2023 South Carolina Legislative 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 South Carolinians impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease.

In 2023 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the South Carolina Legislature in support of the following priorities:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Medicaid Expansion: ACS CAN continues to advocate for low-income individuals and families to have access to health insurance coverage through state Medicaid programs. We support policies that preserve funding and access to Medicaid for low-income parents and adults and will advocate for Medicaid expansion that will increase eligibility up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. ACS CAN is a leader of the CoverSC Coalition for Medicaid Expansion and continues to educate elected officials around the state.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: $ 1 million in state funding for the Best Chance Network was maintained to help provide uninsured and uninsured women in South Carolina with breast and cervical cancer exams.

• Colorectal Cancer: $1 million in state funding for the Center for Colon Cancer Prevention at the University of South Carolina was maintained. This funding provides colorectal cancer screening to uninsured South Carolinians.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: $5 million in state funding was maintained for the state health department’s tobacco prevention and control program. $5 million was also maintained for the Medical University of South Carolina Tobacco Research Department.

• Tobacco Local Control: The state passed a bill that will prevent local communities from enacting any local laws pertaining to flavored tobacco products or tobacco retail license. This will hurt the efforts of local communities and coalitions working to protect children from tobacco at the local level.

For more information, contact: Beth Johnson, South Carolina Government Relations Director ACS CAN [email protected] 843-858-2310