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Tax Bill Could Pose Problems for Cancer Patients; Cancer Research

... for developing so-called “orphan drugs”. The medical expense deduction allows people who itemize their taxes to subtract out-of-pocket health care expenses, like co-pays, transportation, lodging and other costs not covered by insurance from their taxes. Last year nearly 9 million taxpayers claimed the deduction, the majority of whom had incomes below $75,000. A 2016 study in Health Affairs reported a survey of cancer survivors that showed one-third go into debt and of those more than half incurred more than $10,000 in ...

Federal Action Approving Wave of Applications to Weaken Medicaid Programs Amid Pandemic and Recession Will Prove Deadly

... this waiver will likely result in a reduction in enrollment, limiting of benefits and services and other changes that will decrease access to care for some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable residents. In October 2020, CMS approved 1115 Research and Demonstration waivers for Georgia, ... objectives of the Medicaid program. Instead, amid a pandemic creating greater need for this program, these waivers erect additional barriers to health insurance coverage and lifesaving therapies critical to individuals and their families with lower incomes, including those with cancer, ... red tape to the enrollment and eligibility process and reduce funding for the program that will result in coverage losses and poorer health outcomes. It’s a move that’s not only irresponsible and contrary to the Medicaid statute, it could also be deadly to those who lose ...

Cancer Advocates Stage Day of Action to Call on Lawmakers to Protect Medicaid

... that slashing Medicaid will shorten cancer patients’ lives, and advocates in North Carolina won’t stand for it. “When I was dealing with health challenges, Medicaid gave me access to cancer screenings and diagnostic tests. And then, when I was facing a cancer diagnosis, Medicaid gave ... cannot stand the thought of that program not being available to people who truly need it like I did. Together with my friends, family, and health care team, we’re urging Sen. Thom Tillis to stand up for the health of North Carolinians and vote against cuts to Medicaid.” Medicaid is the ...

Cancer Survivors to New Jersey Lawmakers: ‘Put Patients First,’ Protect against Threats to Patient Access to Lifesaving Medication

... it is to ensure patient accessibility to lifesaving medication and predictability around their payments.   She said, “Even I, being a health care employee and financially stable, have forgone or delayed care because of the high costs. What about all the patients who can’t afford to pay ... advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in ...

Advocates pen reminder to Speaker Paul Ryan, published in local paper

... David and Kari Reilly shared with us a letter they submitted to the Janesville Gazette newspaper, describing the importance of reliable health insurance for their family. It reads: "Insurance coverage and patient protections are crucial to our family. David was diagnosed with and ... We’ve been waiting for three years. "In February, we had an opportunity to meet Speaker Paul Ryan to talk about the future of the Affordable Care Act.  We explained how our family can’t afford for David to be excluded from health insurance because of a pre-existing condition and how we worry about lifetime or annual caps. It’s critical that we not face any gaps in ...

Amicus Brief Filed in Medicaid Expansion Lawsuit

Statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Government Relations Director Emily Kalmer Jefferson City, MO -  “ Health and patient advocacy groups filed an amicus curiae (or friend-of-the-court) brief today in the Missouri Supreme Court, noting the vital role ... by expanding Medicaid is truly lifesaving. Tomorrow, Oklahoma will join 36 other states to ensure more low-income individuals have access to health insurance.  The majority of voters expected Missouri to do the same.”     ### About ACS CAN at 20  The American Cancer Society Cancer ... affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and made workplaces, including restaurants and bars, smoke-free. As we mark our 20th anniversary, we’re more determined than ever to stand ...

Hundreds of Cancer Patients, Survivors to Congress: Make Cancer a National Priority

... against cancer a national priority. Their priorities this year include an increase in federal research funding at the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute, increased funding for cancer prevention programs through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making the additional subsidies to purchase health coverage on the ACA health insurance exchanges permanent, and streamlining the approval process for new breakthrough cancer detection tools ... qualify. Many people put off their cancer screenings during the pandemic either from fear of catching the virus, difficulty accessing medical care or from pandemic-related changes to insurance coverage. As such, the backlog of people who need these tests will place a new burden on this ...

Join Our Fight to Expand Coverage for over 200,000 Oklahomans - Vote YES on SQ 802 on June 30

Vote YES on SQ 802 Bring Federal Tax Dollars Back to Oklahoma and Expand Health Care for over 200,000 Oklahomans   This June 30, 2020 Oklahoma voters will have an opportunity vote on State Question 802 . SQ 802 will provide an opportunity for  low-income adults and families access to affordable and comprehensive health care coverage through Medicaid expansion.  SQ802 is critical in the fight against cancer . For the 20,530 Oklahomans who will be diagnosed ...

New Reports Show Frequent Use of Utilization Management Tools Imposed on Cancer Patients and Survivors  

... Advantage plans with drug coverage. The analysis for the reports was conducted for ACS CAN by the consulting firm Avalere, part of Avalere Health.  Recent changes in the Medicare program could place pressure on private plans in Medicare to implement strategies aimed at controlling ... at a drug that may not be an effective option for them. Overall, the report highlights the importance of plans balancing increasing costs of care with maintaining appropriate and efficient access to medications.   Given an individual’s cancer risk increases with age, Medicare plays a ... individuals living in the U.S. are projected to be diagnosed with cancer, half of whom rely on the Medicare program as their primary source of health care coverage.     0  Two New White Papers Examine the Use of Step Therapy and Prior Authorization Requirements in the Medicare Program ...

Statement on the Death of Supreme Court Justice and Equal Rights Champion Ruth Bader Ginsburg

... with various forms of cancer including colon, lung and the recurrent pancreatic cancer that eventually claimed her life. However, her personal health history and active survivorship made her an inspiration for many patients and survivors and helped inform her deep commitment to public health policy. “Justice Ginsburg was one of six justices to uphold the Affordable Care Act, which has given cancer patients and survivors critical access to comprehensive health coverage, including cancer prevention, screening ...

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