A recent survey conducted by Ipsos, reported finding that 45 percent of American women skip preventative care services like check-ups, cancer screenings and vaccinations, often due to high out-of-pocket costs and time restraints. The report also found that social determinants of health also contribute to disparities in preventative care. For example, the survey found that white women were more likely to have received a cervical cancer screening (81%), when compared to Black women (65%), Asian women (66%) and Hispanic women (68%). The survey also found that women with private insurance were more likely to receive a cervical cancer screening than women with Medicaid or without insurance.
This survey was released while patient advocacy organizations and non-profits are eagerly awaiting the outcome of Braidwood v. Becerra, a Federal District Court case that is expected to soon issue a decision determining the fate of the ACA’s preventative services coverage requirements. The Court already held that the preventative services mandate violates the U.S. Constitution but has not decided on the scope of the remedy. This survey demonstrates the urgent need to protect access to preventative care services to reduce unnecessary cost-barriers in access preventative care, which ultimately diminish consumer’s ability to treat serious conditions, like cancer, early on and increase their long-term health care costs.
The full survey results are available here. Read Aimed Alliance’s summary of Braidwood v. Becerra here.
Last Updated on February 8, 2023 by Aimed Alliance
