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 Washington, D.C. – May 13, 2010 – “The South Carolina state legislature today took a major step to save lives and protect public health by overriding Governor Mark Sanford’s May 11 veto and passing a 50-cent tobacco tax increase. South Carolina has long held the rank of the ... at seven cents and had not passed an increase since 1977. Today’s historic victory is a testament to the decade-long persistence of public health advocates in South Carolina who made the case that raising tobacco taxes is a proven method to protect public health by reducing smoking and ... remains the nation’s number one cause of preventable death, killing more than 400,000 Americans and costing $96 billion in direct health care costs each year." ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and ...

... are alarmed that Gov. Kevin Stitt released his SoonerCare 2.0 waiver application while Oklahoma, and the world, grapples with a serious global health crisis. We urge the application be withdrawn immediately. “COVID-19 is a serious threat to Oklahoma’s public and economic health. Starting the 30-day public comment period on SoonerCare 2.0, which if implemented in its current form could trigger grave consequences for ... of public emergency — such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. “The waiver application would implement several measures that are barriers to care: cost-sharing provisions, an emergency room penalty fee and work requirements. Public health groups disagree with these waivers for good ...

... “As our nation contends with the COVID-19 pandemic, incurring devastating human and economic losses, our organizations remain focused on health care solutions that will protect our most vulnerable populations. Untold insecurities weigh heavily on many Oklahomans, and on June 30, voters can ease some of that worry by voting ‘yes’ on State Question 802. “Voting ‘yes’ on State Question 802 will make health insurance through Medicaid accessible to more Oklahomans in the event they should need it – such as sudden loss of employment and, ...

Washington, D.C.  – Today the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). The bipartisan bill would increase federal research funding for palliative care, including symptom and pain management, and would establish palliative care education and training programs for doctors, nurses and other health professionals. It would also create a national public education and awareness campaign to educate patients and providers about the ... pain management. We believe the PCHETA legislation will greatly aid in this effort through updating pain and symptom management training for health care providers and also bolstering federal pain research efforts at the National Institutes of Health. “We commend Congressmen Elliot ...