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Victory for cancer patients: US House passes health care reform
If you were flipping the channels on Saturday night and accidentally passed by C-Span, you missed an important vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.ξ At 10:57 p.m. EST, the House passed health care reform with 220 votes, including one Republican. This vote was a victory for cancer patients.ξ Thanks to the great support of our volunteers over the past two years, ACS CAN was able to get many key provisions included in the bill.ξ They included: Refocusing the system to emphasize prevention Ending the practice of denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions Limiting the cost burden on families by providing care that covers more and costs less Emphasizing patientsÈ quality of life "If enacted, this bill could ...
Association Health Plan Rule Likely to Divide Insurance Market; Strip Patient Protections
Today the Department of Labor issued final rules governing the creation of association health plans (AHP). Under the rule, AHPs would be exempt from current benefit and cost-sharing requirements. Such plans could, for example, exclude coverage for prescription drugs or other essential health benefits, cap coverage ... could have the same effect as considering someone’s health history. A statement from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “This rule will seriously erode the availability of affordable comprehensive coverage in most states’ individual and small group ...
Congress Introduces PSA Screening for HIM Act
... for HIM Act, which would require insurance companies to cover prostate cancer screenings for those at high risk for the disease without out-of-pocket costs. By removing cost barriers for individuals, more people at high risk can receive the necessary screenings to detect prostate cancer in its earliest stages, often before any symptoms of the disease are present. ...
Bipartisan Legislation Would Make It Easier for All Patients to Participate in Clinical Trials
... changes to policy are beneficial to both patients and researchers because they would expand socioeconomic, geographic, and racial diversity of trial participants. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “ACS CAN is committed to not only increasing patient participation in clinical trials but also ensuring diversification of trial ...
New Legislation Would Make It Easier for Patients to Participate in Clinical Trials
... New federal legislation that would make it easier for all cancer patients to participate in clinical trials was introduced today in the House of Representatives. Sponsored by U.S. Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and August Pfluger (R-Texas), the Clinical Trial Modernization Act would help remove cost and geographic hurdles that prevent patients from participating in clinical trials. The legislation would enable clinical trial sponsors to ... incomes, people who live in rural areas and certain racial and ethnic groups. According to an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey, 79% of cancer patients and survivors indicated they would be more likely to enroll in a clinical trial if sponsors supported them ...
House Committee to Vote On Bills to Stop Harmful Insurance Rule Changes; Preserve Pre-Existing Condition Protections
Washington, D.C.—Today the House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to approve a series of bills that would reverse harmful insurance rule changes, including the expansion of short-term limited duration insurance (STLD) plans, help lower out of pocket costs for consumers, and protect access to health care for people ... generic and biosimilar drug therapies. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “We commend the committee for moving forward with measures upholding critical patient protections under the health care law, ...
Administration Budget Risks Reversing Progress Against Cancer
... D.C. – The administration released its FY20 budget today including a $4.7 billion cut for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) including a nearly $900 million cut for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The budget also reduces funding by $34.5 million for ... included is a $50 million increase to childhood cancer research funding, a cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs in Medicare, eliminating cost-sharing for generic drugs for some low-income Medicare beneficiaries and a user fee to help fund the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ... regulatory work around electronic cigarettes. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: Research “If passed, the proposed cut to NIH and NCI funding would squander years of renewed momentum and progress in advancing ...
An Important Vote
With passage of a bill in the Senate Finance Committee, cancer patients and those impacted by cancer are one step closer to seeing meaningful health care reform. ACS CAN has worked hard to ensure that many of our key policy principles are included in this legislation. The bill that passed today takes important steps to remove cost barriers by: Ending arbitrary annual and lifetime caps on benefits Reducing or eliminating co-pays for preventive services including ...
New CBO Score Projects 14 Million Americans Will Lose Health Coverage in 2018 Under House-Passed Health Care Bill
Washington, D.C., —Today the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its updated assessment of the House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA) – estimating the number of Americans who would likely lose health insurance as compared to current law, as well as the possible cost changes for those who maintain coverage. The CBO projects that under the House-approved legislation the number of uninsured will increase by ... of lower income Americans will be stripped of their Medicaid coverage. A statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) President Chris Hansen follows: “Today’s updated CBO analysis confirms the American Health Care Act is a step back for millions of ...
Nearly 1 in 2 Patients with Medical Debt Feel “Trapped”, New Poll from Leading Healthcare Orgs Finds
... are counting on lawmakers to solve the medical debt crisis. U.S. adults say it is past time for federal and state policymakers to act. Over 90% of U.S. adults agree that elected officials should pass policies that protect people with serious illnesses like cancer from medical debt and ... who are more likely to face ongoing treatment with hefty price tags. More than six in 10 U.S. adults say they would be unable to afford the cost of cancer if they were diagnosed tomorrow. “Cancer patients continue to suffer from a significant financial toll. The high cost of cancer care often continues for not only months but even years, which can result in substantial medical debt,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “No one ...