2026 South Carolina Legislative Session 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 2026 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the South Carolina General Assembly on legislative and regulatory 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 advocated for low-income individuals and families to have access to health insurance coverage through state Medicaid programs. We supported policies that preserve funding and access to Medicaid for low-income parents and adults and advocated for full Medicaid expansion in South Carolina that includes increased eligibility up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Prescription Drug Coverage: ACS CAN partnered with The Palmetto Health Collective to educate lawmakers on an issue facing many cancer patients related to prescription drug payments.  ACS CAN asked the General Assembly to remove barriers for patients using copay assistance to pay for prescription drugs.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN advocated to maintain funding of $1 million for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program in South Carolina, the state’s breast and cervical cancer screening program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by South Carolina Department of Community Health.
• Colon Cancer Prevention Network: ACS CAN advocated to maintain funding of $2 million for the University of South Carolina Colon Cancer Prevention Network.  This program offers free colon cancer screenings to uninsured South Carolinians and connects the individual with follow-up care as needed.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: ACS CAN worked to increase funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs by asking the state of South Carolina to allocate funds received from the JUUL Settlement to The Department of Public Health to be spent according to CDC Best Practices for tobacco control ACS CAN also continued to advocate for $5 million in tax revenue to be allocated to the Department of Public Health Tobacco Control Unit.  Ultimately, both $5 million in tax revenue and approximately $1.57 million in JUUL Settlement funds will be dedicated to tobacco control at The Department of Health in FY 27.

For more information, contact: Beth Johnson, Regional 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 changes 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.