Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) transformed the US healthcare system, expanding healthcare insurance coverage. However, its impact on rare malignancies that lack an established screening strategy such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains ill-defined.

Patients diagnosed with ICC were identified from the National Cancer Database and divided relative to ACA implementation. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate association with stage at diagnosis, receipt of surgical and multimodal treatments, and survival.

Among the 9095 patients, 5636 (62.0%) were diagnosed before and 3459 (38.0%) after the implementation of the ACA. Across US regions, rates of early-stage diagnosis increased in the post-ACA era (Northeast, 62.9% vs. 85.2%; South, 63.7% vs. 78.5%; Midwest, 62.1% vs. 83.4%; West, 55.5% vs. 75.4%; p < 0.001). On multivariate analyses, the post-ACA era was associated with increased early-stage diagnosis (OR = 2.19; 95% CI 1.79–2.69), and receipt of surgical treatment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.03–1.38) (both p < 0.01). Furthermore, the ACA’s Medicaid expansion (ME) was also associated with improved overall survival (HR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.80–0.99, p = 0.038). Of note, although the odds of receiving surgical treatment increased after ACA for non-Hispanic White patients (OR = 1.34; 95% CI 1.20–1.49; p < 0.001), no such effect was observed in non-Hispanic Black (OR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.71–1.45), Hispanic (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 0.99–2.09), or others (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.98–2.10) (all p > 0.05).

The implementation of the ACA increased rates of early diagnosis and receipt of surgical treatment. Additionally, ME improved short- and long-term outcomes. However, racial and socioeconomic disparities persist, resulting in inequitable access to care and outcomes for patients with ICC.