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Some Insurance Plans Come with Higher Patient Costs

... helped individuals with pre-existing conditions like cancer access comprehensive health insurance and afford their care. But the law is at risk of being dismantled. The risks of losing ACA protections are clear when you look at current plans that do not have to play by ACA rules. Short-term limited duration plans often ... or other unwelcomed surprises like excluding coverage for a cancer diagnosis as a ‘pre-existing condition.’ For patients with cancer, this can lead to astronomical costs and difficulty affording care. Brian has Stage II lymphoma. When he has a plan that does not include ACA ...

ACS CAN Testimony: $1.50 Per Pack Increase in D.C. Cigarette Tax to Save Lives, Cut Costs

Today, the Committee of the Whole in the Council of the District of Columbia will host a hearing where Committee members will consider, among others, a proposal to raise the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) has provided testimony to the Committee, citing the benefits that the proposal would bring to D.C., its residents and health care systems.   ... who smoke would quit 400 lives saved $540,000 in Medicaid program savings over the next five years $24.83 million in long-term health care cost savings from the smoking declines as a result of the tax increase “Over a quarter of all cancer deaths in D.C. are due to smoking,” said  ...

New Report: Cancer Survivors in New York Face High Costs of Care and Debt Years After Treatment

ALBANY , NY – DECEMBER 15, 2022 – The costs of being diagnosed with cancer last long after the diagnosis and initial treatment putting cancer survivors at increased risk for lifelong financial hardship, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). The report,  The Costs of Cancer Survivorship , examines several of the long-term expenses cancer survivors face in the years after they ... The report details several policies that should be enacted to help patients and survivors afford their care, including eliminating unexpected cost-sharing for cancer screenings and ensuring payment or financial products offered to patients to pay their medical bills are not predatory. In ...

Senate Finance Committee Proposes Capping Medicare Patients’ Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Costs in Drug Pricing Bill

Washington, D.C.—Today the Senate Finance Committee is marking up the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019, which includes a provision to cap Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket prescription drug costs in Medicare Part D, among several other proposed changes intended to bring down patient costs. ACS CAN will continue to evaluate proposed provisions in the package to determine potential impact on cancer patients and survivors. A statement from ... to provide some important financial relief to these patients. However, we have concerns that the $3,100 threshold may still be too high of a cost burden for those patients on a fixed income. We urge the Committee to consider those that are most impacted by these costs and adjust the cap ...

Health Plan Rule Change Could Increase Patient Costs

Washington, D.C.—The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week finalized the 2021 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, which sets the rules for health care plans in the coming year. Included in the rule is a provision that would ... people who qualify for zero-premium plans through the health exchange. A statement from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows: “Allowing health plans to choose to ignore co-pay coupons in calculating a person’s total out-of-pocket drug costs could ...

Robbinsdale Resident Addresses Cancer Care Costs in Congressional Briefing

Robbinsdale, MN – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) hosted a virtual Congressional briefing today featuring policy and advocacy experts that addressed details in ACS CAN’s newly released report , “The Costs of Cancer: 2020 Edition.” The briefing comes just one day before the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in California v. Texas to evaluate ... with pre-existing conditions including cancer. Speakers discussed the potential impact of the outcome of the case could influence health care cost and insurance coverage in the United States, as well as what Congress can do to ensure cancer patients have access to quality and affordable ...

New Poll Results on Cancer and Health Care Cost

... Patients Struggle to Afford the Care They Need Due to Gaps in the Health Care System A new American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network SM (ACS CAN) poll of families affected by cancer reveals that one in four people who have been diagnosed with cancer has delayed care in the past year due to costs, ... Access to Care community on the for those who wish to promote the poll in local media markets.    New Poll Results on Cancer and Health Care Cost ...

High Deductible Health Plans Cause Extreme Spikes in Cost

The Problem Most patients experience spikes in their health care costs around the time of a cancer diagnosis as they pay their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. For patients on high deductible plans, this spike can mean bills due for several thousands of dollars within one month. High deductibles often cause individuals to delay or forego care due to cost, which means it may take longer to get a cancer diagnosis and begin life-saving care. And the number of people enrolling in high deductible ...

ACS CAN Applauds Passage of Palliative Care Legislation

  COLUMBUS, Ohio–Dec. 6, 2018–The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) commends the Ohio legislature for passing legislation that will improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families through palliative care.   Rep. Sarah LaTourette introduced legislation in June 2017 after her father died of cancer. Through her firsthand experience, Rep. LaTourette saw the benefits of a coordinated palliative care program.   The legislation creates ...

Some Patients Lack Access to Lower-cost Drug Alternatives

The Problem Many cancer patients take multiple drugs as part of their treatment – often for many months or years. While drugs are not the only costly part of cancer treatment, finding ways to reduce these costs for patients and payers will significantly reduce the overall cost burden of cancer. Biosimilars and generics are lower cost alternative versions to some cancer drugs that may become available after the ... and her insurer nearly $75,000 over two years. If she had access to a biosimilar, those overall costs would have decreased by over 20%.  ACS CAN Fights for Solutions ACS CAN supports efforts to ensure biosimilar and generic drugs are available to patients either through prescription from ...

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