Patients in the first three stages of colon cancer residing in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act were more likely to receive primary surgical treatment within 30 days compared with their counterparts in non-expansion states, while those in the final stage were more likely to receive palliative care to enhance their quality of life. The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, also showed states that expanded Medicaid had higher stage 1 colon cancer diagnosis, fewer urgent cases and more minimally invasive surgery than states that did not expand Medicaid.