurance.”

The study’s primary aims are twofold:

To compare inpatient cancer treatment and survival in uninsured patients to that of insured patients in safety net providers versus other types of providers
To compare treatment and survival of uninsured and insured cancer patients within the safety net provider system

“By taking a comprehensive look at patient data, we will be able to thoroughly describe treatment experiences by health insurance status and test a number of hypotheses that will broaden understanding of the performance of the safety net,” said Bradley, whose research as a health economist has received international attention.

“The health insurance crisis in the United States is a critical issue and the focus of a lot of national debate,” said Gordon Ginder, M.D., director of VCU Massey Cancer Center. “I have no doubt that the results of Dr. Bradley’s research will be instrumental in shaping much-needed policy decisions in Virginia and across the nation.”

VCU Health System is one of the largest safety net providers in the commonwealth of Virginia, and, as part of that system, Massey is the safety net provider for many uninsured patients with cancer. Bradley will use data from administrative claims, along with data from the Virginia Health Information state discharge database and the Virginia Cancer Registry, to conduct the study.

About VCU Massey Cancer Center
The VCU Massey Cancer Center is one of 64 National Cancer Institute-designated institutions that leads and shapes America’s cancer research efforts. Working with all kinds of cancers, the Center conducts basic, translational and clinical cancer research, provides state-of-the-art treatments and clinical trials and promotes cancer prevention and education. Its clinical services are delivered as part of the VCU Medical Center. Since 1974, Massey has served as an internationally recognized center of excellence. It offers more clinical trials than any other institution in Virginia, serving patients in Richmond and in four satellite locations. Its 1,000 researchers, clinicians and staff members are dedicated to improving the quality of human life by developing and delivering effective means to prevent, control and, ultimately, to cure cancer. Visit Massey online at www.massey.vcu.edu or call 1-877-4-MASSEY.