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Invited Commentary
February 23, 2022

Surgical Cancer Care for Dually Eligible Beneficiaries: Taking Care of America’s Vulnerable Patients

Author Affiliations
  • 1Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center, Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
  • 2Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
JAMA Surg. 2022;157(4):e217587. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2021.7587

Medicare-Medicaid enrollees represent a group of patients with complex health needs and socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Dually eligible (DE) patients qualify for Medicare through age (65 years or older) or disability and meet state-specific income and resource criteria as qualifications for Medicaid. Patients often have multiple chronic conditions or reside in long-term care, and a diagnosis such as cancer adds complexity in care coordination to already challenging circumstances. Unfortunately, after cancer surgery, DE patients often have worse outcomes, including increased complication rates and readmission.1,2

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