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Featured Op-Ed: Access to insurance, patient protections is matter of life and death

... manage ongoing health complications. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, cancer survivors like myself cannot be denied health insurance because of our pre-existing condition: a cancer diagnosis. We cannot be dropped from our health insurance if we get sick again. And we don’t have to ... in place prior to the ACA. I am deeply concerned about what will happen to myself and my family if this protection is yanked away and insurers can again impose limits on health coverage. My health care would likely disappear and if my tumors grow again or I develop a new cancer, it would ... of Americans who have enrolled in coverage. It’s provided countless others like myself peace of mind with patient protections, low- or no-cost cancer screenings and subsidies to offset the cost of our health care. If Congress changes the current law without ensuring that health ...

Majority of voters support protecting health coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions

A majority of voters from across the political spectrum believe every American deserves access to quality, affordable health coverage, regardless of their health status or pre-existing condition, according to a new ACS CAN poll. Nearly 7 in 10 voters said that patients with pre-existing conditions should not be charged more for their health care coverage and ...

ACS CAN Says Cancer Should be a Top Priority for Supercommittee

WASHINGTON – September 13, 2011 – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is calling on the deficit "supercommittee" to make cancer a top priority during negotiations over a deficit reduction package. ACS CAN President Christopher W. Hansen sent a letter today to the 12 members of the supercommittee and other members of Congress calling on them to help to ensure additional progress in the fight against cancer, which kills 1,500 people in America each day. "When ...

2025 is the Time to Reduce the Burden of Cancer on South Carolinians

COLUMBIA, S.C. – As the 2025 legislative session begins Tuesday, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges lawmakers to support policies that will reduce the cancer burden in the Palmetto State. ACS CAN South Carolina Government Relations ... state’s challenges when it comes to cancer care, including prevention and early detection. More than 450,000 South Carolinians , the majority of whom are working, don’t have health insurance and lack access to lifesaving care. “Too many South Carolinians are caught between paying for ... at more than double the national rate . “Around 35,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in South Carolina each year, with nearly one-third of those people dying from the disease. These numbers can go down when lawmakers take clear, proven steps to address the issue. ACS CAN looks ...

Bill Introduced in US House of Representatives Extends Medicaid Coverage in US Territories

... the US territories is set to expire September 30, 2021, if action is not taken.   The following is a statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN):  “For individuals facing a cancer diagnosis without access to quality, affordable health coverage, insurance coverage through Medicaid ... with cancer at a later stage when the disease is more costly to treat and survival less likely. We look forward to working with Members of Congress to extend funding for this lifesaving program. Doing so is critical to reducing health disparities, especially cancer disparities, ...

Patient Advocates Applaud NYC Program Alleviating Burden of Medical Debt for Half a Million, Look to State to Continue Progress

NEW YORK, NY—TUESDAY, JANUARY 23— The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) joins patient advocates and public health organizations across the state in applauding NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ announcement that the city will invest $18 million in an effort to erase the medical debt of as many as 500,000 New Yorkers. Medical debt impacts many people with cancer, their caregivers and their families. In a 2022 national survey of cancer patients and survivors on their experiences with and concerns around medical debt associated with the cost of cancer, 73% reported concern over their ability to pay current or future costs of their care, and 70% noted their worry about incurring ...

Kudos to Gov. Wolf and lawmakers for helping thousands of Pennsylvania cancer patients

The following was originally published in Patriot-News on November 8, 2022   Every cancer diagnosis is complex. While translation of scientific discovery into clinical practice is a reality that has led to declines in cancer mortality, not all populations benefit equally, and ... known as “fail-first,” requires patients to first prove they cannot use a similar, less expensive medication before insurance will cover the cost of the drug their doctor prescribed. This is of concern as the fail-first approach can significantly undermine the oncology team’s ability to most effectively treat cancer and can also negatively impact quality of life. In ...

The state Legislature can help New Yorkers fight cancer. Here's how.

The following was originally published in the Albany Times Union on March 21, 2024.   Over the past 30 years, the risk of dying from cancer has steadily declined. This trend can partially be explained by declines in smoking rates, progress in early cancer detection and advances in research and treatment.  Cancer ... including intermittent leave, into the budget, as outlined in legislation (A4053A/S2821A) currently in committee. Finally, the long-term cost of fighting cancer may weigh on patients for years in the form of medical debt. A recent survey showed that roughly half of cancer survivors ...

Guest Blog - Improving Patient Education and Access: How Can We Better Leverage Advances in Cancer Diagnostics and Treatment

Investment in research has led to advances in detection and treatment of cancer that are leading to earlier and more accurate diagnoses and more targeted treatments that often carry less side effects. I’m so pleased ... therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment by providing effective drugs that often have far fewer side effects.  However, before a decision can be made on the right course of treatment, a physician must first understand the unique characteristics of the tumor and, how a patient’s own ... quality of life significantly and even extend it by identifying the appropriate treatment earlier. Targeted sequencing is able to balance the cost and utility by sequencing just the specific mutations that have targeted treatments associated with them, giving doctors the right amount of ...

ACS CAN Volunteers Rally to Tell Congress that Affordable Cancer Care is Past Due

For ACS CAN volunteers nationwide, the past week has been packed with action – and with negotiations on an upcoming legislative package underway in ... volunteers gathered at a local dairy farm to share their personal stories about being unable to afford cancer care and the incredibly high cost of prescription drugs for cancer survivors. In New York City, ACS CAN volunteers rallied outside of Senator Chuck Schumer’s office to urge the ...

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