Access to cancer care for undocumented immigrants in the USA

Abstract

Undocumented immigrants face substantial barriers to affordable health-care coverage in the USA. For people with cancer, federal restrictions on publicly funded health insurance pose serious downstream consequences, including delayed diagnosis, scarce treatment options, and worse health outcomes. In this Policy Review, we examine mechanisms through which undocumented immigrants access cancer care in the USA, focusing on Emergency Medicaid, Medicaid-equivalent plans, and Marketplace-based strategies. We evaluate the strengths and limitations of these approaches, highlighting how each can shape access to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. We offer insights in regard to the 2025 US presidential administration for states that seek to protect or expand access to cancer care for undocumented immigrants in a challenging sociopolitical climate. The goal of this Policy Review is to guide the creation of innovative policy solutions to mitigate geographical disparities in the hope of improving cancer outcomes for this underserved population.