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New Report Highlights Cost Barriers Associated with Diagnostic Tests for Breast Cancer
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new report by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) found that over 70% of commercially-insured patients encountered out-of-pocket expenses for follow-up breast cancer diagnostic tests in 2023. ... MRI, ultrasound or biopsy, are medically recommended next steps to determine if an individual may or may not have cancer; however, barriers like cost can keep people from getting them. While screening mammograms are free to most insured women starting at age 40, follow-up testing often ...
Patient Groups Applaud Fifth Circuit Decision Protecting Access to No-Cost Preventive Services in Braidwood Management v. Becerra
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit partially reversed a district court decision that had invalidated key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra , finding cost-free preventive services could remain in place for the vast majority of individuals protected by the provisions . Under the Fifth Circuit's ... preventive services as their top policy priority, according to a February survey by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), compared to a similar survey in 2020 showing 37% of respondents prioritized the same issue. Following a series of joint amicus brief filings ...
600 Advocates Meet with Lawmakers at Annual ACS CAN Lobby Day
... 600 cancer patients, survivors, caretakers, volunteers and staff from across the country convened recently in Washington, DC for the annual ACS CAN Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. Constituents from all 50 states (plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam) and nearly every congressional district met with their lawmakers, urging Congress to support lifesaving policies ... asked their representatives to co-sponsor bipartisan legislation that would make palliative care more available to patients who need it. Remove cost barriers to colorectal cancer screenings . While the Affordable Care Act waives co-pays for screenings for colorectal cancer, Medicare ...
U.S. District Court Ruling Jeopardizes Access to Proven, Life-Saving Cancer Screenings
... District Court Judge Reed O’Connor issued a ruling that may lead Affordable Care Act-compliant health plans to deny coverage for or reinstate cost-sharing for certain preventive health services. The ruling declared the method of appointment of officers to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force unconstitutional, meaning its recommendations may no longer be guaranteed ... colorectal, cervical, and lung cancer. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “This ruling threatens to erode more than a decade of progress reducing cancer deaths and suffering. Having guaranteed, no-cost ...
In a Time When Early Cancer Detection is Needed, the House Passes a Bill That Does Not Prioritize Lifesaving Programs
We don’t have to tell you how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world; every one of you felt this in a deeply personal way. What you might not know is that a recent nationwide survey of cancer patients and those who recently ... cancer treatment revealed that nearly 1 in 3 have experienced delays or cancellations in their cancer-related care due to COVID-19. This can have a huge impact on the lives and wellbeing of cancer patients. But what about those living with cancer who don’t know it yet? It’s a ... exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), which has provided free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to millions of people who can’t afford them, aims to address this problem. But despite the urgent need ...
New Legislation in Congress Would Allow Increased Outreach to Improve Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings in Underserved Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 7, 2023 – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate introduced the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer ... screenings, follow-up, diagnosis and treatment to lower income, uninsured and underinsured women. The following is a statement from ACS CAN President, Lisa A. Lacasse: “We’re grateful for Senators Tammy Baldwin and Susan Collins as well as Representatives Joseph Morelle and ... good work by aggressively increasing investment in outreach to reach more eligible people who may not otherwise be screened. “The introduction of the SCREENS for Cancer Act is evident of the effectiveness of NBCCEDP through the decades, and is necessary to ensure continued access to vital ...
The Great Mammography Debate
... health plans to cover mammography screenings with no deductibles or co-payments. Offered by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), this measure was one of two mammogram amendments that the Senate voted on today. The second amendment, which was offered by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and would not ensure no-cost preventive services for women, was denied. This news signals forward motion for the ongoing health care debate and comes just one day after ... last month by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advising that routine mammograms were not required for women under the age of 50. ACS CAN strongly supports improving the process for determining recommendations for preventive services by making the U.S. Preventive Services Task ...
FY 18 Budget Prioritizes Medical Research and Cancer Prevention
Washington, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an FY 18 federal budget, which includes; a $3 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the largest such funding increase in 15 years; a $275 million increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI); a $10 million ... and early detection is essential to reducing cancer’s devastating effects. This includes ensuring those who are uninsured or underinsured can access recommended screenings, like those for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, and dedicated efforts to reduce tobacco use. “For years ...