2025 South Carolina Legislative Summary

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expanding access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of South Carolinians touched by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease.

In 2025 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the South Carolina General Assembly on legislative efforts that addressed disruption in cancer care and screenings; provide affordable, adequate access to healthcare insurance including Medicaid; as well appropriations funding for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention policies that help people that use tobacco products quit and deter kids from ever using tobacco products. We made the following evidence-based policies a priority and ask for your support:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Medicaid Expansion: ACS CAN is a member of CoverSC, a Medicaid expansion coalition advocating for low-income individuals and families to have access to health insurance coverage through state Medicaid programs. We advocated for Medicaid expansion for all individuals up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.  Through our partnership with CoverSC we held a press conference at the SC and held several meetings with legislators to educate them on the need for the expansion of Medicaid.

• Medication Access: ACS CAN worked with the Palmetto Health Collective coalition on legislation that ensures prior authorization and step therapy requirements for prescription drugs are clear, efficient and patient-friendly while also allowing for exceptions when appropriate.  We also testified in support of eliminating co-pay accumulators and allowing patients to use all patient assistance programs to assist with the cost of prescription drugs.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN advocated to maintain funding of $1 million for the Best Chance Network, the state breast and cervical cancer screening program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the SC Department of Public Health.

• Colorectal Cancer: ACS CAN advocated to maintain $2 million in funding for colorectal cancer screening, treatment, and patient navigation programs.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Taxes: ACS CAN advocate against lowering the tax on heated tobacco products and will continue to monitor legislation to lower any tax on tobacco products.

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: ACS CAN advocated to increase funding for evidence-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs to a minimum $5 million.  ACS CAN advocated all funds from the JUUL settlement be used for tobacco prevention and cessation programs administered by SmokeFree SC.

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

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.