ACS CAN to Congress: Cancer Patients and Survivors Are Counting on You to Protect Their Access to Health Coverage

The U.S. Senate began its consideration of the budget bill that passed the U.S. House last month, which the Senate is set to begin voting on imminently. The Senate vote will be quickly followed by one in the House. The Senate bill doubles down on the harms in the House version which, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), would result in $793 billion cuts to Medicaid and cause nearly 11 million people to become uninsured with no other affordable health insurance options.

In addition to the largest Medicaid cuts in history, the bill weakens protections in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace and makes it more difficult and expensive to obtain and keep health insurance coverage.

The following is a statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN): 

“History will be made with this vote. Congress has one last chance to stop this unprecedented attack on access to health care for millions of Americans, including cancer patients and survivors. Congress can say ‘no’ to terminating health coverage for nearly 11 million people who will have no other affordable option available to them if this bill passes. Currently, 1 in 10 people with a history of cancer have Medicaid coverage, including 1 in 3 kids who are newly diagnosed with cancer. We know having quality health coverage is one of the most significant factors in whether someone survives a cancer diagnosis. Voting for this bill means voting to rip that chance of survival away from real people.

“Simply put, this bill will mean more Americans are living sicker and dying sooner. No one is safe from the life-threatening harms this bill inflicts, not even cancer patients. It will increase health care costs for everyone, increase medical debt for families already struggling to get by and undo decades of progress in improving cancer outcomes.

“ACS CAN, on behalf of cancer patients, survivors and everyone at risk of developing the disease, urges Congress to vote against any cuts to Medicaid and any provisions that put affording and keeping health coverage further out of reach. Lives are on the line.”