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Making Our Voices Heard in Washington

... priority!  Advocates went to meetings on Capitol Hill to ask lawmakers to improve access to palliative care that improves patients’ quality of life, ensure seniors don’t face cost barriers to lifesaving colon cancer screenings, and increase federal investments in cancer research and prevention programs. But you don't need to fly to Washington to ask politicians where they stand on issues important to cancer patients and their families.   Through ACS CAN's non-partisan Cancer Votes program , volunteers just like you are helping to make cancer an election issue here in the Granite State. Can we ...

More Than 100 Patient and Health Care Professional Groups Express Support for Bill that Would Make It Easier for Patients to Participate in Clinical Trials

WASHINGTON, DC – August 18, 2025 – More than 100 organizations representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and health care professionals sent a letter to Congress expressing their strong support for the Clinical ... in the House of Representatives in May 2025 by Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and August Pfluger (R-FL), the bipartisan legislation would help remove cost and geographic barriers to patient participation in clinical trials. Clinical trials are key to advancing new standards of care that can improve survival and quality of life for people with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Yet, out-of-pocket costs associated with trial ...

House Votes on Legislative Package to Improve Access to Affordable Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on a legislative package containing provisions aimed at improving access to affordable health care, ... The package would also rescind the rule that extends the availability of short-term, limited duration insurance plans (STLD). These plans can deny or charge people more for coverage based on their health status, are exempt from covering essential health services, and can charge older ... misleading marketing tactics. The report’s findings mirror similar results from an ACS CAN report issued last year that showed STLD plans can cost cancer patients up to five times as much in out-of-pocket costs as a comprehensive plan. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the ...

House Committee Focuses on Public Health with Increased Tobacco Tax, Greater Access to Affordable Health Care

... in states that have not expanded Medicaid, make permanent increased tax credits for marketplace coverage, and cap Medicare enrollees’ out-of-pocket drug costs. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “This bill is a great step toward improving our nation’s public health and reducing our cancer burden. Increasing tobacco taxes ...

Proposed Short-Term Health Plan Rule Would Weaken Patient Protections and Split Insurance Market

Washington, D.C.— Today the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on proposed changes to rules governing short-term, limited duration ... plans are only available for up to 3 months, and are intended to fill brief gaps in coverage. The proposed rule would extend the availability of these plans up to 364 days and provide an option for indefinite renewal – allowing them to function like permanent health insurance without ...

Lawmakers Rally with Patient Advocates to Improve Access to Biomarker Testing, Highlight Personal Connections to Disease

HARRISBURG, PA – November 14, 2023 – Earlier today, the legislative sponsors of Senate Bill 954 and House Bill 1754 joined patient advocates, cancer survivors and medical leaders at the state Capitol and urged their ... testing. Biomarker testing has become a game-changing part of patient care given its role in opening the door to targeted treatments that can lead to improved survivorship and quality of life. Senate Bill 954 and House Bill 1754 represent a bipartisan proposal to ensure comprehensive ... of cancer or other serious illness.” The statement continues, “Sadly, access to testing has been limited by an all-too-common barrier: cost. By requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of biomarker testing, this bill would open doors to precision medicine that otherwise ...

100 Cancer Survivors, Caregivers Urge Lawmakers to Improve Access to Care, Tobacco Prevention

... Capitol today and called on the Legislature to prioritize the 57,600 Michiganders who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2017. The visit was part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s annual Day at the Capitol, which brought cancer advocates together to urge lawmakers to 1) ... nationwide, but we still haven’t fully implemented proven ways to prevent the disease in the first place,” said Phil Moilanen, a lead ACS CAN volunteer from Jackson. “More than 21,000 Michiganders will still lose their lives to cancer in 2017 alone. We’re here today to ask lawmakers to help cancer patients better access lifesaving treatment options and screenings and to confront one of the leading causes of premature death in our state – tobacco use.” Specifically, ACS CAN volunteers asked lawmakers to: Improve access to ...

Virginia Becomes 33rd State to Increase Access to Health Coverage through Medicaid

... state, in addition to Washington, D.C., to accept federal funding to provide health insurance coverage to adults earning less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level—just under $17,000 a year for a single adult. As part of the expansion, Virginia will require Medicaid recipients attend school, work, partake in job training or engage in some kind of community ... challenges to cancer patients and survivors. A statement from Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “By signing this budget into law Gov. Northam and the Virginia Legislature made clear their desire to expand access to health care ...

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock Receives National Distinguished Advocacy Award for Championing Lifesaving Cancer Public Policy

... the National Distinguished Advocacy Award today, the most prestigious award presented by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), in recognition of his significant contributions to the fight against cancer, including his efforts to enact a federal solution to the Medicaid coverage gap.   ACS CAN, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, presents the annual award to select lawmakers who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the area of cancer-related ...

State Senate Committee Votes to Increase Access to Innovative Testing and Lifesaving Treatments

... evening to advance a bill that would increase access to biomarker testing, a critical step in accessing precision medicine treatments that can lead to fewer side effects, improved survival, better quality of life and potentially lower costs for cancer patients.  Senate Bill 912 would ensure comprehensive biomarker testing is covered by more ... medical centers are less likely to receive recommended biomarker testing. “We urge the legislature to pass this bill to help dismantle cost barriers and bring the promise of precision medicine to more cancer patients, regardless of their income, race or zip code,” said Autumn J. ...

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