2026 South Carolina Legislative Priorities

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of South Carolinians impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2026 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the SC General Assembly on legislative and regulatory efforts that provide affordable, adequate access to health insurance including Medicaid, ensure adequate funding for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention programs, and enact prevention policies to protect kids from tobacco products and help support those who are trying to quit. We will be making the following fact-based policies a priority and ask for your support:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Medicaid Expansion: ACS CAN will advocate for low-income individuals and families to have access to comprehensive health insurance coverage and non-emergent medical transportation services through state Medicaid programs. We will support policies that preserve funding and access to Medicaid for low-income parents and adults including changes to Medicaid that increase coverage, benefits, eligibility, or quality of care and improvement of Medicaid systems. ACS CAN will advocate for Medicaid expansion in states that have not increased eligibility up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Access to Medicaid: The preservation of eligibility, coverage, and access to Medicaid remains critically important for many low-income state residents who depend on the program for cancer and chronic disease prevention, as well as early detection, diagnostic, and treatment services. ACS CAN will work to ensure Medicaid enrollees have adequate access and coverage and will oppose proposals that create barriers or reduce access to care for cancer patients, survivors, and those who could be diagnosed with cancer.
• Prescription Drug Affordability: ACS CAN supports legislation that restricts the use of so-called copay accumulator adjustments in health insurance plans. We will advocate for policies that ensure third party prescription drug copay assistance is counted toward patients’ out-of-pocket cost obligations.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to maintain funding of $1 million for The Best Chance Network, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the South Carolina Department of Health.
• Colorectal Cancer: ACS CAN will work to maintain funding for colorectal cancer screening, treatment, and patient navigation programs as supported by the University of South Carolina’s Colon Cancer Prevention Network.
• Remove copays for cancer screenings: ACS CAN will advocate for legislation to eliminate cost sharing for follow-up cancer screening tests that are needed after an abnormal result and supplemental screening needed for some individuals based on individual risk factors.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: ACS CAN will work to increase funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs by $5 million.  Increasing funding by $5 million will allow communities to be more engaged around efforts to prevent tobacco use and help current tobacco users quit.
• Tobacco Taxes: ACS CAN supports significantly increasing taxes on all tobacco products as it is one of the most effective ways to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco products and help those already addicted to quit.  ACS CAN opposes any legislation that would lower the tax, and, therefore, the price of tobacco products making it easier for youth to afford to start to use tobacco and keep adults addicted.

For more information, contact: Beth Johnson, Regional Government Relations Director ACS CAN 

[email protected] | 843-858-2310

ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, please visit www.fightcancer.org.