Social Justice and Advanced Cancer Patients: an Analysis of Key Policies

Purpose This policy analysis examines key aspects of two policies fundamental to work with terminal cancer patients: the Medicare Hospice Benefit and Medicare policy in palliative care. End-of-life care, affected by these policies, should address physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering for all...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of policy practice and research (Online) 2020-06, Vol.1 (1-2), p.37-54
Main Authors: Marmo, Suzanne, Lane, Shannon R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Americans
Cancer
Cancer therapies
Community and Environmental Psychology
Equality
Fairness
Health care access
Health care policy
Hispanic Americans
Hospice care
Illnesses
Insurance coverage
Medicare
Minority & ethnic groups
Mortality
Original Paper
Palliative care
Patients
Policy analysis
Poverty
Preventive medicine
Public policy
Social justice
Social Policy
Social Sciences
Social Work
Socioeconomic status
Symptom management
Terminal illnesses
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Summary:Purpose This policy analysis examines key aspects of two policies fundamental to work with terminal cancer patients: the Medicare Hospice Benefit and Medicare policy in palliative care. End-of-life care, affected by these policies, should address physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering for all vulnerable groups. Methods Using Gilbert and Terrell’s framework, social allocations, social provisions, service delivery, and financing are examined to better understand each policy’s effects on equality, equity, and adequacy for terminally ill cancer patients. Results In practice, each has substantially socially unjust effects for cancer patients. Disproportionate advantages result for those who are white, have family caregiving support systems, those with higher socioeconomic status, and individuals with stable insurance coverage. Conclusion The Medicare Hospice Benefit and Medicare coverage for palliative care need to be better understood by policy practitioners and all practitioners in health care settings. Advocacy can contribute to improved equity in end-of-life cancer care.
ISSN:2662-1517
2662-1517
DOI:10.1007/s42972-020-00003-0