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Topeka, Kansas – The Kansas legislature left Topeka Wednesday without adequately addressing several critical issues affecting access to health care for tens of thousands of Kansans, particularly those in need of cancer screening and treatment. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action ... be suspended. Whether it is freezing changes to Medicaid and with it access to cutting-edge screening and treatments, increasing availability of health plans that often deny coverage of essential health benefits or charge higher premiums to individuals with pre-existing conditions such as ...

Washington, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives is set to pass legislation today that would increase access to health coverage for millions of Americans, including cancer patients and survivors, as part of its pandemic relief package. The bill increases the generosity of subsidies to cover the costs of marketplace health plans—including offering subsides to those who are receiving unemployment benefits—offers financial support to cover the bulk of premium costs for laid off workers who choose to keep their employer-sponsored health care plans and boosts the federal reimbursement for states to expand their Medicaid programs. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the ...

Cancer patients and those who’ve recently completed treatment are finding it challenging to get necessary health care in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and many are experiencing financial stress trying to afford care in an increasingly difficult economic ... services to determine if a patient’s cancer had grown or returned (20%); access to supportive services, including physical therapy or mental health care (20%); and access to surgical procedures (8%). Among just the respondents who remain in active treatment, more than a quarter (27%) ...

... can be Attributed to Leo Almeida, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) government relations director: “To improve access to care for those who hear the words 'you have cancer,' ACS CAN calls on the legislature to increase access to biomarker testing, a game changer in the fight against cancer and an essential step in accessing precision medicine treatments by ensuring state-regulated health insurance, including Medicaid, covers appropriate biomarker testing for patients who could benefit. Dubbed ‘the right treatment at the right time,’ precision medicine has played a critical role in improving cancer outcomes. Despite its benefits, health insurance coverage of biomarker testing has not kept pace with innovations in treatment and testing.  “To further improve access to care ...