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Massachusetts Outshines California When It Comes to Protecting Kids from Tobacco Addiction; Gov. Baker Signs New Law, Making MA First State in the Nation to Prohibit Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products

Los Angeles, Calif -  California Missed Chance Earlier this Year; City of Los Angeles has Opportunity to Make Up Lost Ground in Two Weeks or Will it Give Big Tobacco an Early Christmas Present? California is once again leaving kids vulnerable to the lure of flavored tobacco products while Massachusetts becomes the leader in addressing the current youth e-cigarette epidemic, now one of the nation’s ... flavored tobacco products in the Commonwealth, including menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, hookah and cigars.  The following can be attributed to Jim Knox, Managing Director American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) California: “While the California ...

Legislation Would Close Medicare Colorectal Cancer Screening Loophole

WASHINGTON, D.C – March 1, 2017 – Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate would help eliminate cost as a barrier for seniors on Medicare trying to access lifesaving colorectal cancer screenings. The “Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer ... Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine). Colonoscopies are proven to prevent colon cancer and save lives, but any cost-sharing can deter people from getting screened. Currently, Medicare covers the full cost of routine screening colonoscopies. However, if a polyp is found ...

Prescription Drug Pricing Transparency

The Problem The process of finding out if a healthcare plan will cover a specific type of medication is a daunting one.  The process of finding out how much the monthly out-of-pocket cost would be to the patient when choosing a new healthcare plan can be an impossible one. For a cancer patient, buying a health plan that covers the drugs they need at a cost they can afford has a direct impact ...

Proposed Law to Save Cancer Patients Money, Improve Access to Care Passes Utah State Senate

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – FEBRUARY 16, 2023 – The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds state senators for passing SB184, Prescription Cost Amendments, this week. The proposed law aims to address the high cost of prescription drugs Utah.   Cancer patients and many Utahns with chronic conditions face hardship when faced with medical bills, including ...

Proposed Tobacco Tax Increase Will Save Lives and Save Dollars for Mainers

AUGUSTA – January 28, 2025 – Ahead of this evening’s State of the Budget address, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) calls on lawmakers to prioritize public health by supporting ...

Bill Would Close Medicare Colorectal Cancer Screening Loophole

Washington, D.C.—A bill before Congress would guarantee Medicare recipients can access life-saving colorectal cancer screenings without cost-sharing. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and throughout the month, ACS ... cancer and save lives, but evidence shows any cost sharing can deter people from getting screened. Currently, Medicare covers the full cost of routine screening colonoscopies. However, if a polyp is found and removed during a screening colonoscopy, individuals who have benefits through ...

NC Cancer Treatment Fairness Act

... must provide the coverage for oral chemotherapies on a basis no less favorable than coverage for IV treatment, including patients’ out of pocket (OOP) costs.  Chemotherapy is a critical component of cancer treatment, however many insurance plans cover intravenous (IV) ... oral chemotherapies, a pharmacy benefit. This historical distinction in plan benefits preceded the development of oral chemotherapies.  The cost disparity between oral cancer medications and IV medications creates a significant barrier for cancer patients to access essential life saving ... targeted agents that attack only the cancer cells.  Patients receiving these oral treatments often experience fewer severe side effects, they can avoid burdensome medical visits, and they and their caretaker can avoid missing time from work.    Benefits of Oral Anti-cancer Products to ...

Cancer Advocates Call on Legislature to Invest in Measures to Combat Tobacco Use

FRANKFORT, KY – Yesterday, the Senate passed its version of the state’s operating budget, which drastically underfunds programs that help prevent kids from starting to use tobacco products, including ... use, the number one cause of preventable death nationwide and is responsible for 37.2% of cancer deaths in Kentucky.  The following statement can be attributed to Doug Hogan, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Kentucky government relations direct or:  “American Cancer ... to invest $10 million annually in fact-based programs that address tobacco use, including the use of e-cigarettes. Smoking is estimated to cost Kentucky $2.23 billion in direct health care costs, including $634 million in Medicaid costs annually. Additionally, smoking costs the state ...

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on a legislative package aimed at protecting and improving access to affordable health care and prescription ... this package would stop an administration 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, like prescription ... Act of 2019 as a way to address an important barrier to developing generic and biosimilar drug therapies and improve patient access to lower cost drugs. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN follows: “The bills under consideration today offer Congress the chance to ...

New Study Reveals Popular Federal Employee Health Plan a Good Starting Point to Determine Minimum Benefits Coverage

... for defining minimum coverage benefits in health care reform legislation. Authored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, “A Benchmark for Coverage: How the FEHBP Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard Option Plan Covers Medical Care for Patients with Serious Chronic Conditions” examines the adequacy and affordability of coverage held by most federal employees to people with cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) ... plan brochure for clarity and ease of understanding. The report finds that benefits covered under the BCBSSO plan are comprehensive, and that cost sharing for routine care is modest. However, out-of-pocket costs for patients with a serious illness are substantial, totaling $5,000 per year ...

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