2022 Delaware Session Summary

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Delaware residents touched by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2022, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the Delaware General Assembly in support of the following priorities:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Co-Pay Accumulator: ACS CAN successfully advocated for legislation, SB 267, to remove barriers to copay assistance by requiring all payments made by patients—directly or on their behalf - be counted toward their overall out-of-pocket maximum payment or deductible. Requiring health insurance carriers to do so will protect cancer patients from surprise bills and treatment delays as well as allowing individuals to utilize the full benefit of co-pay assistance programs. This legislation is awaiting the Governor’s action.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN successfully maintained funding for Delaware’s Screening for Life program, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Delaware Department of Health.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Premium Cigar Tax Reduction: After a 2-year effort, ACS CAN successfully defeated SB 131 w/SA 1, in which, sought to create a separate category for premium cigars where none exists and lowers the tax on these products from their current rate of 30% to 15%.
• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: ACS CAN successfully advocated for the Delaware Health Fund’s recommendations for a $1.9 million increase to funding for evidence-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs which currently is funded at $7.1 million. This funding increase to $9 million would bring Delaware’s funding for tobacco control programs to over 60% of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended guidelines.

For more information, contact: Jocelyn Collins, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, DC Government Relations Director, ACS CAN 

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-254-0072 (cell)

ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, please visit www.fightcancer.org.