Cancer rates among nursing home residents vary by state

In 2023, Rhode Island recorded the highest percentage of skilled nursing facility residents on Medicare with one of six cancer types, according to CMS data cited by Becker’s Hospital Review. The state’s measure was 24%.

New Mexico had the lowest percentage at 15%. The figures reflect Medicare beneficiaries with cancer who were residing in skilled nursing facilities in 2023.

The six cancer types included in the CMS measure were breast, colorectal, endometrial, lung, prostate and urological cancer.

The state-level differences were relatively modest in many places, but the data still showed a spread from the mid-teens to the mid-20s. Several states clustered around 20% or 21%, while a smaller number were above 22%.

States at 22% included Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Massachusetts was slightly higher at 23%, placing it behind Rhode Island but above the other states listed at 22%.

A number of states and the District of Columbia came in at 21%, including the District of Columbia, Florida, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington. Nebraska also reported 21%.

At 20%, the list included Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland? No, Maryland was 22%, so it was not in this group. Other states at 20% were Indiana, Maine, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin. California, Iowa, Nevada and Vermont were not all in the same group; California was 18%, Iowa 19%, Nevada 18% and Vermont 20%.

States reporting 19% included Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and, in the data provided, several others in the same range such as Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Missouri, Montana and South Carolina. Kansas and Kentucky were listed at 20%, not 19%.

At 18%, the states were California, Mississippi, Nevada and Oklahoma. Louisiana reported 16%, while Wyoming reported 16% as well. Arkansas and Texas each reported 17%, and Utah also reported 17%.

The lowest rate in the dataset was New Mexico at 15%, with Louisiana and Wyoming just above it at 16%.

Here is the full list of percentages of Medicare beneficiaries with cancer residing in a skilled nursing facility in 2023 by state, according to CMS: Alabama 19%; Alaska 19%; Arizona 22%; Arkansas 17%; California 18%; Colorado 20%; Connecticut 22%; Delaware 20%; District of Columbia 21%; Florida 21%; Georgia 19%; Hawaii 22%; Idaho 20%; Illinois 22%; Indiana 20%; Iowa 19%; Kansas 20%; Kentucky 20%; Louisiana 16%; Maine 20%; Maryland 22%; Massachusetts 23%; Michigan 20%; Minnesota 22%; Mississippi 18%; Missouri 19%; Montana 19%; Nebraska 21%; Nevada 18%; New Hampshire 19%; New Jersey 22%; New Mexico 15%; New York 21%; North Carolina 21%; North Dakota 20%; Ohio 21%; Oklahoma 18%; Oregon 21%; Pennsylvania 22%; Rhode Island 24%; South Carolina 19%; South Dakota 20%; Tennessee 19%; Texas 17%; Utah 17%; Vermont 20%; Virginia 22%; Washington 21%; West Virginia 19%; Wisconsin 20%; Wyoming 16%.

Becker’s Hospital Review published the data as part of a post-acute care report. The article did not report additional methodology beyond citing CMS, and it did not provide further explanation for why the rates varied by state.

The piece appeared under the Post Acute category and presented the figures as a state-by-state snapshot of cancer prevalence among Medicare beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities in 2023.