As New York State’s 2026 legislative session begins and Governor Hochul prepares to deliver her State of the State address, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is calling on lawmakers to seize both immediate and long-term opportunities to ease the burden of cancer. Advocates are urging state leaders to prioritize affordability and ensure continued progress in the fight against this disease.
The following statement from Michael Davoli, senior government relations director for ACS CAN in New York, outlines each of those opportunities in the following statement:
“We’re coming off a turbulent 2025 where health care affordability dominated headlines, yet--even under the spotlight--patients’ access to care eroded. Deep Medicaid cuts from H.R.1, coupled with uncertainty around enhanced premium tax credits for Marketplace plans, have created a looming health care cliff. We’re no longer looking over the edge. We’re bracing for impact. Now is the time for leaders in Albany to act and soften the blow, starting with strengthening the New York State Cancer Services Program (CSP). As more low-income and under- and uninsured New Yorkers lose their pathway to routine screenings and look to the CSP for continued access to lifesaving care, the state must ensure the program can meet the increased demand.
“With affordable, quality health insurance not guaranteed, the state must guarantee that workers can take time off to care for themselves or a loved one without risking their livelihood. Strengthening the state’s Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program would send a powerful message to families battling disease: even amid rising everyday expenses and crushing medical bills, they shouldn’t have to choose between health and a paycheck. Together, the CSP and TDI offer immediate, tangible relief for New Yorkers increasingly worried about the cost of living.
“Beyond short-term relief that helps New Yorkers prevent, detect and treat cancer, state leaders must also champion policies that position New York as a national leader in the fight against this disease. Innovation starts with research and persistent uncertainty around federal funding makes it imperative for states to invest in their own progress. ACS CAN is urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to include in her executive budget funding for cancer research, such as through the proposal from the Associated Medical Schools of New York to establish an Empire Biomedical Research Institute (EBRI), to ensure continued breakthroughs.
“New York has both the capacity and the commitment to lead on research funding—just as it does in expanding access to patient navigation, a community-centered care model that helps patients overcome barriers to treatment. Few states have taken steps to guarantee patient navigation and prevent individuals from falling through the cracks in our complex health care system. New York should be at the forefront of this transformative approach to care.
“That same leadership must extend beyond treatment and into prevention. Building on the momentum of last year’s lung cancer legislation, New York can take on the leading cause of lung cancer—and the primary driver of cancer deaths in the state—by strengthening tobacco prevention and cessation programming and establishing tax parity across all tobacco products, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and more through the state budget. Doing so would not only discourage youth initiation and encourage people who currently use tobacco to quit but also generate revenue for the New York State Tobacco Control Program.
“These priorities will drive the cancer community’s advocacy throughout 2026. ACS CAN urges state lawmakers to join us in advancing these proposals and working to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.”
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.