PHOENIX, ARIZ. - With the 2026 legislative session now underway, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is leading efforts this session to protect and expand access to quality health care, sustain lifesaving cancer prevention measures, and reestablish Arizona as the country’s leader in tobacco control.
ACS CAN will work with state lawmakers on accomplishing the following during the 2026 session:
Medicaid Defense: 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.
Cancer Prevention and Early Detection: Maintain $1.3M funding for the Well Woman HealthCheck Program, providing breast and cervical cancer screening for low-income women. More than 7,000 women in Arizona are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer. 280 are expected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2026.
Tobacco Control: Ensure interests from Big Tobacco do not create additional loopholes in state law, define e-cigarettes as tobacco products, create a statewide retail license, expand smoke-free laws to include e-cigarettes and allow stronger local ordinances.
Access to Quality Care: Ensure access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance including Arizona’s Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS); uphold biomarker testing coverage; guarantee no-cost follow-up breast imaging for those who received an abnormal result on an initial breast cancer screening.
“Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and while Arizona has historically been a leader in tobacco control policy, there are significant areas the state is deficient in. ACS CAN is committed to working with lawmakers this session to restore Arizona as the country’s leader in tobacco control, help those who use tobacco products quit, and deter young people from ever using such products,” said Brian Hummell, ACS CAN Arizona Government Relations Director. “Additionally, we also know, through a multitude of studies, that health insurance is critical for ensuring access to care throughout the cancer care continuum—which means getting recommended cancer screenings, timely diagnosis, and quality treatment. Arizonans access to usable, affordable healthcare relies on the work that can be accomplished this session by our state lawmakers.”
According to the annual Cancer Statistics 2026 report released last week by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the cancer death rate has declined by 34% since its peak in 1991, averting about 4.8 million cancer deaths as of 2023. The decline is due to reductions in smoking, earlier detection, and advances in treatment. Furthermore, for people diagnosed with cancer between 2015 and 2021, the five-year survival rate has reached 70%, marking a big milestone.
While the decline is good news, cancer continues to be a pervasive issue facing Arizonans.
In 2026, more than 44,600 Arizonans are expected to be newly diagnosed with cancer. Separately, more than 13,800 people are expected to lose their lives from the disease statewide.
On Thursday, February 19th, cancer survivors and patients from across the state will unite at the state capitol for Cancer Action Day. All plan to meet with state lawmakers about supporting the policies mentioned above.