Louisiana Advocates Press for Legislative Relief from Medical Debt 

 March 30, 2026 Baton Rouge, LA– As the Louisiana legislative session continues to move forward, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges legislators to prioritize passing legislation to ease the burden of medical debt on Louisianans and make prostate cancer screenings affordable for at-risk populations. 

The Following Statement can be attributed to Alice Kline, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) government relations director:  

“A 2026 survey found that nearly 70% of Louisiana voters surveyed reported having current or past medical debt. Medical debt is a significant burden to those facing cancer. ACS CAN is asking lawmakers to pass SB 414 this session and reduce the burden of medical debt for the most vulnerable populations.  “A survey of cancer patients and survivors conducted by ACS CAN found that nearly half of cancer patients and survivors report having medical debt after their diagnosis. Among those individuals, 30% experienced credit damage and 8% lost their homes or were forced into unsafe living situations. Nearly half of respondents with cancer related medical debt also said they felt harassed by creditors or debt collectors, who often use threats to credit scores as a pressure tactic. 

“Passing legislation to address medical debt would finally offer relief to cancer patients who endure not only the physical and emotional toll of cancer, but also the longterm financial fallout that follows. By curbing harmful collection practices, lawmakers can begin to reduce the cascading consequences of medical debt and allow patients to focus on healing rather than fearing lifelong financial instability and resorting to crowdfunding for lifesaving care. 

“And with SB 84, which has passed the Senate and is now being considered in the House, lawmakers have an opportunity to eliminate cost sharing for prostate cancer screening for at risk populations. Louisiana has the second highest rate of prostate cancer in the country. ACS CAN urges lawmakers to pass legislation that will ease the financial burden that so often gets in the way of men getting screened.”